HAVING A BAD DAY? I hope these ideas help you.
- Jessica Devine
- Jan 15, 2023
- 10 min read
Below you will find these topics:
DISTRACTIONS
HEALING TAKES TIME
HEALTHY MINDSET WHILE HEALING
LAUGHTER
LYME LITERATE THERAPISTS
MAKE A LIST
RISE AND RECOVER
SUPPORT GROUP ADVICE
WORDS OF ADVICE
"DISTRACTIONS" were important to me during my worst days of treating and suffering.
The tools I used and still use:
1. A simple hobby that you can do sitting. Even if it is coloring. Writing poems....
2. Advocacy online has always empowered me and was a good distraction too.
3. Jigsaw puzzles. Man I love puzzles, they helped my brain too.
4. Healthy mindset tools like meditation apps.
5. Lots of rest and seek anything that brings joy or humor. Anything. Watching comedies...
6. I found researching solutions helpful. Like researching an herb or essential oil to learn about it etc. I did NOT find researching medical conditions helpful. That just scared me.
7. Connecting to others with positive vibes. Be watchful of spending too much time around sadness. Seek positive companionship as much as possible. Doing this helped distract me from how I felt. I still focus on this. I'm easily effected by negativity personally.
8. Spend time reading success stories and remission stories. There are a ton. I can help you find them in the two groups below.
RISE ABOVE LYME STORIES OF HOPE
LYME SUCCESS STORIES
https://www.facebook.com/groups/180457375461056/?ref=share_group_link
"HEALING TAKES TIME"
Christina:
"Healing takes time. I look at Lyme as an onion that you have to peel layer by layer to get better. If there's one thing Lyme has taught me is to trust the process and be patient and trust your doctor. If you are lucky to have access to an amazing doctor then "patience " is key. The other thing is stress is so bad for anyone with lyme and it's something we must get under control. Last time I relapsed it was 100 percent due to stress. As crazy as it might sounds learning gratitude has changed my health and mindset. Please know it took a long time for me to get better but I have learned so many lessons on the way."
Jessica:
"I felt no improvements for the first 9 months so I understand having doubts if treatment is working. Eventually, I started having some good days. Then they finally outweighed the bad days. Healing is slow because our bodies aren't made to withstand attacking these diseases too quickly. We simply wouldn't be able to tolerate it. I feel having faith in a doctor and sticking with their guidance (if they are reputable) is what brings healing. Otherwise you build no history with a doctor and that takes time for them to deeply understand your case. I know it is hard, trust me. But you can heal with a steady building plan and faith that your doctor knows what they are doing. Over time you will see you are healing. Sadly it isnt fast, but this is how every recovery story goes, slow and steady. I think staying consistent with my protocol and doctor's advice was the key."
Kathleen:
"Chronic lyme disease and its co-infections can decimate your body down to a cellular level. Recovering from this kind of an injury to your body is never a quick process. In fact, as we are working to do it most of us feel like you are making no progress at all sometimes for months and months, despite all the hard work and effort. It sounds cliche, but this journey is truly a marathon not a Sprint."
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"In chronic Lyme disease (over one year of Lyme infection) an average length of treatment is 2 years. This is an average, and some respond more quickly than others. For example, some may recover in 6 months while some may require 3 or more years."
"In contrast, people who make the effort to build a solid restorative foundation have a high probability of achieving wellness and enjoying normal life!:
"The best way that you can ensure that you’ll want to keep looking for answers is to keep your quality of life, while dealing with chronic Lyme disease, as good and high as possible. It’s the symptoms that reduce quality of life -- and while that’s no secret, it may not be accepted or acknowledged as much as it should be."
"You're going to get through this. There are people out there who were in your shoes but have now reclaimed the life they once had. They stayed the course by listening to their bodies. You must be in tune with your body. "
"HEALTHY MINDSET WHILE HEALING"
Having a healthy mindset made a huge difference for me. Finding tools to think differently eventually made it come natural. Don't forget to seek humor and laughter daily. Please read these articles.
