CAUSE DOWN THE SHORE EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT

From the song, Jersey Girl – Tom Waits 

“The Jersey shore of my youth has gone”...Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey. And with that wistful thought, my mind wandered back in time. I am no longer the girl child, with the pixie haircut, digging up sand crabs and making sand castles. My naïve, worry-free and happy-go-lucky days of my youth somehow blossomed into an insecure, anxious, unconfident and self-conscious teen.

And it all started with just one pimple. One pimple became two pimples and before long, my face blossomed into what is now known as a “pizza face”. I had acne – mildly severe to quote a dermatologist. And it plagued me from my early teens through high school. The dermatologist prescribed the antibiotic, doxycycline, to get rid of the bacteria and help clear my face.  Fortunately, it did help. Unfortunately, I was on “doxy” for many months without taking any probiotics or acidophilus (unknown to doctors in the 70’s) to replenish the beneficial bacteria in my gut that was killed off by the antibiotic.  Come to think of it, did they even have probiotics in the 70’s? And so, my gut problems began. But I never put two and two together until years later.

OK – enough teenage angst…so what does this have to do with the Jersey shore?  Can you take a guess?  Soaking up the rays + splashing in the surf + cool, fresh ocean breezes = one thing that was more important to me than a coveted pair of Calvin Klein jeans…my skin cleared up! And I became a different person. I wanted to strut my stuff. I wanted to wear make-up and meet boys. I wanted to be cool. I wanted to break out of my shell and explore my wild side!

My brother Dante, Theresa and me - 1970

And Theresa, my gal pal, boardwalk aficionado, and product of a strict all-girl Catholic school was my “girls gone wild” mentor! Theresa, who had been dating since grade school, took flirting to a higher level and, little ol’ innocent me, was fascinated at how she worked her booty!  But I have to admit, I caught on quickly. Wearing  prerequisite tight, white tank tops, to show off our tans, we would meander our way up and down the the Pt. Pleasant Boardwalk, flirting with the cute guys that ran the rides, the wheel games, and worked at the arcades. And it paid off!  Guys, who we befriended, would let us go on rides for free and, depending on the ride, and let us stay for 15 minutes or more.  And then there was the moving the dimes trick at the wheel games.  (The wheel landed on the winning number and our charming barker buddy would stealthily move the dime so that one of us was the “lucky” winner.)  Between Theresa and me, we collected enough stuffed mini-whatchamacallits to open up our own boardwalk shop!

By the time I was 16, my summer social life expanded to new horizons. And thanks to Theresa, I was the proud owner of a fake college ID!  The drinking age at that time was 18 but we couldn't wait that long. We wanted to experience the dive bars, now! So with ID in one hand and a cigarette (the prop of coolness) in the other, we trolled the local bars and clubs in the area. Whether we were just the two of us or in a group, I don’t remember ever getting carded or getting kicked out of a bar. My biggest worry was getting home by my 11:00 PM curfew!

College changed everything. Living away from home made me more self-reliant, gave me confidence and at the same time, my skin issues disappeared. I was no longer the awkward young teen, looking to fit in.   I was working a summer job back home and only went down the shore on weekends here and there. I lost touch with Theresa.  And I lost my feelings for my old summer stomping ground. The shore of my youth… was changing and slowly fading away. The lots, which once were full of wild blackberries, were now new houses. A fenced in car wash replaced the reeds and on the opposite corner stood the epitome of our fast-paced, gottahaveitnow culture – a  McDonald’s. It was time for me to move on.

My mom, Dante and me - 1978

I was looking for that long, lost “enchantment by the sea” feeling… again.  And I found it farther down the Jersey coast. My future husband and I discovered the beauty and serenity of Barnegat Light to be the ideal place for summer retreats. Barnegat Light, famous for its Old Barney lighthouse, is located on the northern end of Long Beach Island.  I loved biking around the sand-lined streets, browsing among the antique and craft shops, wading in the tide pools, walking on the wet sand to the inlet jetty and watching the sunset over Barnegat Bay. It was the perfect rejuvenation for my body, mind and soul. 

