I want to thank heatherfightslyme.wordpress.com for posting this video. She suffers from Chronic Lyme, check out the wealth of knowledge on her site.

While fighting our own battle we can forget children and teens suffer from Lyme Disease. This beautifully sad video shows the struggle to find answers from a teenagers eyes. I feel her pain, want to hug her and make everything okay. We know it’s not that easy, hugs and understanding is always appreciated. 

XO Warrior

Challenges this week:

Exhausted, waking up exhausted.

Not waking up by 9:30AM throws the days pills off schedule, especially the days I take shots. I start the day with multiple probiotics which need at least thirty minutes before starting the meds or eating.

It feels like the anti malaria and high-powered antibiotics are eating my stomach. The gastro pain along with existing gastro issues make for an unpleasant experience. I wasn’t eating enough at breakfast. I tried eating a 1 1/2 cups of cereal and my esophagus ulcer was smiling.

Slept most of four days and didn’t take any of my medication. I feel better but know my body requires help to fight this virus.

The backlash of not taking my everyday medications has repercussions. I’m addicted to stimulate drugs taken for Bipolar Depression. Not taking them properly caused a huge roller coaster ride. If I take the drugs to late in the day, I’m up until 3:00AM, which keeps the cycle going. If not taken, withdraw symptoms are quick to follow.

I take great pride in my independence and losing piece by piece is humiliating. I can’t shower by myself after falling over my shower chair twice. I have to defy this rule, asking my husband won’t roll off my tongue. This causes friction for both. Now we are installing some type of sliding bench. Chronic Lyme can slam you to the ground, you have to get up.

If the shower issue didn’t make me feel old enough, the bladder or lack of bladder control will. I thought it was me, how can this be, I’m to young for Kotex or diapers. My body changed on me, now the minute I need to pee, I do. There is no warning, no getting to bathroom, so humiliating. I read several bloggers who struggle with Chronic Lyme. Imagine my delight when I read Lyme is humiliating me. Chronic Lyme effects all major organs in your body, bladder control never crossed my mind. Some how its less humiliating, it doesn’t make wearing a Kotex at 51 years old easy.

PS: So happy to say I took a shower by myself last night without incident including drying hair. Yay!!!!!!!

My heart overflowed with joy to read Andrew was released from prison. I heard about his imprisonment thru a Change.org petition from his mother. Her pain growing everyday, her resolve grew even stronger, she was a true fighter. She fought for her son, the way I imagine any loving mother would do. We will never know their pain, we can feel overjoyed and celebrate his release. She is a Hero to me, she didn’t sit back, she fought everyday to make the boulder start to roll. Thank everyone who signed the petition, we made a difference.  XO Warrior

Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi freed from Mexican jail, immediately returns to US

U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, jailed more than 200 days in Mexico, was freed by a judge Friday and immediately returned to the U.S., his family said.

Tahmooressi, 26, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, had been held since March 31, when he said he mistakenly crossed into Mexico with three legally-purchased and registered guns in his truck.

A court-appointed psychiatrist confirmed that Tahmooressi has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Family spokesman Jonathan Franks said the judge released him without making a determination on the charge against him. He had been held initially at a prison outside Tijuana, then was moved to a prison outside Tecate.

His family released a statement Friday night saying, “It is with an overwhelming and humbling feeling of relief that we confirm that Andrew was released today after spending 214 days in a Mexican jail. He is back on American soil and will shortly resume treatment for both his pre-existing combat related PTSD and the residual effects of months of incarceration – which has taken a toll on him far worse than his two tours in Afghanistan.”

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is said to have played a major part in the release efforts, according to a statement released by the Richardson Center for Global Engagement Friday night.

Governor Richardson was instrumental in the release efforts and will accompany Andrew and his mother, Jill Tahmooressi, following his release, on a private flight back to Florida,” the statement said.

Tahmooressi and his mother will return to Florida late in the day Tuesday, the statement also said.

The Florida man said he got lost on a California freeway ramp that sent him across the border with no way to turn back. His long detention brought calls for his freedom from U.S. politicians, veterans groups and social media campaigns.

In Mexico, possession of weapons restricted for use by the Army is a federal crime, and the country has been tightening up its border checks to stop the flow of US weapons that have been used by drug cartels.

