#restorationforRuthAnn
I wanted to give an update on my battle with Lyme disease. If this is your first time seeing my post, there is more information at the end from my first post describing more of my story with more details of the illness and how it affects my life.
Thankful
Thank you so much for all the prayers and the donations I received two years ago!!! They were a big help to me and made it possible for me to receive more treatment. Over the past two years, I have had some improvements with some of my symptoms from different treatments I have done and have experienced more relief in some ways, which I am very grateful for!
Recent Worsening of Condition
However, in recent months, I have taken a turn for the worse with some of my symptoms. Overall I have become weaker and at times have felt paralyzed in bed for hours from weakness and the intense tightening of muscles all over my body and strong reactions in my brain. At times, I have been too weak to be able to eat. I have lost more weight and have gotten down to 107 pounds (with a height of 5’ 9”) so that I can see my ribs and other bones sticking out. Often I have an intense reaction in my brain, where I get knocked out and have no control over it. I have been having more trouble breathing with my lungs becoming very depressed and heavy and at times feel like my body is struggling to have the strength to breathe at all. At times, it feels like my body is barely hanging on. In the last 7 months, my platelet count has gone from 853,000 to 1,216,000 (normal range for platelets is 142,000-424,000). This puts me at risk for a serious blood clotting incident, such as a heart attack, stroke or death.
Lyme disease is a very complex illness. As I wrote in my first post two years ago, all of my organ systems are affected by the disease. I have tried different treatments through the years that have helped in some ways and have brought more relief in some ways, but so far I have not experienced significant improvements where I am able to function. I am still homebound and really struggle physically and mentally every day just to do the basic things I have to do to survive. I am still having reactions when I eat or drink water, where I get weaker and feel worse physically and mentally in different ways for about 3 hours after I eat and am too weak to be able to stand or walk most of the time.
New Treatment Option
I recently found out about a clinic in the Witchita, Kansas area called Institute for Restorative Health that specializes in treating complex illnesses like lyme disease and mold illness, both of which I have been diagnosed with. I spoke with a lady who took her daughter there for treatment. Her daughter had a severe case of lyme disease for years and eventually became bedridden and so ill that she was told by one doctor that she had three weeks to live. She then took her to one of the doctors at this clinic, and now all her symptoms are gone except for one that they are still working on! She is now fully functioning and has her life back! The doctors at this clinic have been successful at treating people with lyme disease and its different effects on the body. I was very encouraged to hear her success story. After communicating with another person I know who has been to this clinic who also highly recommended it and doing more research, this clinic is the best option I know of to be able to get the help I need.
With the recent worsening of my condition, I am trying to go to this clinic in Kansas as soon as possible, hopefully in the next 2-3 weeks. I would go there for two weeks of testing, doctor visits and treatments. They do more comprehensive testing than I have had done in the past and use very individualized treatments based on test results. They also use different treatments and take a different approach to treating the disease than what I have tried in the past. They focus more on giving the whole body what it needs to heal and function and on strengthening the immune system to be able to fight the infections as it was designed to do.
Costs
The cost for two weeks at the clinic, which includes all the testing, doctor visits, treatments and therapies is $8,900. Unfortunately, insurance will not cover any of this cost. The goal amount I am trying to raise is to cover the medical expenses of the two weeks at the clinic plus lodging and transportation.
Practical Needs
I also need someone to accompany me on the trip for the two weeks I will be receiving treatment at the clinic, so if you are interested in helping in this way, please let me know by messaging me through the link above.
I am looking to God to heal me... to restore my health and life to me, so I would really appreciate your prayers!
“From where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
Post from July 2017:
Ruth Ann's Story
In the fall of 2006, I was working in Clemson, SC, when I started experiencing some unusual symptoms and fatigue. I gradually got worse until in December of 2007 I could not hardly get out of bed. I continued to get worse and felt so bad that I felt like I was being tormented physically and mentally. I was not able to work. I went to many different doctors for years before I found out what was wrong and was finally diagnosed with late-stage lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection that if not caught right away and treated properly can spread to any organ of the body and affect any body system including the brain, muscles, nervous system, and heart. All 11 organ systems in my body have been affected by the disease.
