I awakened this morning, raging nerve pain searing into my flanks, hips, gut and every little nook and cranny within a twelve-inch radius of my lumbar spine.
I'm really fed up with losing sleep and much of my productive capacity over this nagging pain. What's worse, however, is that this morning I felt that it was starting to steal my joy over the good things in my life.
When the pain becomes so bad that you start to decline invitations to the movies because you can't stand to sit in a theater chair for an hour and a half, the storm clouds of sadness really start to settle.
Up until today, however, I've mostly resisted allowing any rain to fall from my eyes over the matter, but this morning, when I fell out of bed, sleep-deprived because of the pain, I couldn't bottle the storm any longer.
I lay in bed, thinking about the meeting that I was supposed to have with my friend Karen that morning. No, I definitely didn't feel like going downtown today.
Still, I had made a commitment and besides, I didn't want the pain to win.
As I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, I tried to edge my neurons into positive thought. I wouldn't survive the day unless I managed to get my mind into a different place. It wasn't a day where I could curl up with my blankie in bed. I had to pull out of this.
It's a beautiful day.
It was the first thought to cross my mind, and I said it aloud, even though I felt as though the day were anything but beautiful.
It must have been God who put the thought there because it startled me, at the same time that I felt its strange power dissipating my pain a little, like a slow elixir being poured into a gaping wound.
I looked outside. The sun was shining. It was a beautiful day. I was about to meet my friend and visit a homeopathic lab in San Jose, and I was really looking forward to that. Instead of sitting in front of my computer all day, I was going to venture into town to learn about some cool new remedies, and then perhaps have a leisurely lunch at my favorite health food restaurant with Karen.
It was a good way to spend the day.
And as I went about it, the pain yet tugging at the edges of my joy, I focused on the sun, my new discoveries in homeopathy, and the delicious chicken salad that I shared with my friend.
When I got home in the afternoon, however, the monster yet continued its quest for my spirit. Before I had a chance to open any champagne on my pity party, however, the doorbell rang and in stepped my neighbor.
Amidst tears, she proceeded to share with me a fear that her son might commit suicide, and I felt my soul shoving its own anguish aside to make room for hers.
Pain? What pain?
As I offered her words of consolation, I swore I saw hope fill her face.
It's a beautiful day.
She left my apartment, and the pain reminded me once again of its presence.
Oh God, how many more months must I live like this?
Again ready to uncork the champagne, I was halted by another knock at the door.
In came another neighbor, to talk about how her ex-husband had given her three days to leave their apartment. Was it not bad enough that he had abandoned her?
As I sat and listened to her unleash her feelings of betrayal upon me, I once again felt myself trading my pain a little for hers. Yet I welcomed her pain, because, as my other neighbor, I felt that I was able to take that pain and transform it into compassion, into something productive that would infuse her soul with a bit of light.
Only God in me could have done that. Only God could have given me the strength to forget myself for two seconds in order to give to another.
It's a beautiful day.
Life is awash with pain, but it is saturated with opportunities for joy, too. The dance of pain fills the soul with anguish; but the dance of pain, when coupled with compassion and a positive outlook, becomes a dance of beauty that makes the spirit sing. If I didn't hurt, I wouldn't have anything to give another. If I had nothing to give another, my pain would be all the more profound.
Maybe this is one of the great paradoxes of Lyme disease. Extraordinary torture invites the spirit to soar to new heights, if indeed, the soul recognizes it as an opportunity to fly. What a bittersweet experience it is. Sometimes, I still go for the champagne, but I can't help but feel a little closer to the divine when I choose another kind of party.
My back is killing me, but it's a beautiful day.
Welcome To Lyme Bytes!
April, 2014- HELLO ALL! I am no longer posting to this blog. For the latest on me and my work, I invite you to subscribe to my NEW blog: www.conniestrasheim.blogspot.com where I share my latest findings on how to heal from chronic illness involving Lyme and other conditions. Thanks!
Greetings and welcome to my Lyme disease blog, a comfy cozy (and sometimes crazy!) place for cutting-edge information, encouragement and insight into the fastest-growing epidemic disease in the United States. In this blog you will find everything from bug-killing strategies to immune system and hormone help, as well as lifestyle and spiritual suggestions for healing from chronic illness involving Lyme disease. The information contained within this blog is based upon my own healing journey and what I have learned over the past eight years as I have been diligently digging and researching my way back to a better state of health. May you find it to be a source of hope, inspiration and wisdom in your own journey towards wellness.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Doughnuts, Detox and the Bionic 880
I have a question for those of you who have a Bionic 880 device and who are using it to treat Lyme and other health issues.
Do you think if I strap a doughnut to my solar plexus and set the Bionic 880 to the frequency for allergies, that I can treat for my allergies to wheat and sugar? :)
Okay, just kidding. Well, sort of.
I have been back from Germany for a week now and I am a zombie. At first I thought it was just jet lag, but I think that the Bionic 880 treatments are attempting to normalize my hormones and circadian rhythm. For the first time in almost five years, I am crashing at night between nine and ten p.m., and waking up before the birdies. I would say that this is a good thing, were it not for the fact that I am currently only sleeping between four to six solid hours a night, and tossing and turning for another two or three. I slept just fine before I went to Germany, although it did usually take me an hour to get to sleep. Now I don't even get to ten sheep before I am fast asleep. That's a good thing. Well, gotta look at the positives when you are a zombie.
Fortunately, I discovered yesterday that VitaCost can deliver supplements to Costa Rica in just two days, at a much more economical price than I would have thought, and so I happily ordered some 5-HTP to address the insomnia issue. While Costa Rica is relatively up-and-coming in the natural supplements market, it's yet difficult to find amino acids here.
I actually think that the Bionic 880 treatments have probably increased my energy somewhat, but it's hard to discern amidst all the insomnia. Besides that, my postural orthostatic hypotension is normalizing a little, and despite my sleepiness and back pain which seems to get worse by the day, I have been in a relatively good mood. The moodiness I experienced in Germany seems to have gone bye-bye, which I am grateful for.
Other than that, I haven't noticed any other changes yet as a result of the Bionic 880 treatments. Further research and conversations with others who have used this device have confirmed to me, however, that this type of treatment is most effective when the adrenal glands are adequately supported and an aggressive detoxification protocol is employed alongside the therapy. Otherwise, it can make a Lyme sufferer worse, just like most bug-killing protocol.
Pending the completion of my new book on Lyme disease, I will return to posting on other Lyme topics here, in approximately a month. At that time, I will post another update on my progress, and shortly thereafter, share some pearls of insight that I have gained as a result of writing the new book.
