As much as you can, buy fresh foods - meats and veggies. A good rule of thumb is to shop the outside aisles of the grocery store. When you buy packaged foods, read the labels and know what's in it. This includes things like cheese, lunch meat and pasta. If it comes in a package,…
A Life of Options
I remember times in my life when I looked at the wide open world and thought about the different options I had...career choices, where I'd live, where I'd vacation. Those options are still available but I realized this morning my life has become a series of options - options that sometimes aren't really options. We…
The People in Your Neighborhood
When I was a kid, I loved this Sesame Street song: These are the people in your neighborhood - in your neighborhood- in your neighborhood Their the people that you meet, when you're walking down the street, they're the people that you meet each day The Lyme neighborhood extends worldwide. I work with doctors across…
Acceptance Does Not Equal Failure
One of the hardest things for me to overcome isn't the acceptance that I am sick. I wake up every morning knowing I'm sick - the pain reminds me, the fatigue and weakness remind me, the numbness and tingling and nausea remind me. Yes, I accept that I'm sick. I put my feet on the…
Don’t Give Up
I want to inspire people. I want someone to say because of me, they didn't give up. Usually when I write, it's just as much for me as it is for anyone else. Today is no exception. I wouldn't say the last few days have been great, but they've been better than many. So you…
MASK HEALTH CONCERNS
There is a lot of division around wearing masks right now. In my state (California), the governor has issued a mandate requiring the wearing of masks in public. I disagree with this order for a lot of reasons, but politics aside, I want to first discuss specific health concern for people with chronic conditions. Those…
Rejoice – Even Through the Pain
Yesterday I talked about choosing joy. That's so easy to say - but it's not always easy to see how to do it. If you're laying in bed in pain, if you're struggling in a bad relationship, if you're in a thankless job that leaves you crushed every day - you can still have joy.…
Choosing Joy – Every Day
If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans!Seriously, this was not the life I planned! I'm not much for setting life goals - I've never had a "5 year plan", but I love adventure and experiences - and being sick tends to get in the way of that. I wake up every…
Most Don’t Understand – But You Are Not Alone
I recently joined a couple of Facebook groups focused on specific health topics. My hope was to find help and encouragement for managing these difficult conditions, but what I've found instead is a whole bunch of people who are devastated and at their wits end. Most people do not understand how impossibly hard it is…
Desperate to Help Others
A young woman has been extremely sick and suffering for years. Doctors don't know what is wrong - she has severe pain and major digestive issues. They are planning exploratory surgery to try and figure it out. A man suffers daily with headaches, severe back pain, and psychological issues. His doctors continue to look for…
PhilippiJoy 