Taking Back Ground--Sheri Salatin

Lyme Disease - the silent pretender and invisible enemy. Rarely deadly in and of itself, but leaving its mark just the same. It terrorizes body organs and leaves muscles weakened and writhing in pain. A bacteria which dons the robe of a virus, Lyme is a spirochete that drills its way through every cell of the body. It has the ability to transform and mutate into many various forms, hiding its ugly face from antibiotics. Its favorite mode of transportation is the insignificant deer tick, which is about the size of a period at the end of a sentence.

August 6, 2009 

Mr. Borrelia came to visit early one morning while I was gathering clippings from my flowerbed for my sister's wedding. He was riding on the back of a spider rather than his usual vehicle and he failed to leave the target mark of alarm on my arm. He brought friends and set up house.

Two weeks later, I crashed into bed with the flu, a first for me. A week later came the sinus infection, the bladder infection and then the kidney infection. Two months down the road, I was admitted to the hospital with heart problems and blood pressure instability. Fainting every time I stood for more than five minutes and headaches bordering on migraines fast became a way of life. My church family swooped in for a rescue with prayers, meals and cards, lending support in the way only they could.


By Christmas that year, I was on a heart monitor. Blood tests and stress tests were run and nothing was found. "You have soldier's heart," (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Costa%27s_syndrome) the cardiologist told me. "The worst case I have ever seen. We have no cure for it. You need rest."

 Soon breathing became difficult. My chest ached and burned, pleading for air. The motion was made, but suffocation still felt imminent. Beta blockers were prescribed to steady the rate.

My legs flamed with fire, making my whole body shake, and the pain grew so bad, nausea followed. Stairs, which at one time presented no obstacle, became impossible to climb in one motion. Natural childbirth was preferred over the agony of daily life. Narcotics were prescribed for the pain.

Then my mind grew old and feeble. I forgot best friends' names and quit driving altogether when I could not remember how to get home from town. Dinner preparation took everything in me. The oven would be turned on, only to be forgotten. My children were crying for their mommy to come back to them. We were surviving, but not living. Mr. Borrelia had stolen my life.

I consulted doctors, chiropractors, herbalists and naturalists. All had suggestions, but nothing was working and my list of symptoms increased:
Persistent swollen glands
Sore throat
Fevers
Joint pain or swelling
Back pain
Joint stiffness
Muscle pain and weakness
Muscle twitching
Mental confusion
Difficulty with concentration or memory
Difficulty with speaking or reading
Mood swings
Irritability, depression, or panic attacks
Tremors or seizures
Headache
Light or sound sensitivity
Blurred vision
Ear hum or loss of hearing
Vertigo or poor balance
Lightheadedness
Hair loss
Dire need to sit or lie down
Tingling, numbness, or burning
Neck pain
Extreme fatigue
Trouble sleeping
Excessive need to sleep
Unexplained change in weight
Bladder dysfunction
Stomach problems
Heart palpitations
Sore chest wall
Breathlessness
Night sweats

This is only a list of symptoms I experienced, there are more to Lyme Disease.  (http://www.lymenet.org/BurrGuide200810.pdf)

 March 4, 2010 

Arizona boasted of a small town nutritionist. My dear friend Melissa lived there for years before her move to Virginia and she gave me the first glimmer of hope. With nothing to lose and the full support of my husband, I flew to Prescott, Arizona. This nutritionist had a theory that I would soon put to the test. She believed in the immune system.

"If we can get your immune system working at its very best, it will take care of the Lyme on its own."

She hooked me up to her Asyra machine (http://www.asyra.com/index.html) and it spit out a report of everything that was not part of my own DNA. She then formulated a plan of attack against the Borrelia family and friends. Using diet and enzymes, she focused on my liver, cleaning it out and supporting it to begin filtering properly.

After three days of the diet and enzymes, I was functioning without the pain medications. The fire in my legs and joints had dulled to a slow burning ache rather than the previous bonfire.

Sixty days later, my mind began to clear and I started to feel alive once again. Another visit to the nutritionist and good news was met. My liver was clean and functioning once again. I was her miracle child. We tested Polyface (http://polyfacefarms.com/) meats on the machine and behold they were working extra duty to clear the toxins.

Another diet with lots of Polyface meat and different enzymes were prescribed and each organ vacuumed the remains of the Borrelia family out of their home.

March 1, 2011

Still battling on the front-lines against Lyme. However, the pain and forgetfulness is a distant memory. My heart has been weakened but the effects of Lyme are only felt under stress and exhaustion. I continue to avoid certain foods and take enzymes to support my immune system.

Today I am on the mend, taking back ground every day, refusing to give up. Praising God for the lessons and His incredible healing touch. Using food as He designed, the body can be fully enabled and rested.

Sheri Salatin, Virginia

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." --Jim Elliot