Do you think if I strap a doughnut to my solar plexus and set the Bionic 880 to the frequency for allergies, that I can treat for my allergies to wheat and sugar? :)
Okay, just kidding. Well, sort of.
I have been back from Germany for a week now and I am a zombie. At first I thought it was just jet lag, but I think that the Bionic 880 treatments are attempting to normalize my hormones and circadian rhythm. For the first time in almost five years, I am crashing at night between nine and ten p.m., and waking up before the birdies. I would say that this is a good thing, were it not for the fact that I am currently only sleeping between four to six solid hours a night, and tossing and turning for another two or three. I slept just fine before I went to Germany, although it did usually take me an hour to get to sleep. Now I don't even get to ten sheep before I am fast asleep. That's a good thing. Well, gotta look at the positives when you are a zombie.
Fortunately, I discovered yesterday that VitaCost can deliver supplements to Costa Rica in just two days, at a much more economical price than I would have thought, and so I happily ordered some 5-HTP to address the insomnia issue. While Costa Rica is relatively up-and-coming in the natural supplements market, it's yet difficult to find amino acids here.
I actually think that the Bionic 880 treatments have probably increased my energy somewhat, but it's hard to discern amidst all the insomnia. Besides that, my postural orthostatic hypotension is normalizing a little, and despite my sleepiness and back pain which seems to get worse by the day, I have been in a relatively good mood. The moodiness I experienced in Germany seems to have gone bye-bye, which I am grateful for.
Other than that, I haven't noticed any other changes yet as a result of the Bionic 880 treatments. Further research and conversations with others who have used this device have confirmed to me, however, that this type of treatment is most effective when the adrenal glands are adequately supported and an aggressive detoxification protocol is employed alongside the therapy. Otherwise, it can make a Lyme sufferer worse, just like most bug-killing protocol.
Pending the completion of my new book on Lyme disease, I will return to posting on other Lyme topics here, in approximately a month. At that time, I will post another update on my progress, and shortly thereafter, share some pearls of insight that I have gained as a result of writing the new book.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Heal the Body, Heal the Spirit
As I have often mentioned in my blog, as well as in my book, "The Lyme Disease Survival Guide", I believe that healing from Lyme is about healing from emotional trauma, as much as it is about healing from infections and other toxins. Some health care practitioners even believe that the amount of physical toxins present in the body is proportional to the degree of emotional trauma that's present.
The Bionic 880 device, which shines light into, and revives, diseased cells, causes a liberation of infections and toxins from these cells. This includes emotional toxins, because emotions are stored not only in the brain, but also in other cells of the body. Which means that anyone who is contemplating this treatment for Lyme should be aware that this process purges not only bugs, but also emotional toxins.
And that purging ain't always pretty.
Mrs. Klein, the owner of the guesthouse where I have been staying in Germany, has seen more than just a handful of Lyme disease sufferers come and go. Some of these people, she contends, have felt immediately better following treatment with the Bionic 880, while others have felt initially worse for awhile (hopefully, before getting better!).
Some of the other Lyme sufferers who have stayed with me at the guesthouse have had immediate symptomatic improvements, but what I have observed even more is an initial worsening of symptoms in these people, including those that involve the emotions.
After my second treatment, I found myself weeping over the slightest provocation, and initially attributed it to weaning off of my anti-depressant. And bear in mind, I felt pretty stable before I came to Germany. When others around me spoke of depression and feeling like "basketcases", however, and Dr. Woitzel reminded me last week that the therapy purges trauma from the cells, then I understood that in fact, the light has been responsible for the feelings of anxiety and depression that have surfaced in me and in others from time to time during our stay in Germany.
For anyone who is contemplating this therapy, you must know that treating with the Bionic 880 is not a benign process. There is darkness before the dawn, and knowing this can make the process go a little more smoothly, I think. Yes, that castle in Heidelberg will still be beautiful, but its beauty may be dimmed a little by the effects of the treatments. It's okay. I've still immensely enjoyed being here anyway! :)
In my heartfelt chat with Dr. Woitzel last week, I also learned that he believes, as I do, that healing the spirit is paramount to healing the body. The confirmation meant a lot to me, as my experience with this kind doctor over the past few weeks has led me to believe that his intuition is razor-sharp.
"You must be free in your mind," he said, which I understood to mean that mental fixations on illness and other unhealthy thoughts hinders healing. Positive thoughts bring light into the body; negative, "stuck" thoughts bring darkness, just as biophotons bring light and purge the cells of darkness. But biophotons don't heal the body; the spirit and mind, in conjunction with the physical body, are what heal.
Dr. Woitzel also believes that his North American patients have more detrimental mental fixations than his European patients. Whether or not this is true, I have observed, from having lived abroad in three countries besides the United States, and from having traveled to approximately forty-five others, that people in the United States tend to be more complicated and analytical in their thinking than people in other nations. I wonder, then, if such analysis has been harmful to our well-being? I mean, we can really beat this Lyme issue to death, can't we?
Dr. Woitzel also mentioned that his North American patients have more toxins and infections than his European patients. Perhaps this is also why we have a harder time healing from the Lyme disease, or chronic illness, complex. I don't know, and I don't pretend to own the truth on such matters. I have only my observations and opinions, which are constantly changing and hopefully, evolving.
What I do believe, and what Dr. Woitzel has confirmed to me, is that you can chase every supplement under the sun; you can do 1001 treatments for Lyme with energetic devices, but if the spirit is unwell, then the body will struggle to heal.
In my first book, "The Lyme Disease Survival Guide", I have provided suggestions for healing the mind and spirit, but this is perhaps the most challenging aspect of healing, because the path to emotional and spiritual wellness is different for everyone, and we must all find our own way. Biochemical and energetic interventions can heal (as in, for example, the Bionic 880 purging the body of trauma), but it's rarely such a straightforward process, and often, a combination of strategies, whether cognitive, biochemical, physiological, or otherwise, are required.
It's good to pray to God, but I believe that the supernatural also works in the natural and provides resources and discernment, so that we can heal ourselves. In the end, of course, I believe that all healing comes from God, but we must participate in that healing and accept that attaining health may require more twists and turns than we initially expected.
There is no magic pill for healing, and the Bionic 880 is probably not that pill, either, but I surmise that the fewer blocks that a person has to healing, emotionally or otherwise, the greater the effects of the biophotons upon infections and the immune system.
I am yet grateful for the light--that has come to me in the form of a machine, as well as through divine revelation about healing.
Love the light, my friends. It is the key to health.