Tahmooressi reportedly had three weapons, all registered in the U.S., including a .45 caliber pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun and an AR-15 rifle.

Tahmooressi’s lawyers have maintained the weapons in the truck were there because he had recently moved from Florida to San Diego, and had all of his possessions, including the legally-purchased weapons, in his vehicle when he was stopped at the border.

Members of Congress were quick to react to the news of the release.

Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, immediately issued a statement saying, “I am elated that Sgt. Tahmooressi has been ordered released from jail in Mexico. This is great, but overdue, news. I am pleased that both Attorney General Jesús Murillo Karam and the judge on the case recognize that Sgt. Tahmooressi did not intend to violate Mexican law, and that his combat-related PTSD should be treated by specialists in the United States.”

In Florida, Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents the district where Tahmooressi’s’ mother, Jill, lives, said in a statement, “I am thrilled that Sergeant Tahmooressi has been released from prison in Mexico. We have waited long enough. As a mother, my heart is with Jill Tahmooressi tonight and I can only imagine the many emotions she must be experiencing, namely the relief in knowing her son is coming home and that they will soon be reunited without prison bars, without handlers and without unnecessary travel.”

Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, said, “I am truly overjoyed to hear the news that our Marine Sgt. Tahmooressi is finally coming home to America. During my last visit with Andrew in a Mexican prison, I told him the next time I saw him would be during his release to America; I am grateful that I will be able to keep that promise and be with him and (his mother) Mrs. Tahmooressi as he returns to the United States tonight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

M/Warrior

Respect….easy to see when and when not. I would love to hear your opinion, yes, the good, bad and ugly. Throw it at me. XO Warrior

The Pink Floyd video brings thoughts, dreams and surviving to mind. I fly in my dreams and have for as long as I can remember. Watching the guy get the courage to fly is like our internal struggle to survive. Survivors continue to battle the struggle, the difference is they have learned to fly. The other message not lost on me is the American Indian appearing, building his confidence to fly. I am Cherokee and would have liked to fight their battles. Everyone has a story. If you are lacking confidence to jump the last hurdle, you’re in good company. Survivors dedicate themselves to helping you fly.

There’s a line in Seven Turns on the Highway, Love Is All That Remains The Same. It reminds me the journey never ends, we have to keep living. By living we are going to hit unexpected turns. When we have the right people in our life, they take the journey with us. Surviving is a life long learning experience. Personally I love watching the American Indians dance, wondering what the dance means.   XO Warrior

As my illness progresses many have offered kind words of support and prayers. Thank you for filling my heart with hope and friendship.

I’ve  met many survivors, the words take on a new meaning to me. I heard  the words in the past but didn’t hear them. Dedicated to survivors. You Are Worthy.

This is a 6 minute video from the 2014 Gala which raises money for Lyme Disease research. Patients talk in the video about the symptoms and difficulty getting a proper diagnosis. I have tears in my eyes.

Severe gastro illness after starting second Malaria RX added

Fatigue, exhausted and frustrated

Doubled neuropathy Rx in effort to reduce pain

Full body edema, very painful

My esophagus ulcer doesn’t like two Malaria RX’s

Very painful to walk with edema

Burning sensation in arms and legs, at times like fire ants attacking

Chest pains more severe, probably from edema

Left shoulder pops when moved, feels like dislocated

Have several pressure points which light up when touched

Watching videos Lyme videos on YouTube.com to learn what to expect next.

Justin and Christa Vanderham were a young couple planning a wedding when life went horribly wrong. They share first hand knowledge on the website. I have no idea how both kept their faith and marriage together. The video is roughly an hours long and chronicles five years of Christa’s life. I cry watching her pain every time, it’s a video no one should miss.  justinandchrista.ca

CHANGE.ORG

https://www.change.org/p/david-cameron-hassanrouhani-bring-my-sister-home-freeghonchehghavami#share

@David_Cameron + @HassanRouhani Bring my sister home #FreeGhonchehGhavami

Iman Ghavami
London, United Kingdom

Since June 2014 my younger sister is in solitary confinement in Tehran. She was arrested for going to a men’s volleyball match.

Ghoncheh is a British Iranian dual citizen. She was there to watch a game. She was arrested because of a misunderstanding.