The Jersey shore of my youth is gone. But I will always hold all those fond memories in a special place in my heart and soul. It was my  love affair, my ritual, my rite of passage. It was my childhood adventure and therapy for my teenage problems.  It was a beautiful dream. And it was what summer was all about. 

For "Jersey girls"  like me.

© Danette Whelan 2012

ODE TO THE JERSEY SHORE

“The Jersey shore of my youth has gone”

Governor Chris Christie

The tragic words of Gov. Christie, after seeing the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, cut through my heart and soul, but oddly enough, awakened a dormant nostalgia for the good ol' days of my childhood and adolescence. The Jersey shore was more than a vacation destination for me. It was a rite of passage. It was a ritual. It was a love affair.  I loved the beach. I loved the boardwalk. I loved our little house on So.Richmond St. I loved walking barefoot around the kid-friendly sand-lined neighborhoods. This was my second home.  And as far back as I can remember, the Jersey shore has always been a part of my family and the generations before me.

A few years before I was born, around 1955, my father, his older brother and my grandfather, built our future vacation home in Point Pleasant Borough.  It was a one level brick duplex with front and back apartments. Our families shared the front apartment, while the back apartment was rented all year. My family’s designated vacation time slot was August to Labor Day.  And it never came soon enough.  From the time I was a child through my teenage years, my life during our stay in Point Pleasant was rich with self-discovery, joy and wonder. It was a time for new experiences and renewed friendships. It was a time for adventure and explorations. It was a time for simple and precious events.  Innocent, beautiful, life-transforming events that somehow slipped away into a chasm of lost memories, never to be thought of again.

“The Jersey shore of my youth has gone”…but is not forgotten. “The Jersey shore of my youth”… will always be a part of me. And with that wistful thought, my mind wandered back in time. I was no longer in my cold, dimly lit kitchen. I was no longer staring, helplessly at my battery operated boom box. I was back in the late 1960’s. It was August! Point Pleasant – here we come!  Our green Chevy station wagon was all packed and ready to go. But I had one last mission before we pulled out of our driveway - finding my wily black and white cat, Lucky. Darting from room to room through out my house, my one man search party trapped her under my bed. Gotcha! I quickly put her in our do-it-yourself cat carrier (a cardboard box poked with holes), slid into the back seat next to my little brother, Dante, and we were off! We were going  Back to the Shore!

I knew our route cold. Garden State Parkway - exit 98 - Route 34 South, which becomes Route 35 South, which takes us practically to our street.  We made one necessary stop to satisfy my Dad’s sweet tooth.  Dugan’s Bakery - a little hole in the wall located on a lonely stretch of Route 34.  Dugan’s was a  landmark. Everyone went to Dugan’s. And we stocked up on enough sticky buns, coffee cakes and other baked goodies to last almost the entire month.

Back in the car and finally we are headed for the home stretch. My heart flutters as we cruise toward the Route 35 drawbridge. Is the drawbridge up? No!  Clear sailing all the way!  I roll down the window to catch a whiff of the salty sea air and a better glimpse at the white boats dotting the dark blue water. We roll into town, pass the legendary OB Diner on the right, turn left, pass the tall reeds on our corner, make a left into our street   pull up in front of our familiar brick home.

Statuesque, red calla lilies and orange marigolds, planted in the circular flower bed by my grandmother, welcomed us. I had always marveled at the bizarre, enormous lilies that I had never seen any where else and always associated with our shore house.

 

My Aunt Kay and me - Pt Pleasant - 1958

                                             

I bring the “cat carrier” out and open the box. Lucky anxiously jumps out, nervously looks around, and sensing  foreign territory and stray cat confrontations, dashes to the nearest and tallest tree in our yard, climbs to the tippee top and stays there for three days (or until she wants to eat)! Yep! She’s done this before. It takes her a good week to adjust to her temporary new surroundings.

I help to unpack quickly and just as I finished making my bed, I hear a knock at the front screen door. It’s Laura – my summer pal and neighbor asking if I could come out and play.  Laura ‘s straight dark hair and almond eyes always made me think she was part Asian, but she was full-blooded Italian American, like me. And she was always barefoot. Always! Paling around with Laura was an adventure in itself. We would ride bicycles, play hide and seek with the other kids on our block, catch lightning bugs, pick and eat crabapples from a neighbor’s tree, pick mulberries from our two trees, pick wild blackberries that grew alongside the road and hang out in the fort that the neighborhood kids built in the clearing among the reeds next to our house. I was in heaven!