The Bionic 880 device, which shines light into, and revives, diseased cells, causes a liberation of infections and toxins from these cells. This includes emotional toxins, because emotions are stored not only in the brain, but also in other cells of the body. Which means that anyone who is contemplating this treatment for Lyme should be aware that this process purges not only bugs, but also emotional toxins.
And that purging ain't always pretty.
Mrs. Klein, the owner of the guesthouse where I have been staying in Germany, has seen more than just a handful of Lyme disease sufferers come and go. Some of these people, she contends, have felt immediately better following treatment with the Bionic 880, while others have felt initially worse for awhile (hopefully, before getting better!).
Some of the other Lyme sufferers who have stayed with me at the guesthouse have had immediate symptomatic improvements, but what I have observed even more is an initial worsening of symptoms in these people, including those that involve the emotions.
After my second treatment, I found myself weeping over the slightest provocation, and initially attributed it to weaning off of my anti-depressant. And bear in mind, I felt pretty stable before I came to Germany. When others around me spoke of depression and feeling like "basketcases", however, and Dr. Woitzel reminded me last week that the therapy purges trauma from the cells, then I understood that in fact, the light has been responsible for the feelings of anxiety and depression that have surfaced in me and in others from time to time during our stay in Germany.
For anyone who is contemplating this therapy, you must know that treating with the Bionic 880 is not a benign process. There is darkness before the dawn, and knowing this can make the process go a little more smoothly, I think. Yes, that castle in Heidelberg will still be beautiful, but its beauty may be dimmed a little by the effects of the treatments. It's okay. I've still immensely enjoyed being here anyway! :)
In my heartfelt chat with Dr. Woitzel last week, I also learned that he believes, as I do, that healing the spirit is paramount to healing the body. The confirmation meant a lot to me, as my experience with this kind doctor over the past few weeks has led me to believe that his intuition is razor-sharp.
"You must be free in your mind," he said, which I understood to mean that mental fixations on illness and other unhealthy thoughts hinders healing. Positive thoughts bring light into the body; negative, "stuck" thoughts bring darkness, just as biophotons bring light and purge the cells of darkness. But biophotons don't heal the body; the spirit and mind, in conjunction with the physical body, are what heal.
Dr. Woitzel also believes that his North American patients have more detrimental mental fixations than his European patients. Whether or not this is true, I have observed, from having lived abroad in three countries besides the United States, and from having traveled to approximately forty-five others, that people in the United States tend to be more complicated and analytical in their thinking than people in other nations. I wonder, then, if such analysis has been harmful to our well-being? I mean, we can really beat this Lyme issue to death, can't we?
Dr. Woitzel also mentioned that his North American patients have more toxins and infections than his European patients. Perhaps this is also why we have a harder time healing from the Lyme disease, or chronic illness, complex. I don't know, and I don't pretend to own the truth on such matters. I have only my observations and opinions, which are constantly changing and hopefully, evolving.
What I do believe, and what Dr. Woitzel has confirmed to me, is that you can chase every supplement under the sun; you can do 1001 treatments for Lyme with energetic devices, but if the spirit is unwell, then the body will struggle to heal.
In my first book, "The Lyme Disease Survival Guide", I have provided suggestions for healing the mind and spirit, but this is perhaps the most challenging aspect of healing, because the path to emotional and spiritual wellness is different for everyone, and we must all find our own way. Biochemical and energetic interventions can heal (as in, for example, the Bionic 880 purging the body of trauma), but it's rarely such a straightforward process, and often, a combination of strategies, whether cognitive, biochemical, physiological, or otherwise, are required.
It's good to pray to God, but I believe that the supernatural also works in the natural and provides resources and discernment, so that we can heal ourselves. In the end, of course, I believe that all healing comes from God, but we must participate in that healing and accept that attaining health may require more twists and turns than we initially expected.
There is no magic pill for healing, and the Bionic 880 is probably not that pill, either, but I surmise that the fewer blocks that a person has to healing, emotionally or otherwise, the greater the effects of the biophotons upon infections and the immune system.
I am yet grateful for the light--that has come to me in the form of a machine, as well as through divine revelation about healing.
Love the light, my friends. It is the key to health.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Video of Troy and Connie's Experience with the Bionic 880
This video briefly describes Troy's and my experience with the Bionic 880 after approximately three and a half weeks in Germany.
In two days, I will be flying back to Costa Rica. I still feel relatively yucky, although some symptoms are now quieting down a bit. I am yet told that this feeling worse is normal, since the body is doing so much cleansing, purging and re-arranging of the metabolism.
One other change that I have observed since starting this therapy is that I am waking up earlier than before, by about one to two hours. Since Lyme, I have not been able to get up before 9:00 AM. I now think my hormones are re-regulating so that I can get up earlier. I think that over the long run, that this will be a good thing!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sitting On Hot Coals...So Here's My Quickie for the Week!
My lower back is on fire and I can barely stand to sit in front of the computer, so this will be a fast post, but I couldn't resist sending you all a quick update on my progress this week with the Bionic 880 treatments here in Germany.
I tested free of borrelia today with one of Dr. Woitzel's energetic devices. I watched as the device moved in a very decisive "no" direction to the homeopathic borrelia nosodes that Dr. Woitzel placed between me and the device. I have only had five treatments, and feel very blessed to be "done" with this infection already! Some of the Lyme sufferers who are here with me have needed more than five treatments, however, so if you are planning to come to Germany, staying here for four weeks is most ideal (The doctor does two treatments per week).
So am I feeling great?
No, but I didn't expect to. Why? Well, I didn't think that borrelia was the main reason for my symptoms when I first came here, anyway, and I yet suspect that I will need to treat babesia and other problems with the Bionic before I am fully healed. In any case, I am ecstatic that I now no longer have to worry about borrelia becoming a big deal for me again!
Actually, not only am I not feeling much better after the treatments, in some ways, and like the six others who have stayed with me at the guesthouse, I am feeling a little worse! No, it's not a bad thing. I think we are all still clearing out toxins from the treatments.
That said, amidst the herxing, we have all also had some minor improvements. I mentioned what mine were in the previous blog post, and what I have mostly witnessed in others have been improvements in sleep, pain and energy.
Next week, Dr. Woitzel will continue to treat my now-quite-hellacious back pain with one of the many methods that he uses to treat pain (but so far I have been a difficult case, I think). His energy tests revealed that the pain is partially a structural problem (as suspected), but that neurotoxins and bugs are also contributing to the pain. So as I embark upon a serious abdominal exercise program and continue to get rid of infections and toxins, I expect this symptom to improve.