Amnesty International has called for an Urgent Action for my sister. Amnesty believes Ghoncheh has been put under psychological pressure and been told she “would not walk out of prison alive.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said it was “aware of reports” of her imprisonment but its diplomatic powers are limited in Iran. We know that the UK Government has the power to do more to help Ghoncheh. Past cases have shown us that when pressure is applied Government will take more action.

Every signature and share will bring my sister closer to home. Will you help end this nightmare for my family?

——————

خواهر کوچکترم از نهم تیر در انفرادی به سر‌می‌برد. غنچه به خاطر رفتن به ورزشگاه والیبال دستگیر شد
غنچه به آن جا رفته بود تا بازی را تماشا کند. دستگیری او یک سوتفاهم است

با امضای این نامه به من کمک کنید تا خواهرم را دوباره به خانه برگردانم

——————

I’m a distressed brother who is fighting to bring her sister home. My sister is a law student in University of London. She should not have been arrested in the first place and does not deserve to be in solitary.

Amnesty International has said that “Ghoncheh’s lawyer has not been allowed to meet in prison or even access her case file.”

Ghoncheh was in Iran for a few months to work for a charity teaching literacy to street children and see our family. She thought women would be allowed to attend World League volleyball matches after Iran was warned about the matter by International Federation of Volleyball (FIVB).

Her arrest is a truly tragic misunderstanding. Will you help bring her home?

To:
Government of Iran & the UK government
Please allow my sister to come home.

She should not have been arrested for going to a volleyball match. Ghoncheh does not deserve to be in solitary.

Please #FreeGhonchehGhavami.
XXXXXXLINK

Iman Ghavami
by Iman Ghavami
Petition Organizer

Yesterday I delivered my petition to the UN Iranian Mission.

I also made a statement to the press, and a public plea to President Rouhani:

“Today, I’m issuing a personal plea to President Rouhani to please help my sister be released. Our mother is restless beyond imagination. My father, a surgeon, can’t work so deep and unnerving is his fear for his girl. We have always been a very close family. Please, President Rouhani, free Ghoncheh and reunite our family again.”

You can watch the petition delivery by clicking on the linked image below.

When President Rouhani returns to Iran, I have hope that he will take action to release my sister. Until then, please continue to spread the word so that her story is not forgotten.

Iman

British man petitions Iran’s President to release sister from prison
The brother of a British law graduate imprisoned in Tehran has attempted to hand-deliver a petition calling for his sister’s release to the Iranian President. Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, has been detained in the notorious Evin jail for more than three months after she was arrested at a protest for women’s rights.

Walk with me as I hand in the petition to #FreeGhoncheh

Iman Ghavami
by Iman Ghavami
Petition Organizer
Dear Supporters,

The day has come for me to hand in my petition to the UN Iranian Mission in New York.

Over 390,000 of you have signed and stood behind me as I have been going through this nightmare.

While I make my way down to the Iranian authorities to hand in your names and make a plea for my sister’s release, please walk alongside me by sharing this image on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to share the image on twitter: http://bit.ly/1ptJAcs

Click here to share the image on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ptKvK0

Thank you for all of your support.

by Iman Ghavami

Petition Organizer

CHANGE.ORG

https://www.change.org/p/robert-a-mcdonald-us-dept-of-veterans-affairs-improve-veterans-employability-to-reduce-suicide

Improve veterans employability to reduce suicide.

Petition by
BATTLE-BRO
**URGENT. PLEASE SHARE – WE NEED 10,000 SIGNATURES BY OCT 18TH** Every signature sends an email directly to the personal inbox of the Secretary of the VA, Robert A McDonald.

There are an average of 22 veteran suicides each day in this country: it’s staggering and a shameful indictment of us as a society. These men and women have risked and lost their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. One of the principal factors in bringing a veteran to this tragic decision is unemployment and the inability to support their family. Though veterans re-enter civilian life amply qualified for a host of jobs, there has been no bridging mechanism that translates their military skills to employer-friendly vernacular.

This from the Washington Post is a perfect explanation of the problem:

“Today, unemployment for veterans who’ve served since September of 2001 hovers just over 8 percent. For the economy at large: 6.1 percent. The gap between those two numbers speaks to several challenges: The military trains service members in many jobs with close but imperfect civilian corollaries, leaving veterans with the right job skills but the wrong certifications. Military service demands other skills that civilian jobs don’t (managing violence, repairing weapons, defending convoys). But where that unfamiliar experience entails universal qualifications (leadership, judgment, communication), employers don’t always know how to recognize them.”