And of course, there was the beach.  Bradshaw’s Beach  in Pt. Pleasant was  my summer respite and playground.  Bradshaw's was a family owned beach that my mother stumbled upon when she was pregnant with my brother. It was the only beach to allow free beach access to pregnant women. So, no argument here, this was now our beach.  Bradshaw’s was a neighborhood beach with a little boardwalk area for food and restrooms. It was here that I met, Theresa, another summer pal who was my beach and future boardwalk cohort. Theresa was a big girl with a non-stop tan, high cheek bones, deep dark eyes and a passion for the beach and boardwalk. We both loved to soak up the sun (Bain du Soleil # 8 was the norm!) swim, collect  shells, or hang out on her navy blue canvas raft for hours.

This was the life - lying on our beach towels, listening to WABC on our transistor radios. Dan Ingram, Ron Lundy and Cousin Brucie were the popular  DJ’s who played  the hits of the  summer of ‘68 –  Born to be Wild (Steppenwolf), Hey Jude ( Beatles), Hello I Love You (The Doors)  Jumpin’ Jack Flash (The Rolling Stones) and my personal summer favorite – Pictures of  Matchstick Men ( from the British one hit wonder band - Status Quo). This “psychedelic” hit was blasted up and down the boardwalk that summer to the point where it drove my parents crazy. It drove me crazy! I had to have it! And so with lots of luck (and a few nickels and dimes), I won the 45 single at a boardwalk wheel game. It was my most prized possession that year!

Me, Dad, and Mom holding baby Dante - Bradshaw's Beach - 1966

Speak of the boardwalk, Well...who didn’t love the  Pt. Pleasant boardwalk?  Nights at the boardwalk were a thrill a minute and a circus of noise, blaring music, lights, masses of humanity and intoxicating aromas. It was a kid’s wonderland!  The Tilt-A-Whirl,  Roller Coaster, Ferris Wheel, The Himalaya, The Scrambler, the Funhouse,  games of chance, huge stuffed animal prizes, caramel popcorn,  Kohr’s soft ice cream, Martell’s fudge,  pizza, Putt-Putt Miniature Golf, noisy arcades with pinball machines, Skee Ball and fireworks (every Thursday night,)  was almost too much to handle. I was on full tilt! Whew! I wanted to do it all! By the time, my vacation was over, amazingly enough, I had my fill and so did my Dad’s wallet!

Labor Day weekend was always bittersweet. But summer was still going strong for the lifeguards at Bradshaw’s. The beach was packed and the lifeguards had at least twenty friends over for a big party that night.  The Rolling Stones song, “Sympathy for the Devil”, started to play on the radio. The lifeguards and their friends started singing and dancing to the song and soon half the beach spontaneously joined in shouting “Woo, who. Woo, who.”  It was a great show and the perfect ending to a perfect summer.  

 You could say it was a Jersey moment.

Next- My Ode Continues...

© Danette Whelan 2012

 

Healing Through Forgiveness

Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon. 

                                                Nelson Mandela (Invictus) 2009

I was taking  piano lessons from a teacher who had very high standards and very rarely praised any of her students.   I won many competitions and played with a symphony orchestra at a young age.  However, no matter how well I played, I felt that I “just wasn’t good enough.”  Could this be why I felt I never fully reached my full potential as a musician? I always felt something inside was blocking me. It was like a fear.  A fear of “not being good enough.”

The particular phrase, “I’m not good enough", brought back one specific memory of a  piano performance. I had made it to the finals of a state competition and I remember being terrified of blanking out in the middle of the piece. My thoughts were so consumed with forgetting the music that I actually did blank out. I ended up taking second place and feeling incredibly disappointed in myself. And then I thought of how my teacher would react. She was so…oh my God, that’s when it hit me. My teacher was so demanding and highly critical that nothing was ever good enough. No matter how hard I worked, there was always something to improve or perfect. No matter how well I played, I never received positive feedback. I could never make her happy.