In the meantime, if you like, please pray for me, as I need to finish my Lyme book soon and I can hardly stand to sit in front of a computer right now!
Still, I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to come to Germany to do this amazing treatment, and continue to believe that it is probably one of, if not the best, treatment out there for borrelia.
Until next time...it's pain killer time again!
I tested free of borrelia today with one of Dr. Woitzel's energetic devices. I watched as the device moved in a very decisive "no" direction to the homeopathic borrelia nosodes that Dr. Woitzel placed between me and the device. I have only had five treatments, and feel very blessed to be "done" with this infection already! Some of the Lyme sufferers who are here with me have needed more than five treatments, however, so if you are planning to come to Germany, staying here for four weeks is most ideal (The doctor does two treatments per week).
So am I feeling great?
No, but I didn't expect to. Why? Well, I didn't think that borrelia was the main reason for my symptoms when I first came here, anyway, and I yet suspect that I will need to treat babesia and other problems with the Bionic before I am fully healed. In any case, I am ecstatic that I now no longer have to worry about borrelia becoming a big deal for me again!
Actually, not only am I not feeling much better after the treatments, in some ways, and like the six others who have stayed with me at the guesthouse, I am feeling a little worse! No, it's not a bad thing. I think we are all still clearing out toxins from the treatments.
That said, amidst the herxing, we have all also had some minor improvements. I mentioned what mine were in the previous blog post, and what I have mostly witnessed in others have been improvements in sleep, pain and energy.
Next week, Dr. Woitzel will continue to treat my now-quite-hellacious back pain with one of the many methods that he uses to treat pain (but so far I have been a difficult case, I think). His energy tests revealed that the pain is partially a structural problem (as suspected), but that neurotoxins and bugs are also contributing to the pain. So as I embark upon a serious abdominal exercise program and continue to get rid of infections and toxins, I expect this symptom to improve.
In the meantime, if you like, please pray for me, as I need to finish my Lyme book soon and I can hardly stand to sit in front of a computer right now!
Still, I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to come to Germany to do this amazing treatment, and continue to believe that it is probably one of, if not the best, treatment out there for borrelia.
Until next time...it's pain killer time again!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Week Two in Germany with the Bionic 880
I've been in Germany now for two weeks and four treatments with the Bionic 880. Like my fellow Lyme companions who are here with me and who have completed 4-6 treatments, some of my symptoms have worsened, and a few have improved. Regardless, though, I can tell that change is afoot in my body. Actually, I mostly feel a little bit worse overall, and I'm not sure how much of it is due to supplement withdrawal, and how much of it is due to herxheimer reactions.
My back pain has intensified so much that last night I actually took a narcotic for the first time in my life, and today I can hardly stand to sit in front of my computer, but I still think that this pain, as per Dr. Woitzel as well as a neurosurgeon and osteopath in Costa Rica, is the result of a structural defect and not Lyme, especially since all of my fellow Lyme companions here have reported improvements in their pain by the fourth treatment. So I'm finally going to get serious about doing exercises, since I've been told a million times that this will help but I've stubbornly wanted to find another way. Well, no more.
My postural orthostatic imbalances continue, but seem to be getting better, and I am now completely off of my anti-depressant and melatonin and still feeling relatively sane. I'm not sleeping as well as I did when I took the melatonin, but the fact that I can even sleep without taking something is a miracle.
Because I have stopped taking my oh-so-powerful, super-sonic D-ribose, it has been difficult for me to assess changes in my energy as a result of the biophotons, but I surmise that I have more energy than had I not received the treatments and taken D-ribose. Also, my energy feels a little more constant, and I don't find myself "crashing" as much in the late afternoon.
Interestingly enough, my friend Troy, who has always been more functional than I, has herxed much harder from the treatments, so much that he's barely been able to get out and about here in Germany. It just goes to show that infection load doesn't necessarily correspond to one's level of functionality, I think. And I still don't think that borrelia is primary for me.
This past week, Connie, Troy and I visited a homeopathic lab in Baden Baden and picked out forty different nosodes for infections and conditions that we suspect could be other factors in our illnesses, and which Dr. Woitzel has agreed to test us for. Troy has generously donated the nosodes to Dr. Woitzel for use in other patients who come to his office to get tested for other infections and conditions.
Yesterday, Troy, Lynn and I returned to Baden Baden to attend an exposition where a multitude of holistic health care products and services were represented. It was a Lyme Disease sufferer's Disneyland, with lots of homeopathic remedies, health foods, fun energetic and other devices that we tasted, sampled and tried out. We especially loved the infrared massage beds, acupuncture pain gadgets and free food samples!
Not to mention all that we learned about the Bionic 880 from Henry, (who sells the device to patients and practitioners), as well as from a brilliant, compassionate health care practitioner from Hamburg, who also uses the device in her practice. This practitioner was fluent in English and more than willing to share her knowledge and experience with the Bionic 880, so we took advantage of the opportunity to pick her brain and learn all that we could about using the device for subsequent treatment of infections and other conditions.
While the Bionic 880 has been touted for its effects upon mood and hormones, as well as infections, I don't think that it can make up for neurotransmitter and hormone deficiencies, and for that reason, may be limited in its effects upon the neurological, neuroendocrine and related systems. My hypothesis about this was solidified when the practitioner from Hamburg said that concurrently treating the adrenals and thyroid with supplements while doing Bionic 880 treatment is sometimes necessary if patients are to fully recover, especially if patients' adrenal insufficiency is severe. She also believes in supplementing with nutrients while receiving Bionic 880 treatments, stating that the immune system needs all the help that it can get in order to beat the infections.
This is in contrast to Dr. Woitzel's philosophy, which is that taking non-essential supplements during treatments causes the body to re-regulate the metabolism, taking into account the effects of the supplements, so that (as I understand it) the body becomes dependent upon these. The practitioner in Hamburg has been treating Lyme with the Bionic 880 for a couple of years, while Dr. Woitzel has nine years of experience with the device, so on the one hand, I'm inclined to go with Dr. Woitzel's philosophy. But the Hamburg practitioner's strategy also makes sense to me and in my conversation with her, I sensed that she was quite brilliant.
Like Dr. Woitzel, however, she believes without question that the Bionic 880 is far superior to antibiotics for the treatment of infections, and fortunately, she has had experience with using both for the treatment of Lyme.
One interesting tidbit of information that I picked up from her was that those of us who use the Bionic 880 can partially safeguard against EMF's affecting our treatments by making a collar with aluminum foil and placing it around the neck so that it covers the thymus and thyroid whenever we use the computer or are around EMF devices.