BATTLE-BRO – the Veteran call-a-day network combatting suicide – has created RWSacred.org to provide this certification free for our veterans. Please sign this petition and encourage the VA to push bridging programs such as RWS Accreditation to establish better connectivity between vets and employers. More jobs for vets could quite literally save lives.

To:
Robert A McDonald, US Dept of Veterans Affairs, Secretary

Dear Mr McDonald,

Congratulations on your recent appointment to the VA, we look forward to seeing how you transform and ameliorate this challenging institution.

We’d like to ask you to help improve veteran’s employability potential via RWSacred.org (and programs like it) that interprets a veterans MOS to the standard business vernacular and fosters greater consideration by employers. As you know, employers are often deterred from hiring vets mostly because of the skill-language barrier. However, joblessness and the inability to support their family is a prominent factor in a veterans tragic choice to commit suicide.

By accrediting our vets WE can assume the due diligence cost/process and close the language gap between a veteran’s military service and the business sector. By YOU raising national awareness of this program, more employers will know of it’s existence thereby increasing its usefulness and simultaneously launching an invaluable life-affirming tool for our service men and women. TOGETHER we can assuage the devastating suicide numbers among our heroes and heal this national moral debt.

We do hope you will enjoy this opportunity, and thank you sincerely for your help.

A chronic illness will flush out the weak emotionally and physically. Adversity brings out the true colors in people and those who love them. I’ve attacked Lyme Disease like other challenges in life, fight with a big stick and jump higher. My husband runs the household, carrying a heavy load. I’ve been sick for five years and he is still at my side. It’s not for lack of effort on my part to make him leave.

Last week was the worst emotionally since being diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I had appointments with the Lyme Doctor and Cardiologist. This was the first appointment with Lyme Dr. since all test were completed. You know you’re off to a good start when the first thing out of his mouth is you are very sick and in a lot of pain. NO KIDDING. That was not surprising but what followed blew my mind. The test showed my body has 3 times the amount of Lead acceptable, high Mercury levels and high Cesium. I’d never heard of Cesium, it’s a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil and dust at low concentrations. Lead levels at 3 times the upper expected limit say recent and ongoing exposure. Lead accumulates in the body, at some point I’ll have Chelation treatment. The side effects of Lead are extensive including organ damage. I have racked my brain on what could cause Lead damage in the house and come up blank.

I leave the office with instructions to increase two meds until I sleep thru the night and wake up with no pain. I have four extra antibiotic prescriptions to add to daily routine. The antibiotics are staggered to make sure you don’t have a reaction. I also have to order another supplement which cost $265 a month, so glad we have the money to keep me alive. The extra pills now put me over 50 pills a day, by end of month reaching 60 pills a day. I go back in November, he’ll have a Port put in my arm and antibiotics will get injected in Port instead of taking pills. When the port stage arrives life gets harder. I have no idea how I’ll react but anything involved with vomiting doesn’t sound good to me. I have strict orders to only drink electrolyte water, water not the sugar type. A much tougher order to sleep, sleep in the afternoon, be in bed by 10:00P. He doesn’t realize I have to juggle 50 pills and write somewhere in the sleeping time.

Friday I completed the test for the Cardiologist, then met with his PA. She explains my body is in constant fight or flight mode from my body fighting so hard and the amount of pain. Adrenal  Gland Fatigue is serious and one way to bring my pain down was to exercise. I laughed my ass off. She recommended I meet with Exercise Physiologist in a month. In the very next sentence says I should not exercise while on antibiotics. I told her I would call back. She’s lost her mind. The other piece of information is my metabolic Test results were not good. No surprise to me. Test shows activity over 55% of maximum heart rate increases my odds for a heart attack or stroke.

General Issues

Pharmacy gave the wrong size needles the past two refills. The cause of my bruising and bleeding. The needles  were three times to long.

Edema in legs to knee making my feet hurt. My ankle bones are not visible.

The shin bone feel broken when touched.

Ice pick headaches continue.

Sleeping thru the night is not happening.  I’ve increased both meds in hopes off sleeping more.

I hope you enjoy. She is so funny, has a great outlook on life

and Lyme.
M