She saw me as a future concert pianist. That’s why she was so hard on me. The problem was that I did not know what I wanted. I did not know if I had what it took to make it in such a demanding field. I did not know if I wanted to pursue a career in performing classical music. I loved rock! I loved listening to WNEW - FM! I loved listening to progressive bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer! (My teenage dream was to be able to play like Keith Emerson – the bands ingeniously talented and creative keyboard wiz.)  And, of course, I loved classical, too. But classical piano was a study for me. Classical piano meant work, discipline, time, and the constant pressure of perfection. And, always at the back of my mind was a little voice saying, “would I ever be good enough”?

As I recalled this past event, Dr. Rasa had me wear green colored plastic glasses and  told me to stare at the pendulum that she swung right above my face. Uncontrollable tears started to roll down my cheeks as I recalled these painful memories. Reassuringly, she told me that I was now aware of the source of these emotions and I was ready to release it. So, as I lay on her examining table, I repeated these healing words that were prompted by her:

“I was a child. You were the adult. I wanted to do my best. I wanted to make you happy. You were my teacher. You wanted the best for me. You taught me to the best of your ability. I was hurt. I looked up to you… You didn’t understand my feelings. You felt you were doing your best… I’m sorry that I couldn’t make you happy. I’m sorry that you didn’t understand my feelings… I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you...”

As I recited these words, I followed Dr. Rasa’s instruction and began to tap with all my fingers on these specific acupuncture points -  the top of my head, above my eyebrows, on my temples, back of my neck, on my cheekbone, above my lip, above my chin, using the sides of my hand (like a chicken) on my ribs, and my chest.*

I was in a stupor. I was reliving this moment in my past as if it was happening right then and now. But saying the words, “I forgive you” to my former piano teacher was completely surreal.  I never realized how powerful those words are. I never realized that I was harming myself!  I always knew that my teacher wanted the best for me. That’s why I never thought of looking for a more emotionally positive substitute. I can’t deny that she inspired and motivated me to play my best. But my teenage years were awkward and clumsy. I was slightly chubby and had acne. My self-esteem hit rock bottom.  I felt that playing piano was the only thing going for me so I put all of my eggs into that basket. So, when I heard criticism from my teacher, I took it personally. When I heard that my playing wasn’t good enough, I took it to heart. I made it hard for myself. I just didn’t know it at that time. I also didn’t know how it would affect me for the rest of my life.

So, I had to forgive her. I had to let it go. I had to release this incapacitating feeling of not being good enough! I had to do it… to heal!  This feeling was affecting my whole entire being. And, frankly, I was tired of it. My days of not being good enough were over and I say good riddance!  So, with one long, sobby breath, I whispered, “I forgive you, I forgive you, I forgive you.”  

And as I repeated those magical words, a wave of deep serenity flowed through me.  I could actually feel this heaviness lift from my body. I felt at peace. I felt good.

This was the beginning of my return to wellness. About a month later, I started to feel better. I truly believed that my body was healing. My chronic symptoms became less burdensome and some were disappearing altogether.

Releasing negativity is a healing process that anyone can do. If we think of ourselves in a negative way, we are harming ourselves. If we think of others in a negative way, we are also harming ourselves. We are emotional beings. Emotions have frequencies! When we replace the damaging frequencies of negative thoughts with the nurturing frequencies of  forgiveness, love and gratitude, we are helping ourselves. It’s that simple.

  

Forgiving others is one of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself. When you forgive those who hurt you, you are radiating an invisible healing light throughout your body. You are also sending these healing frequencies to the other person. It is a win-win situation. Believe me, it works and you’ll feel the difference!

I am learning to be in a positive frame of mind. I am learning to release the “bad vibes” that may come my way or that I may project upon myself.  The feeling of “not being good enough” is long gone, thank God!

The first step in a positive direction is being aware. I’m aware of what makes me content, now. I’m aware of what makes me happy. Being aware is a daily process. 

Being aware is what it’s all about.