So far, my experience here in Germany has left me with the impression that the Bionic 880 is most effective for infections, but probably cannot address all aspects of chronic illness and that other treatments may yet be necessary, especially when it comes to making up for deficiencies in the body. It can, however, do some remarkable things, including balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune responses.
With every day that I spend here in Germany, I find my mind going a million miles an hour with a multitude of thoughts and activities; the amazing experience of being in another country alongside other Lyme disease sufferers; the challenge of trying to sort out treatment issues, deal with treatment reactions, write a book, do a blog, and make a plan for healing and work once I return to the United States and Costa Rica. I'm trying to keep my brain in Germany but indeed, sometimes I find it spilling over into Costa Rica and the United States, since the decisions and experiences that I have here will affect my life once I return home.
No, I don't think I'll be returning home feeling 100% better, as I know some of my friends and family members who are reading this might expect, but before you all think I'm out of my mind for blowing all of my savings on this treatment, you should know that most of us who come here have multiple infections to treat, and each requires at least a month to treat, with another month in between each one so that the body can process the treatments. And while this treatment probably isn't a "cure all" for the multiple dysfunctions found in chronic illness, it sure as heck seems like it will solve the important issue of infections, along with perhaps other things.
I am yet hopeful and optimistic, and excited to see what it has done, and continues to do for others.
My back pain has intensified so much that last night I actually took a narcotic for the first time in my life, and today I can hardly stand to sit in front of my computer, but I still think that this pain, as per Dr. Woitzel as well as a neurosurgeon and osteopath in Costa Rica, is the result of a structural defect and not Lyme, especially since all of my fellow Lyme companions here have reported improvements in their pain by the fourth treatment. So I'm finally going to get serious about doing exercises, since I've been told a million times that this will help but I've stubbornly wanted to find another way. Well, no more.
My postural orthostatic imbalances continue, but seem to be getting better, and I am now completely off of my anti-depressant and melatonin and still feeling relatively sane. I'm not sleeping as well as I did when I took the melatonin, but the fact that I can even sleep without taking something is a miracle.
Because I have stopped taking my oh-so-powerful, super-sonic D-ribose, it has been difficult for me to assess changes in my energy as a result of the biophotons, but I surmise that I have more energy than had I not received the treatments and taken D-ribose. Also, my energy feels a little more constant, and I don't find myself "crashing" as much in the late afternoon.
Interestingly enough, my friend Troy, who has always been more functional than I, has herxed much harder from the treatments, so much that he's barely been able to get out and about here in Germany. It just goes to show that infection load doesn't necessarily correspond to one's level of functionality, I think. And I still don't think that borrelia is primary for me.
This past week, Connie, Troy and I visited a homeopathic lab in Baden Baden and picked out forty different nosodes for infections and conditions that we suspect could be other factors in our illnesses, and which Dr. Woitzel has agreed to test us for. Troy has generously donated the nosodes to Dr. Woitzel for use in other patients who come to his office to get tested for other infections and conditions.
Yesterday, Troy, Lynn and I returned to Baden Baden to attend an exposition where a multitude of holistic health care products and services were represented. It was a Lyme Disease sufferer's Disneyland, with lots of homeopathic remedies, health foods, fun energetic and other devices that we tasted, sampled and tried out. We especially loved the infrared massage beds, acupuncture pain gadgets and free food samples!
Not to mention all that we learned about the Bionic 880 from Henry, (who sells the device to patients and practitioners), as well as from a brilliant, compassionate health care practitioner from Hamburg, who also uses the device in her practice. This practitioner was fluent in English and more than willing to share her knowledge and experience with the Bionic 880, so we took advantage of the opportunity to pick her brain and learn all that we could about using the device for subsequent treatment of infections and other conditions.
While the Bionic 880 has been touted for its effects upon mood and hormones, as well as infections, I don't think that it can make up for neurotransmitter and hormone deficiencies, and for that reason, may be limited in its effects upon the neurological, neuroendocrine and related systems. My hypothesis about this was solidified when the practitioner from Hamburg said that concurrently treating the adrenals and thyroid with supplements while doing Bionic 880 treatment is sometimes necessary if patients are to fully recover, especially if patients' adrenal insufficiency is severe. She also believes in supplementing with nutrients while receiving Bionic 880 treatments, stating that the immune system needs all the help that it can get in order to beat the infections.
This is in contrast to Dr. Woitzel's philosophy, which is that taking non-essential supplements during treatments causes the body to re-regulate the metabolism, taking into account the effects of the supplements, so that (as I understand it) the body becomes dependent upon these. The practitioner in Hamburg has been treating Lyme with the Bionic 880 for a couple of years, while Dr. Woitzel has nine years of experience with the device, so on the one hand, I'm inclined to go with Dr. Woitzel's philosophy. But the Hamburg practitioner's strategy also makes sense to me and in my conversation with her, I sensed that she was quite brilliant.
Like Dr. Woitzel, however, she believes without question that the Bionic 880 is far superior to antibiotics for the treatment of infections, and fortunately, she has had experience with using both for the treatment of Lyme.
One interesting tidbit of information that I picked up from her was that those of us who use the Bionic 880 can partially safeguard against EMF's affecting our treatments by making a collar with aluminum foil and placing it around the neck so that it covers the thymus and thyroid whenever we use the computer or are around EMF devices.
So far, my experience here in Germany has left me with the impression that the Bionic 880 is most effective for infections, but probably cannot address all aspects of chronic illness and that other treatments may yet be necessary, especially when it comes to making up for deficiencies in the body. It can, however, do some remarkable things, including balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune responses.
With every day that I spend here in Germany, I find my mind going a million miles an hour with a multitude of thoughts and activities; the amazing experience of being in another country alongside other Lyme disease sufferers; the challenge of trying to sort out treatment issues, deal with treatment reactions, write a book, do a blog, and make a plan for healing and work once I return to the United States and Costa Rica. I'm trying to keep my brain in Germany but indeed, sometimes I find it spilling over into Costa Rica and the United States, since the decisions and experiences that I have here will affect my life once I return home.
No, I don't think I'll be returning home feeling 100% better, as I know some of my friends and family members who are reading this might expect, but before you all think I'm out of my mind for blowing all of my savings on this treatment, you should know that most of us who come here have multiple infections to treat, and each requires at least a month to treat, with another month in between each one so that the body can process the treatments. And while this treatment probably isn't a "cure all" for the multiple dysfunctions found in chronic illness, it sure as heck seems like it will solve the important issue of infections, along with perhaps other things.