A POWERFUL READ
"However, a patient can have exactly the opposite effect. I’ve seen herbal treatment that has worked amazingly well for hundreds of other patients suddenly not work for an individual who expects nothing to work for them. Unfortunately, in that mindset, they will always prove themselves right. The best thing for a patient to do is get out of the way and to let the treatment do what it’s supposed to do. Don’t keep monitoring it every step of the way, either. Give it time. Try to move on with your thoughts, and most importantly, relax." https://lymerecoveryclinic.com/reiki-energy-healing-and-chronic-lyme-disease/
"Some people believe this to be literally true, as studies show that the words we think and speak, affect our cells, for better or worse. Negative or lie-based thoughts are made up of energetic frequencies that, when prolonged and constant, can foster illness like chronic Lyme disease, while positive thoughts are made up of higher frequencies that produce health."
"However, many studies across the years have shown that a positive, optimistic outlook can be a valuable tool in the fight against chronic disorders. Lyme is no different. Any illness is scary, and the lack of control the patient feels in the spread and chronic element of the disease can contribute to lowering their daily mood. A positive outlook is undoubtedly crucial to treatment, however, patients do not need to feel overwhelming positivity all the time; that’s an impossible ask for anyone."
"Third, I started living in the moment, something I had never previously done. When I was diagnosed with Lyme, I was always so focused on the past and the future."
"I’ve learned a new approach to it. Instead of just getting more mad about the fact that I’m mad, I validate how I’m feeling and try to do something nice for myself, like getting something to eat or drink or lying down and resting. I remind myself that it’ll pass, and if it comes again, it will pass again after that. Even if Lyme sometimes takes over my mind, it doesn’t have to take over my life."
"Mindset is so important! Use every tool in your toolbox. Here are a few vlogs for ya!"
😁more...
"LAUGHTER"
We wanted to do this subject because I felt inspired after speaking to my therapist last week about the subject. Humor and laughter have always been a BIG part of life. I was raised being surrounded by it and I've raised my own children with lots of humor. When I have a funny experience and laugh hard, I feel so good afterwards. I love all kinds of shows to make me laugh.
"Humor is known to reduce stress and anxiety. It’s said to help boost the immune system."
"Humor cuts through the noise and overwhelm with a powerful clarity. We pay attention to what makes us laugh, and that’s for one simple reason: humor makes us feel good. "
"Laughter can be a great coping mechanism when you live with a chronic illness."
"But once my symptoms started to improve a bit and I understood more about what was happening, I tried being open and jovial with those who were treating me."
"When people laugh, their muscles relax, as their tension seems to melt away. Part of the reason is that we you laugh, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which are natural substances that mimic the effects of powerful painkillers like morphine and codeine, without the danger of addiction."
"Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain."
"LYME LITERATE/KNOWLEDGEABLE
THERAPISTS"
I have worked very hard on developing a list over the last 4 years. I have many options so far in various states. Let me know if you need a name. Hopefully I have one for your state. I will continue to work on building this list.
I have an amazing option added for EVERY STATE NOW.
I ALWAYS want more names, so if you are one or have a great one, please message me.
"MAKE A LIST"
After everything I've been through, I am not going to wait to make my dream list and do what I can to try to fulfill mine. Life is too precious.
I encourage everyone to make a list. It's how it starts happening. We must envision as the first step. It makes me happy to think about them.
It used to help me refocus my mind on why I'm working so hard to heal. A list helps me remember all the wonderful things I want to do.
My list (I never make it about my health). Please share yours. It can be silly things.
1. Make a difference in people lives through passionate purpose
2. Learn to sing and sing a love song to my husband
3. Have my own business that I'm proud of
4. Travel
5. Feel more confident in myself
6. Make a pottery on one of those wheel things
7. Rehabilitate opposums
8. Visit a quoka and take a selfie with him/her
9. Go to the puffin town and save the puffins. Only happens once a year.
10. Go to a lantern festival.
11. Play with penguins
"RISE AND RECOVER"
A guide to Rising above common mistakes in treatment:
1. If you are taking things that cause die off/herxing, you should have a definite detox regime and binders as part of your protocol.