How the Disease Affects My Life
I experience many symptoms at different times including:
-severe weakness and fatigue so that most of the time I am not able to walk to the mailbox or even stand up and most days do not have enough strength to take a shower, often so weak I can hardly move and have to just lay in bed
- very low physical and mental energy levels most of the time so that I am not able to get out of the house very often and at times do not even have the energy to talk
- difficulty concentrating, thinking and being able to read so that most of the time I am unable to do simple mental tasks such as making phone calls or making out my grocery list
Due to damage to my digestive tract, there are many foods that I cannot eat now, and I must follow a strict rotation diet so that my body won’t start reacting to more foods. I have lost weight, and every time I eat or even drink water my body has a reaction where I get weaker and have worse brain fog.
Treatment and Recovery
Since I found out I have lyme disease there have been very long delays (years) in doing some of the recommended treatment due to lack of finances. This has significantly delayed my recovery, prolonged my suffering and allowed more damage to be done to my body.
Insurance does not cover my doctor visits or medicines, so I have not been able to take all of the medicines I have needed to or follow up with my doctor regularly like I am supposed to, which has caused me to have more problems.
The past 10 years have been very difficult and full of tremendous suffering. It has been more severe and worse than I can express in words. Being homebound and alone and missing out on so much of life and relationships with people along with not being able to do things, take care of myself or eat foods I enjoy has been very challenging. Every day is hard and a struggle to just be able to do the basic things I have to do to survive.
List of some of my symptoms:
- muscle aches, joint pain and stiffness, dizziness, balance problems
- ear pains, eye pains, sharp pin and needle nerve pains in different places
- chest pains, heart palpitations, increased heart rate, vision problems
- depressed lungs with trouble breathing and air hunger
- a lot of trouble being able to fall asleep and stay asleep
- upset stomach and stomach pain, abdominal pain
- neurological problems where I have trouble being able to control and move my muscles, decreased feeling sensation in my feet
- chills, cold hands and feet that hurt sometimes because they are so cold, unusually low blood pressure, general flu-like feeling and malaise, and other physical symptoms
- depression, unusual anxiety and memory problems
I wanted to give an update on my battle with Lyme disease. If this is your first time seeing my post, there is more information at the end from my first post describing more of my story with more details of the illness and how it affects my life.
Thankful
Thank you so much for all the prayers and the donations I received two years ago!!! They were a big help to me and made it possible for me to receive more treatment. Over the past two years, I have had some improvements with some of my symptoms from different treatments I have done and have experienced more relief in some ways, which I am very grateful for!
Recent Worsening of Condition
However, in recent months, I have taken a turn for the worse with some of my symptoms. Overall I have become weaker and at times have felt paralyzed in bed for hours from weakness and the intense tightening of muscles all over my body and strong reactions in my brain. At times, I have been too weak to be able to eat. I have lost more weight and have gotten down to 107 pounds (with a height of 5’ 9”) so that I can see my ribs and other bones sticking out. Often I have an intense reaction in my brain, where I get knocked out and have no control over it. I have been having more trouble breathing with my lungs becoming very depressed and heavy and at times feel like my body is struggling to have the strength to breathe at all. At times, it feels like my body is barely hanging on. In the last 7 months, my platelet count has gone from 853,000 to 1,216,000 (normal range for platelets is 142,000-424,000). This puts me at risk for a serious blood clotting incident, such as a heart attack, stroke or death.
Lyme disease is a very complex illness. As I wrote in my first post two years ago, all of my organ systems are affected by the disease. I have tried different treatments through the years that have helped in some ways and have brought more relief in some ways, but so far I have not experienced significant improvements where I am able to function. I am still homebound and really struggle physically and mentally every day just to do the basic things I have to do to survive. I am still having reactions when I eat or drink water, where I get weaker and feel worse physically and mentally in different ways for about 3 hours after I eat and am too weak to be able to stand or walk most of the time.