I am yet hopeful and optimistic, and excited to see what it has done, and continues to do for others.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Herxing on Easter Sunday in Germany
Easter Sunday this year was paradoxical. While I immensely enjoyed spending the holiday in a foreign country with two other friends who have Lyme, and appreciated the opportunity to attend a German-speaking church (even though I didn't understand a word) and gorge on some delicious German pancakes, ironically, I didn't get to enjoy all of this without some yucky symptoms thrown in for good measure. The friends who went with me to church had some of that yuck going on, too. As Troy rubbed his aching neck during the church service, I squirmed in my seat from back pain and breathing problems and I think Connie was weary, too. But I figured that if I had to feel bad on Easter, then I might as well do it with friends and try to have some fun!
Mrs. Klein, the guesthouse owner, topped off our unique Easter experience with chocolate rabbits, which she left outside of our rooms! (above).
I don't have much more to say about this treatment yet. I think I am finally starting to successfully wean off of my supplements and medications, but haven't noticed any striking changes with the biophotons yet. I did walk for two hours today without my D-ribose though, and with the exception of back pain, am feeling the best I have felt since trying to let go off all of my "crutches."
Friday, April 10, 2009
How Lyme Sufferers "Do" Germany
Below are a few photos of those who are with me here in Germany, and their experiences of Germany and the biophoton treatment.
Photos:
1) Two of Dr. Woitzel's friendly assistants
2) Lynn enema bag shopping at a pharmacy in Baden Baden. Success!
3) Sally trying to ask a pharmacist for Lynn's enema bag
(without the use of words, since she doesn't speak German)
4) Asking for directions to the spa (because we Lymie's are SO good
at orientation)
5) Troy herxing after treatment number three
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323018212963432322" />
Photos:
1) Two of Dr. Woitzel's friendly assistants
2) Lynn enema bag shopping at a pharmacy in Baden Baden. Success!
3) Sally trying to ask a pharmacist for Lynn's enema bag
(without the use of words, since she doesn't speak German)
4) Asking for directions to the spa (because we Lymie's are SO good
at orientation)
5) Troy herxing after treatment number three
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323018212963432322" />
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
After Four Days In Germany....
Did you know that Germany has the world's third largest economy? This fact intrigues me. I wonder how come I didn't learn that until I got here four days ago. Well, never mind. Lyme brain!
After a couple of days here, I noticed that, in fact, when it comes to producing innovative, quality goods and services on a large scale, Germans often do it better than we in the States. And I surmise that this is true when it comes to medicine, too.
So when I noticed that five squares of German toilet paper were about as effective as ten American squares, and that I didn't have to wait thirty seconds for the water in my shower to heat up (I simply adjusted the temperature gauge), for some reason, learning about these little technological advancements was enough to bolster my confidence in German medicine, too. And also because Germany is big on energy medicine.
I've only received one treatment so far on the Bionic 880, but my test for borrelia on the Bicom (one of many energetic tests that the fabulous Dr. Woitzel uses) revealed that indeed, the spiraled suckers are still stealing a significant amount of my energy, and apparently they have been there for over fifteen years. I don't recall ever getting a tick bite, but I have generally thought that I have had Lyme for less than ten years.
Still, I'm not yet convinced that Lyme is the major reason for my symptoms but only time and another five treatments with the Bionic 880 will tell.
I am impressed with Dr. Woitzel and his staff, however. Who says that Germans are cold and inhospitable? This man greeted me with a bear hug and I received multitudes of smiles and friendly words from him and his staff during my first visit. And, apparently his practice is expanding so much that next month he will be moving into a new, bigger office, and hiring more assistants to work with him! I think that is a good sign.
During my first appointment, Dr. Woitzel reviewed my labs and I spent some time telling him of my symptom woes. Then he did the Bicom test and declared my energy to be halfway in the toilet, thanks to borrelia.
I was immediately shown how to treat myself with the Bionic 880, and after my initial treatment, Dr. Woitzel's assistants ozonated my blood and then followed that up with a detoxification cocktail involving some homeopathic lymphatic, kidney and liver detox products, as well as minerals.
After my first treatment, which was approximately thirty-six hours ago, I felt a little sleepy afterward, but I can't swear that the sleepiness wasn't a result of jet lag. After all, I just arrived on Saturday and managed to skip two nights of sleep before my Monday morning appointment. Still, the five other folks who are here with me have all said that the second treatment is the one that really knocks you for a loop.
Good. That means I have something to look forward to on Thursday.
Dr. Woitzel has told me to get off of all of my supplements in the meantime. Had I known before I came to Germany that my melatonin and anti-depressant would be included in the list of non-essential supplements, I might have started weaning off at least one of them before coming here. Or maybe not.
So when he told me to shuck the mirtazapine and the melatonin, I protested a little, telling him that I've been on this stuff for almost five years. He then patiently explained that the biophotons would nullify the effects of my anti-depressant anyway, and that it would be better that I not receive therapy while dependent upon all this other stuff. So getting off the drug isn't necessarily a bad thing, I suppose, because the photons regulate serotonin production, and I don't want my body to rely on it in its attempt to "re-regulate" itself through the biophoton therapy, anyway. (Because that is what the biophotons do--re-regulate the body's energy).
So I bravely embarked upon a weaning program last night, and, still not over jetlag, I attempted to cut my melatonin dose in half, and skipped my anti-depressant dose entirely. I slept fitfully for four hours, before awakening at four A.M. with paranoid thoughts about simultaneously becoming an insomniac and schizophrenic filling my brain. Questions like, "Can I really trust the biophotons to re-program my brain and biochemistry?" raced through my mind.
After a couple of hours of fidgeting beneath my covers, I decided that I needed to give this weaning thing a shot, in any case. But no kamikazee dropping the melatonin and mirtazapine in the same week. I don't think that would be a good idea.
So I didn't survive the night without another half-tablet of melatonin, but fortunately today, Dr. Woitzel wrote me a prescription for some valerian that cost twenty euros (or about thirty bucks). I don't know if herbs are just pricey in Europe or this is just some super stellar valerian. Tonight I'll find out.
Today, Dr. Woitzel also gave me a great chiropractic adjustment that shifted one heck of a bone in my lumbar spine and removed some of the pain that I have been experiencing over the past six months. The two other osteopaths I had seen prior to Dr. Woitzel couldn't get to that bone.
I confess, doing this therapy is starting to stir up a plethora of other questions in my mind. While Dr. Woitzel has advised against taking supplements during biophoton therapy, if this is something that most of us who come here will need to continue for months afterward, can we be confident that the machine is all that we will need in order to be restored to health again?