*APN – Applied Psycho-Neurobiology-  is a deep therapeutic technique for treating the origin of disease. Taught in the US by Dietrich Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D., APN is the result of the work of many physiologists, researchers, psychotherapists, psychologists, medical doctors and patient. Combining these disciplines provides a more balanced level of healing than standard approaches… The results are subtle, deep and permanent. Many find this process to be life-transforming.

The theory and research suggest that all life events are recorded by the subconscious. Memories of these events can be complete and resolved or unresolved. The unresolved psycho-emotional conflicts are the most common cause of illness and chronic pain. Unresolved conflicts create significant bioelectrical disturbances in conflict specific areas of the brain, producing abnormal neuropeptides and abnormal electrical currents which reach the hypothalamus, sending out stress signals which create dysfunctions in related organs.

APN is designed to identify the unresolved psycho-emotional conflict and uncouple the unresolved conflict from the nervous system, thereby diffusing the source of chronic illness.

APN is one of many approaches using acumeridian points, tapping on them to influence the flow of energies.

© Danette Whelan 2012

THE HEALING CRISIS

…When the healing crisis passes, health returns, more vibrant and invulnerable than ever.” 

  Dr. Bernard Jensen

“Long lasting, negative emotions such as anger, hatred or fear, can weaken a body and its functions to a great extent and cause a huge number of diseases. Man must be on a harmonious emotional level, in order to live a healthy life…” – Allergie-Immun. “But it is up to the patient and skilled practitioner to identify and release these emotions to promote healing.”- healerdealer

If you are suffering from a disease, it is most likely that you also have a few past unresolved emotional conflicts that are tucked away right in your sub-conscious.  In my case, I was made aware of a harmful thought that literally became a part of my persona. Coincidentally, I began to heal from my chronic state of sickness, when I released this particular emotional block!

I had been on the Allergie-Immun drops for about three months. Within that timeframe,  ( Dr. Gurevich) performed neural therapy on my scar sites (See The Holistic Dr. Gurevich) including my tonsils. Between the drops and the neural therapy,  my qi (life energy) was at an all time low. 

I had a gut feeling I was going though a mega healing crisis. It seemed like all my Lyme symptoms and some problems before Lyme, came back in full force. I had a continuous runny nose, extreme fatigue, rashes on my back and face, knee pain, brain fog, intermittent dizziness, short term memory loss, achy teary eyes, ear and sinus problems, unrelenting itching and sores from eczema on my right hand and feeling lousy in general.

I needed some kind of relief.  But I was in no condition to drive two hours to see Dr. Gurevich. So I gave Dr. Rasa a call and thankfully she was able to see me within a few days.

Through muscle testing, Dr. Rasa confirmed that I was indeed going through a healing process and within time it would alleviate on its own. I was prescribed three different Soluna homeopathic tinctures to aid my liver, kidneys and lymph glands and other herbs and supplements to help me eliminate toxins. She also detected that my liver function was off and she attributed it to an emotional source.

Dr. Rasa also helped me to find the source of my emotional imbalance. To my shock, I was told this imbalance was sub-consciously passed down to me through my mother!! My mother had the same emotional block as me – but of course, she was completely unaware that it was affecting her life.  Emotional blocks can be sub-consciously passed down for generations!  This particular block had a negative impact on my life since the age of 14!  My emotional pain that I had carried with me for all these years was ready to be resolved when Dr. Rasa asked me one simple question:

 “Does the phrase not being good enough mean anything to you?”

As soon as I heard those words, ancient memories of my early awkward teenage years came tail spinning back to me. “Not being good enough” was the mantra of my life. And it all centered around the emotional connection with the piano when I was a young and impressionable student.

I unknowingly became this thought, particularly when it came to performing music.  To some degree, it was always at the back of my mind! As I lay on Dr. Rasa’s examining table, I realized how “not being good enough” negatively impacted my whole life! And now, thankfully, I was in a position to do something about it. Through Dr. Rasa’s therapy, I was about to finally let it go and continue with my healing journey.

  "By allowing the healing crisis to run its course and continuing to support the body to cleanse itself, we can purge ourselves of the latent seeds of past disease and disorder…the body becomes determined to remove them!

