I had really gotten to the point where I had accepted that this was the way the Lord was working in her life, and knew there was a very good possibility she would never get better. She had been pursuing treatment from a naturaopath, but it seemed to the rest of us that the doctor didn't know exactly what he was dealing with and her "treatments" really weren't helping her get any better.
But two weeks ago... a break through. My mom met some people at her doctor's office who packed up for New Mexico to get a second opinion. They had heard of a doctor there who specialized in treating Lyme Disease, which is often misdiagnosed as MS. Through their eyes, my mom got to learn about him and what he does. Apparently he himself was cured from Lyme Disease, and he has helped many, many people.
Modern medicine sees Lyme as a bacteria that is treated with antibiotics, but this stuff really is nasty. Once it's in your body, it has no intention of leaving, and from what I understand, antibiotics kill a lot of it, but not all of it. This doctor's treatment is different. While he acknowledges it's a bacteria, he treats it more as the virulent parasite it is.
So in the matter of a few days, my parents packed their bags and hopped on a plane for New Mexico. I was cautiously hopeful. But on Friday I got a call that the doctor had tested her blood using a special microscope, and yes, she was positive for Lyme Disease. She also had a lot of other nasties since her body is so compromised.
I can't even tell you how amazing it was to have a solid diagnosis. Basically this stuff has been eating my mom's nutrition and her muscles. So on Monday, she began a 7-day IV treatment that makes the Lyme expose itself and then kills it. She will have to go back in 2 months to be tested, but 90% of the doctor's patients are better after the first treatment.
His advice? Go home and REST and EAT. My mom has been doing a very strict diet designed for the food allergies and MS she supposedly had. What a joy it was to talk to her on the phone and hear that she was eating steak, breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers and fish! Finally she gets to live again!
The slightly troubling news is that Lyme is more contagious than many people realize (most people think you can ONLY get it by a tick bite.) My dad does show positive for having it, so he will be treated as well. Thankfully his immune system is strong enough that it has not affected him.
In all of this, I am grateful to the Lord beyond words. While I know that my mom's recovery could be very, very slow, I also know that this news has rekindled hope in my family. I am thankful that our God is the Lord of suffering AND the Lord of healing. He meets each one of us where we are at and sustains for us the journey. Praise the Lord!
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Psalm 147:3-4
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.
Psalm 103:2-4
Stephanie