Don't get me wrong; I am tentatively optimistic about this treatment and the great things it can do for those with Lyme, but sometimes the body has biochemical deficiencies and I'm not sure that biophoton therapy can make up for such nutrient deficiencies. The more I study medicine, the more I think that healing must be about balancing as much as about supplementing missing nutrients. Fortunately, I think it is easier to supplement what is missing than to balance what is amiss, so perhaps those of us who are able to do the Bionic 880 can use the machine to balance what is out of whack and get the critters out of our bodies, and then utilize supplements in between treatments to make up for any nutritional deficiencies.
Anyway, that's my preliminary conclusion after only two days in Dr. Woitzel's office. I am sure my opinions will be revised in the days to come.
For those of you who have already come to Germany, Dr. Woitzel really emphasizes doing detoxification after the treatments, especially when you decide to use your own blood as a nosode. If it is possible to get the same types of detoxification remedies that Dr. Woitzel uses, ideally, this might be best. But I haven't yet looked into whether it is possible or convenient to purchase these remedies from the United States.
Finally, although I have yet to herx or notice change from my first treatment, all those who are staying here at the guesthouse with me have been experiencing herx-like reactions, and a couple have had minor symptomatic improvements. Most of them have done only two treatments, and one or two have done three. Mrs. Klein, the kind and sociable owner of the guesthouse, has also affirmed to me that the majority of those who have gone before us have left Germany feeling much better than when they came, so I am encouraged.
There is something beautiful and wonderful about living in community with five other Lyme disease sufferers here in this peaceful German town. This, along with the exciting sights, smells and sounds of a new place, I think are, in themselves, worth the price of admission for this treatment.
So stay tuned for a more "social" commentary...and I'll try to get a photo or two in here sometime soon. But sorry, it won't be of the nude sauna that we have here in town!
After a couple of days here, I noticed that, in fact, when it comes to producing innovative, quality goods and services on a large scale, Germans often do it better than we in the States. And I surmise that this is true when it comes to medicine, too.
So when I noticed that five squares of German toilet paper were about as effective as ten American squares, and that I didn't have to wait thirty seconds for the water in my shower to heat up (I simply adjusted the temperature gauge), for some reason, learning about these little technological advancements was enough to bolster my confidence in German medicine, too. And also because Germany is big on energy medicine.
I've only received one treatment so far on the Bionic 880, but my test for borrelia on the Bicom (one of many energetic tests that the fabulous Dr. Woitzel uses) revealed that indeed, the spiraled suckers are still stealing a significant amount of my energy, and apparently they have been there for over fifteen years. I don't recall ever getting a tick bite, but I have generally thought that I have had Lyme for less than ten years.
Still, I'm not yet convinced that Lyme is the major reason for my symptoms but only time and another five treatments with the Bionic 880 will tell.
I am impressed with Dr. Woitzel and his staff, however. Who says that Germans are cold and inhospitable? This man greeted me with a bear hug and I received multitudes of smiles and friendly words from him and his staff during my first visit. And, apparently his practice is expanding so much that next month he will be moving into a new, bigger office, and hiring more assistants to work with him! I think that is a good sign.
During my first appointment, Dr. Woitzel reviewed my labs and I spent some time telling him of my symptom woes. Then he did the Bicom test and declared my energy to be halfway in the toilet, thanks to borrelia.
I was immediately shown how to treat myself with the Bionic 880, and after my initial treatment, Dr. Woitzel's assistants ozonated my blood and then followed that up with a detoxification cocktail involving some homeopathic lymphatic, kidney and liver detox products, as well as minerals.
After my first treatment, which was approximately thirty-six hours ago, I felt a little sleepy afterward, but I can't swear that the sleepiness wasn't a result of jet lag. After all, I just arrived on Saturday and managed to skip two nights of sleep before my Monday morning appointment. Still, the five other folks who are here with me have all said that the second treatment is the one that really knocks you for a loop.
Good. That means I have something to look forward to on Thursday.
Dr. Woitzel has told me to get off of all of my supplements in the meantime. Had I known before I came to Germany that my melatonin and anti-depressant would be included in the list of non-essential supplements, I might have started weaning off at least one of them before coming here. Or maybe not.
So when he told me to shuck the mirtazapine and the melatonin, I protested a little, telling him that I've been on this stuff for almost five years. He then patiently explained that the biophotons would nullify the effects of my anti-depressant anyway, and that it would be better that I not receive therapy while dependent upon all this other stuff. So getting off the drug isn't necessarily a bad thing, I suppose, because the photons regulate serotonin production, and I don't want my body to rely on it in its attempt to "re-regulate" itself through the biophoton therapy, anyway. (Because that is what the biophotons do--re-regulate the body's energy).
So I bravely embarked upon a weaning program last night, and, still not over jetlag, I attempted to cut my melatonin dose in half, and skipped my anti-depressant dose entirely. I slept fitfully for four hours, before awakening at four A.M. with paranoid thoughts about simultaneously becoming an insomniac and schizophrenic filling my brain. Questions like, "Can I really trust the biophotons to re-program my brain and biochemistry?" raced through my mind.
After a couple of hours of fidgeting beneath my covers, I decided that I needed to give this weaning thing a shot, in any case. But no kamikazee dropping the melatonin and mirtazapine in the same week. I don't think that would be a good idea.
So I didn't survive the night without another half-tablet of melatonin, but fortunately today, Dr. Woitzel wrote me a prescription for some valerian that cost twenty euros (or about thirty bucks). I don't know if herbs are just pricey in Europe or this is just some super stellar valerian. Tonight I'll find out.
Today, Dr. Woitzel also gave me a great chiropractic adjustment that shifted one heck of a bone in my lumbar spine and removed some of the pain that I have been experiencing over the past six months. The two other osteopaths I had seen prior to Dr. Woitzel couldn't get to that bone.
I confess, doing this therapy is starting to stir up a plethora of other questions in my mind. While Dr. Woitzel has advised against taking supplements during biophoton therapy, if this is something that most of us who come here will need to continue for months afterward, can we be confident that the machine is all that we will need in order to be restored to health again?
Don't get me wrong; I am tentatively optimistic about this treatment and the great things it can do for those with Lyme, but sometimes the body has biochemical deficiencies and I'm not sure that biophoton therapy can make up for such nutrient deficiencies. The more I study medicine, the more I think that healing must be about balancing as much as about supplementing missing nutrients. Fortunately, I think it is easier to supplement what is missing than to balance what is amiss, so perhaps those of us who are able to do the Bionic 880 can use the machine to balance what is out of whack and get the critters out of our bodies, and then utilize supplements in between treatments to make up for any nutritional deficiencies.
