In the movie City Slickers, cowboy Curly told city slicker Mitch that the key to life is just one thing – and that one thing is different for each of us.
Chronic sickness, on the other hand, IS NOT just one thing. It is a compilation of numerous causes that in and of themselves may not be a problem, but put them all together and you have a recipe for disastrous health.
I think of it like a complex, 3D puzzle – the pieces are scattered everywhere and my job, and my doctors job, is to find the right pieces and put it back together.
There are so many factors to my own sickness that I’m not convinced we even know where all the pieces of the puzzle are.
When someone tells me they know someone who was cured of Lyme disease, I get a blank look as I try to find the words to tell them I don’t just have Lyme disease.
Dr. Horowitz calls it Multi-Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS).
MSIDS includes the following 16 issues:
1. Infections – 4 main infections:
- Bacteria (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, borellia, is just one of the many infections that need to be addressed – there are also numerous strains of borellia that can cause varying symptoms)
- Lymedisease.org about co-infections
- Lymedisease.org co-infection issues
- In addition to the multiple co-infections, I also had brucellosis (found in raw cow meat and dairy)
- Parasites
- Viruses
- Candida / fungi
2. Immune Dysfunction
3. Inflammation
4. Toxicity (mold, metals, neurotoxins, chemicals)
5. Allergies / sensitivities (foods, medications, environment) – mast cell activation syndrome is common
6. Nutritional / enzyme deficiency
7. Mitochondrial dysfunction
8. Psychological disorders
9. Neurological dysfunction
10. Endocrine disorders (thyroid, hypothalamus, adrenal, sex hormones)
11. Sleep disorders
12. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction / postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
13. Gastrointestinal disorders
14. Elevated liver function
15. Pain syndromes (muscular, arthritis, neuropathy, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia)
16. Physical therapy deconditioning (exercise intolerance reduces muscle strength and coordination)
You can learn more about MSIDS at the links below.
So please know that while I am still very sick, I am also continuing to work through the many aspects of MSIDS. It sometimes feels like it can be 2 steps forward, 10 steps back – and that’s frustrating.
But I haven’t given up hope. I’m just taking it a day at a time.
PhilippiJoy 