 When this healing crisis passes, health returns, more vibrant and invulnerable than ever…You earn this crisis through hard work. It comes through a sacrifice, giving up bad habits, taking a new path — cleaning up your act by replacing negative patterns with positive ones in your life, working within the laws of nature." -    Dr. Bernard Jensen

To be continued...

DECODING ALLERGIE IMMUN

“I’m convinced that all chronic diseases are caused by bio-energetic blockages. It is only through these bio-energetic blockages that bacteria and viruses can enter the body and cause physical disorder.” – Heinz Grundmeyer – founder of Allergie-Immun (Private Institute for Complimentary Medicinal Research)

ALLERGIE - IMMUN*, a revolutionary energetic therapy, corrects the systemic errors (that are identified in each analysis) in order to bring the body back to a balanced, harmonious and regulated state.

According to the Allergie- Immun philosophy: “A person is not sick because of the disease, but rather because the body is in a state of regulatory impasse. The “disease” is merely an expression of the body of this dead-end situation. Removing the obstacles that   led the body into this dead-end sick state, often results in relief from chronic symptoms and disappearance of the disease altogether. The following illustration shows a clearer picture of this process:

“You are in a strange city and looking for the way to the highway. A passerby tells you to make a turn on to the next street to get to the highway. But when you turn into the road, you end up at a dead end and can not continue. You are now blocked. The body shows this blockage by symptoms. You are blocked because of false or misinformation. When this false information is corrected, you can find the highway and proceed to a regulated state…”

REGU-IMMUNE or ALLERGIE-IMMUN THERAPY analyzes and corrects false biological information that is stored as patterns in the DNA, so that the body naturally can regulate again.  The result: chronic disorders disappear.”

“Our cells are in constant communication with each other. The cells in our body are always in connection with each other. They continuously align their information. ALLERGIE-IMMUN corrects the abnormal cell communication resulting from incorrect  biological patterns in the DNA leading to chronic disorders.”

Demystifying chronic Lyme.  Why can’t our bodies eliminate the Bb bacteria, co-infections and viruses that are associated with chronic Lyme? Is it due to our immune systems being so overloaded with “obstacles” and “errors” that our bodies do not have any energy left to fight the disease?  “Allergie - Immun therapy corrects the systemic errors and disruptive patterns that can lead to chronic disease. These errors may include food substances (milk and grain), environmental chemicals, energetic blocks, biological blocks, heavy metals, mold and toxins. Chemical substances, that are stored in the DNA as patterns, are a particular challenge to our bodies. We are exposed to 80,000 substances on a daily basis, so erroneous patterns are likely to happen.  Each analysis identifies and corrects these disruptions so that your body can naturally regulate again.”

“Allergies and auto-immune diseases are caused by misinformation. When you have an allergy, the body reacts to a foreign substance (e.g. wheat), as if it was an enemy. The message says: Attention. Enemy. Attack. Then the body-owned cell formations send this allergic information to other important cells that now fight against something they believe is the enemy. Our body is actually misinterpreting this information. The allergens are  harmless substances. They are not making you sick. It’s your body’s reaction to the allergen that is causing a response.  This same process occurs in auto-immune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, Scleroderma and so on.”

“Misinformation, leading to symptoms, can be inherited! The truth is that many errors (incorrect information) leading to symptoms can be inherited for generations. Allergie - Immun  therapy corrects the causes that lead to symptoms.”

“Misinformation, leading to symptoms, can be caused by psycho-somatic factors! A person’s health can largely be determined by his emotional life. Long lasting, negative emotions such as anger, hatred or fear, can weaken a body and its functions to a great extent and cause a huge number of diseases. Man must be on a harmonious emotional level, in order to live a healthy life…Allergie - Immun therapy  can recognize the triggers of these negative emotions…” But it is up to the patient to identify and release these emotions to promote healing. And it is up to the patient to believe in this therapy in order to further the healing process.

Holistic practitioners believe that mainstream medicine does not know the actual cause of chronic disease. The truth is that the number of people with chronic conditions is increasing at an alarming rate. Is our exposure to all the fear and negativity that is present in our society making us sicker? Does the pollution in our environment reflect the pollution in our bodies?  Is it possible to overcome chronic suffering and live a healthy and harmonious life? What do you think? Do you want to live a healthier, harmonious and balanced life?