New Treatment Option
I recently found out about a clinic in the Witchita, Kansas area called Institute for Restorative Health that specializes in treating complex illnesses like lyme disease and mold illness, both of which I have been diagnosed with. I spoke with a lady who took her daughter there for treatment. Her daughter had a severe case of lyme disease for years and eventually became bedridden and so ill that she was told by one doctor that she had three weeks to live. She then took her to one of the doctors at this clinic, and now all her symptoms are gone except for one that they are still working on! She is now fully functioning and has her life back! The doctors at this clinic have been successful at treating people with lyme disease and its different effects on the body. I was very encouraged to hear her success story. After communicating with another person I know who has been to this clinic who also highly recommended it and doing more research, this clinic is the best option I know of to be able to get the help I need.
With the recent worsening of my condition, I am trying to go to this clinic in Kansas as soon as possible, hopefully in the next 2-3 weeks. I would go there for two weeks of testing, doctor visits and treatments. They do more comprehensive testing than I have had done in the past and use very individualized treatments based on test results. They also use different treatments and take a different approach to treating the disease than what I have tried in the past. They focus more on giving the whole body what it needs to heal and function and on strengthening the immune system to be able to fight the infections as it was designed to do.
Costs
The cost for two weeks at the clinic, which includes all the testing, doctor visits, treatments and therapies is $8,900. Unfortunately, insurance will not cover any of this cost. The goal amount I am trying to raise is to cover the medical expenses of the two weeks at the clinic plus lodging and transportation.
Practical Needs
I also need someone to accompany me on the trip for the two weeks I will be receiving treatment at the clinic, so if you are interested in helping in this way, please let me know by messaging me through the link above.
I am looking to God to heal me... to restore my health and life to me, so I would really appreciate your prayers!
“From where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
Post from July 2017:
Ruth Ann's Story
In the fall of 2006, I was working in Clemson, SC, when I started experiencing some unusual symptoms and fatigue. I gradually got worse until in December of 2007 I could not hardly get out of bed. I continued to get worse and felt so bad that I felt like I was being tormented physically and mentally. I was not able to work. I went to many different doctors for years before I found out what was wrong and was finally diagnosed with late-stage lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection that if not caught right away and treated properly can spread to any organ of the body and affect any body system including the brain, muscles, nervous system, and heart. All 11 organ systems in my body have been affected by the disease.
How the Disease Affects My Life
I experience many symptoms at different times including:
-severe weakness and fatigue so that most of the time I am not able to walk to the mailbox or even stand up and most days do not have enough strength to take a shower, often so weak I can hardly move and have to just lay in bed
- very low physical and mental energy levels most of the time so that I am not able to get out of the house very often and at times do not even have the energy to talk
- difficulty concentrating, thinking and being able to read so that most of the time I am unable to do simple mental tasks such as making phone calls or making out my grocery list
Due to damage to my digestive tract, there are many foods that I cannot eat now, and I must follow a strict rotation diet so that my body won’t start reacting to more foods. I have lost weight, and every time I eat or even drink water my body has a reaction where I get weaker and have worse brain fog.
Treatment and Recovery
Since I found out I have lyme disease there have been very long delays (years) in doing some of the recommended treatment due to lack of finances. This has significantly delayed my recovery, prolonged my suffering and allowed more damage to be done to my body.
Insurance does not cover my doctor visits or medicines, so I have not been able to take all of the medicines I have needed to or follow up with my doctor regularly like I am supposed to, which has caused me to have more problems.
The past 10 years have been very difficult and full of tremendous suffering. It has been more severe and worse than I can express in words. Being homebound and alone and missing out on so much of life and relationships with people along with not being able to do things, take care of myself or eat foods I enjoy has been very challenging. Every day is hard and a struggle to just be able to do the basic things I have to do to survive.
List of some of my symptoms:
- muscle aches, joint pain and stiffness, dizziness, balance problems
- ear pains, eye pains, sharp pin and needle nerve pains in different places
- chest pains, heart palpitations, increased heart rate, vision problems
- depressed lungs with trouble breathing and air hunger
- a lot of trouble being able to fall asleep and stay asleep
- upset stomach and stomach pain, abdominal pain
- neurological problems where I have trouble being able to control and move my muscles, decreased feeling sensation in my feet
- chills, cold hands and feet that hurt sometimes because they are so cold, unusually low blood pressure, general flu-like feeling and malaise, and other physical symptoms
- depression, unusual anxiety and memory problems
Organizer and beneficiary
Karen Kennedy
Beneficiary