Anyway, that's my preliminary conclusion after only two days in Dr. Woitzel's office. I am sure my opinions will be revised in the days to come.
For those of you who have already come to Germany, Dr. Woitzel really emphasizes doing detoxification after the treatments, especially when you decide to use your own blood as a nosode. If it is possible to get the same types of detoxification remedies that Dr. Woitzel uses, ideally, this might be best. But I haven't yet looked into whether it is possible or convenient to purchase these remedies from the United States.
Finally, although I have yet to herx or notice change from my first treatment, all those who are staying here at the guesthouse with me have been experiencing herx-like reactions, and a couple have had minor symptomatic improvements. Most of them have done only two treatments, and one or two have done three. Mrs. Klein, the kind and sociable owner of the guesthouse, has also affirmed to me that the majority of those who have gone before us have left Germany feeling much better than when they came, so I am encouraged.
There is something beautiful and wonderful about living in community with five other Lyme disease sufferers here in this peaceful German town. This, along with the exciting sights, smells and sounds of a new place, I think are, in themselves, worth the price of admission for this treatment.
So stay tuned for a more "social" commentary...and I'll try to get a photo or two in here sometime soon. But sorry, it won't be of the nude sauna that we have here in town!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Going To Germany!
I thought I knew what I would be doing during the month of April. After months of desperately seeking solutions to my insidious back pain, I had finally settled upon a plan to get ozone injections at a clinic in Medellin, Colombia.
And then my god came and blasted that plan, even after I had already purchased the plane ticket.
Not that I know what God wants me to do most of the time, but occasionally, He makes it pretty obvious, especially when the ramifications of the decisions I make are expensive, in every sense of the word.
I have been praying about an opportunity to go to Germany, to do treatments with the Bionic 880. But, not having a lot of dough to roll around in and kick about like autumn leaves, and not convinced that the machine will work a miracle on my body, I have held off on trying to scrape and scrounge for the funds to go to Germany. Instead, I have patiently awaited an "open door", believing that provision would come my way if it was meant to be.
I tend to think that God is a slow poke when it comes to answering prayer, but the answer to this one came like lightning. I have oddly felt that if the Bionic 880 was a therapy that I was supposed to do, then certainly it would be down the road....six, ten, perhaps twenty months from now.
But the angels showed up this week, and while I'm not exactly prepared to pick up and fly from Costa Rica to Germany in six days, I have been trying to get myself back into the, fly stand-by, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants mentality that I used to have back in the days when I was a flight attendant.
The timing isn't great; I'm trying to finish a new Lyme disease book and if I'm going to go to Germany I would rather sightsee instead of write a book, but I'm thinking that if I swing this right, I can do both--provided, of course, that the Bionic 880 doesn't have me holed up n' herxing too many hours of the day.
Despite the abundant financial provision that I have received for this trip, it is still going to cut a big hole into my savings sock--and I do mean HOLE, as in, this is likely to be my last shot at treating my symptoms until I win the lottery or can work full-time again. But when my angels of provision were accompanied by a few friends who prayed and felt strongly that God was telling me to get on an airplane, then I decided that it was worth it to cut a hole in that sock and jump off one of the biggest financial cliffs of my life.
Further confirmation came when I opened my bible today to this verse: "..awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give ye light..." Eph. 5:14.
Light. As in Bionic light. Thanks, Jesus. It sounds silly perhaps, but to me, there was no mistaking the analogy. I really think my creator has a sense of humor sometimes.
I can't swear that I will post blog updates as impressive or lengthy as Scott's or Joey's (two of my friends who went to Germany last year): www.betterhealthguy.blogspot.com, and pathogensoup.blogspot.com but I will try to post an update from time to time on my progress, because I know that the more reports that people get on this type of treatment, the better.
So tonight, as I fall into bed exhausted from a long week of travel zig zags, a zillion appointments and work on my book, I praise my god for His mighty provision, and for the mighty love He that has shown me. Funny how the greatest blessings come right before I choose to believe Him for these things.
And then my god came and blasted that plan, even after I had already purchased the plane ticket.
Not that I know what God wants me to do most of the time, but occasionally, He makes it pretty obvious, especially when the ramifications of the decisions I make are expensive, in every sense of the word.
I have been praying about an opportunity to go to Germany, to do treatments with the Bionic 880. But, not having a lot of dough to roll around in and kick about like autumn leaves, and not convinced that the machine will work a miracle on my body, I have held off on trying to scrape and scrounge for the funds to go to Germany. Instead, I have patiently awaited an "open door", believing that provision would come my way if it was meant to be.
I tend to think that God is a slow poke when it comes to answering prayer, but the answer to this one came like lightning. I have oddly felt that if the Bionic 880 was a therapy that I was supposed to do, then certainly it would be down the road....six, ten, perhaps twenty months from now.
But the angels showed up this week, and while I'm not exactly prepared to pick up and fly from Costa Rica to Germany in six days, I have been trying to get myself back into the, fly stand-by, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants mentality that I used to have back in the days when I was a flight attendant.
The timing isn't great; I'm trying to finish a new Lyme disease book and if I'm going to go to Germany I would rather sightsee instead of write a book, but I'm thinking that if I swing this right, I can do both--provided, of course, that the Bionic 880 doesn't have me holed up n' herxing too many hours of the day.
Despite the abundant financial provision that I have received for this trip, it is still going to cut a big hole into my savings sock--and I do mean HOLE, as in, this is likely to be my last shot at treating my symptoms until I win the lottery or can work full-time again. But when my angels of provision were accompanied by a few friends who prayed and felt strongly that God was telling me to get on an airplane, then I decided that it was worth it to cut a hole in that sock and jump off one of the biggest financial cliffs of my life.
Further confirmation came when I opened my bible today to this verse: "..awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give ye light..." Eph. 5:14.
Light. As in Bionic light. Thanks, Jesus. It sounds silly perhaps, but to me, there was no mistaking the analogy. I really think my creator has a sense of humor sometimes.
I can't swear that I will post blog updates as impressive or lengthy as Scott's or Joey's (two of my friends who went to Germany last year): www.betterhealthguy.blogspot.com, and pathogensoup.blogspot.com but I will try to post an update from time to time on my progress, because I know that the more reports that people get on this type of treatment, the better.
So tonight, as I fall into bed exhausted from a long week of travel zig zags, a zillion appointments and work on my book, I praise my god for His mighty provision, and for the mighty love He that has shown me. Funny how the greatest blessings come right before I choose to believe Him for these things.
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