Of course you do! And you can!  The question is…can you be open to therapies like Allergie - Immun? The AI  therapy has worked for me. This therapy has worked for my son and it’s worked for Dr. Gurevich. He understands the concept of this therapy and has recommended it to his patients. He understands that chronic disease can be reversed. He understands that past unresolved emotional blocks can lead to disease. And, last but not least, he understands that it is necessary to achieve emotional, physical, mental and spiritual balance for optimal health, happiness and fulfillment.

Everyone needs to achieve an emotional, physical, mental and spiritual balance for optimal health and happiness. This is the holistic approach to wellness. And this is the goal of Heinz and his research team at Allergie - Immun.

“There is a solution for everything.”

All quotes are from the Allergie-Immun  Information Brochure and the Allergie Immun website  www.allergie-immun.de/englisch     

*I have no financial interest with allergie-immun and do not make any commission off of any sales.

© Danette Whelan 2012

AN INTRO TO ALLERGIE-IMMUN THERAPY

"Free Your Mind"
Morpheus – The Matrix (1999)

“The physical body is a manifestation of psychological health and psychological history. Most people understand that the body is a manifestation of our genes, our physical heritage, but it's also directly related to our psychology. Our emotional, social and environmental issues as we were growing up within the family structure, and how we dealt with them, show up in the physical body.

People distorted the auric (energetic) field through their psychological issues, or, shall we say, psychological defenses. In order not to experience and feel something that is very painful in the past, one changes or blocks the flow in the auric field. Eventually, that affects the physical body and creates disease.” – Barbara Ann Brennan -(spiritual healer, author and former NASA astrophysicist).

This is an introduction to Allergie-immun.*

Allergie-immun, (a holistic therapy consisting of multiple applications of energized drops) is a treatment that “concentrates on the energetic field only.”  The patient submits a DNA sample (saliva or blood) approximately each month together with current symptoms and health issues. The lab analyzes the sample and sends corresponding drops to correct whatever is disrupting the immune system function at that time. New drops are sent with a personal biochemical and energetic analysis each month. The analysis would commonly reveal chemical, biological, and energetic disruptions in the body. And the drops are designed to correct each disruption. (See The Allergie-Immun Drops)

The drops are based on the holistic belief that we are energy beings and our body, soul and spirit are interconnected. “All energetic life structures – body, soul and spirit – are connected through an axis of life and balance each other at all times.”

 Our energy system consists of:

*The “nerve system ( body)” – connecting through the spinal cord.

*The “meridian system (soul)” – is the channel system of energy that nourishes and energizes the body. Acupuncture points can be found in specific spots along the meridian pathways.

*The “chakra system (spirit)” – energy centers that are part of our spiritual body.  Each of the seven chakras corresponds to an organ or gland.

“If there are any disorders or energy blockades then there are symptoms on the organ level.”

Allergie-immun “corrects bio-energetic disorders”. These are energetic disorders that result from blocked energy. These disorders are also known as “systemic errors”. Diseases can develop from systemic errors.

In other words, the cause of your chronic disease (Lyme, MS, Chronic Fatigue, allergies, etc.) may be not what you think. The cause of your disease may actually be a complicated system of errors that have accumulated over the years until some kind of trigger (like a tick bite in my case) crashes your system into a state of chronic illness.  Maybe some of us are so polluted with chemical toxins, heavy metals, unresolved emotional issues, and a myriad of imbalances and blockages that we are prone to sickness and others…are not. (For example, I know a few people who tested positive for Lyme and are not sick.)

So if your disease is a result of “systemic errors” then guess what? Errors can be corrected. But in order for you to understand that you would need to free your mind even further and reprocess your thoughts.

"You must unlearn what you have learned." – Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

And I will save that for next time...

All quotes are from the Allergie-Immun Patient Information Brochure.

*I have no financial interest with allergie-immun and do not make any commssion off of any sales.

© Danette Whelan 2012

"What Is The Most Resilient Parasite?"

                                                   Dom Cobb – Inception - 2010

“What is the most resilient parasite? A bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?