2. Whenever adding in new supplements, please go low and slow and track your symptoms. Certain things, for example lion's mane, could interfere with sleep for many. Those with lyme can be more sensitive. Be watchful for things that could cause sleeplessness.
3. Most binders can be taken together but should be separate at least 2 hours away from other things you take.
4. Not paying attention to electrolytes/salt when you use a sauna or sweating can cause more harm than good.
5. You need to drink plenty of water to detox properly.
6. Constipation should never be ignored because you can reabsorb toxins.
7. Taking binders in the night or right when you wake can help your entire day.
8. Taking binders twice a day is needed for many patients.
9. Taking fiber with binders can help prevent constipation.
10. When using IV Rocephin (aka Ceftriaxone), you must protect your gallbladder using Actigall (Ursodiol)
11. Taking probiotics before bedtime may be the ideal time because of MANY reasons.
12. Do not lay down immediately after taking antibiotics.
13. Saccaromyes boullardi CAN be taken at the same time as antibiotics unlike others.
14. Do not start more than one supplement/herbal/medication at a time to judge tolerance. Sometimes it takes a few days to know.
15. Space everything out as much as possible.
16. Breaks are necessary when you feel really bad. Outcome can be dangerous if not.
17. Detox bath....remember to do dry brushing first, drink a full glass of water while in the tub and do not use hot water, only warm.
18. Opening up the detox pathways FIRST can make for more effective treatment overall. It is vital to ready the body to accept treatment. Detox is one of the MOST important parts of any treatment.
"SUPPORT GROUP ADVICE"
My advice to my support groups. Take it or leave it. But please consider what I am about to say. I've lived all stages of this disease and understand no matter what stage you are in currently. I get it. This advice comes from my heart.
I speak from a place of understanding. I hope you all know by now, my intentions are one thing, to help you.
First off I support many FB support groups as there are many great ones. I admin several and created all the RISE ABOVE LYME groups. I've also been a member of almost all of them at some point.
💥Leave the groups that bring you down and focus on just suffering. Uplifting messages, education for understanding and solutions to empower have always been our focus here. We also support but it isnt every post. I post when I'm angry over lyme awareness here and there sure, but there is always empowering advocacy behind it.
When I left those types of groups, I did much better. I literally felt different . Pay attention to what you gain in the groups you are in. How you feel after being in there.
Try leaving them as a test. If you find you change your mind, simply ask to rejoin. No biggie.
I say all this because I speak to hundreds of people weekly. The things they read and hear in other groups disturbs me. The way it effects sick patients saddens me. The things allowed and not allowed in other groups shocks me. Not all but a lot of them. We run a tight ship here and will NEVER allow argumentative and combative comments. We are also very much on top of advocacy efforts, new studies and hopeful news to focus on and share with you.
Walk away from negativity and RISE ABOVE.
Please let me know how it goes if you try my advice.
"WORDS OF ADVICE"
(for someone recently diagnosed or treating and frustrated)
Reach out to others that understand. Don't join every group, stay only in compassionate ones that focus on solutions, success stories, humor and healing.
Empower yourself with education and solutions. This is how my friends and I run groups. I help this community because I know without a doubt I can help.
All I know is at one point in time, I genuinely felt there was no hope, I was convinced I would not survive, I could not have been worse or felt worse than I did. ...but I healed and continue to heal despite that.
My job in this world is to share my story because just telling it may be what someone needs to keep fighting.
There will be setbacks, sometimes you'll feel like you are going backwards. Healing from these diseases is complicated but it happens. It takes hope, it takes mindset.
Above all, you will be tested, but you can do this. You will come out on the other side different, a stronger version than you can ever imagine.
Hold on to Hope . You are worth fighting for. I promise it can and will get better. I will walk beside you until you believe that too. You will Rise Above. 🤜💚🤛
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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