An idea.  Resilient, highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate...”

Doc Brown was an astute medical detective. I remember one of his patients telling me,

 “I’ve been to ten different doctors, took all these tests, and not one doctor knew what was wrong with me until I came to Doc Brown.”

Yes, Doc Brown knew what to test for and what labs to use. Doc Brown had a game plan for attacking all the bacteria, viruses, etc. He had a game plan for improving your immune system. He had a game plan for getting each patient well. Sounds promising? Sounds like this could work? But there was one problem.  A BIG problem. And I never saw it until I observed my son at a monthly doctor’s visit. (See A Lyme State of Mind)

Doc Brown focused more on the disease than on the game plan to get well. You could say he was obsessed with finding the cause of every patient’s symptoms. He tested – relentlessly. As a result, his doctor’s visits were depressing and overwhelming.  True, on one hand, it’s a step in the right direction to know what you’re infected with and to start treating. But, on the other hand, it’s emotionally devastating to find out that you are the unwilling host to not one but MANY resilient pathogens causing havoc in your body. And pathogens, like the Bb spirochete and mycoplasma, have no cell wall, therefore could never be cured!

“Oh my God,” I cried, “I could never be cured!” “My son could never be cured!”   How in the world can you get better if that horrible idea is stuck in your head?

 YOU CAN’T!!!

My son dreaded doctor’s visits. He dreaded getting the test results and hearing about all the bacteria, viruses and parasites he was positive for. And the truth was, he just wasn’t feeling better.

He was following Doc’s game plan.  Take antibiotics, and /or other drugs for bacterial infections, anti- virals for the viruses, supplements and herbs to support the organs and immune system, probiotics, vitamins and minerals, etc.

Sounds like a game plan! So what possibly could be the problem? Why did I have that gut-wrenching feeling that this game plan wasn’t working?  Why did I feel that this wasn’t the way for us to be healed? What was the problem?

GREAT SCOTT!

DOC BROWN HAD THE FEAR!!!

He was terrified of ticks spreading disease. He was terrified of bug bites developing into chronic disease. He was terrified of walking on the grass! He was terrified to be outside!

But, most of all, I believe, he was terrified that most of his patients would not recover.

My heart sank as I watched the despair creep up in my son’s eyes while Doc was going over his chronic symptoms and writing out a refill prescription. That was the defining moment for me. My son had finally realized that he had chronic symptoms. Persistent, chronic symptoms that Doc could only hope to relieve but not heal.

That was when I knew I had to seek out an alternative way to better health. I had to leave this system.  I had to find a way to eradicate the parasitic idea of “chronic disease” from my thought process. And my son was the catalyst. My son’s chronic condition motivated me to go out on a limb and seek out a treatment that was relatively new. A treatment that was foreign to me. A treatment that did not involve conventional medicine. This decision ultimately changed our lives for the better.

There was no denying that Doc was doing his best and going above and beyond helping incredibly sick people and children. But the fact was that I had yet to meet one of Doc’s patients that were healed of their chronic problems. There were patients that did improve with Doc’s treatment plan. But most were resigned to their fate that they will face chronic issues for the rest of their lives.

I couldn’t accept this. I believed that my son and I would regain our health.

Within a few months, I began holistic treatments with Dr. Lovejoy and my son started the Allergie-Immun therapy* soon after. A year later, I also began the Allergie-Immun therapy. And I’m happy to report that our “chronic” days are now behind us.

Thankfully, my son never got caught up with THE FEAR.  He still loves to play a pick up game of soccer every now and then. And he especially loves to fish. But what he loves most is being symptom free, having his life back and feeling “normal” again.

Energy is life and health. Missing energy stands for sickness and death...A lot of secrets in energy have been physically and scientifically decoded…

Conventional medicine is still attached to a mechanistic conception of the world…”Allergie-immun” concentrates on the energetic field only...

From the Patient Information pamphlet for Allergie-Immun

*I have no financial interest in allergie-immun and do not make any commission off of any sales.

"Fear Leads to Anger. Anger Leads to Hate. Hate Leads to Suffering."

Yoda – Star Wars Episode1: The Phantom Menace (1999)


Here I go again – another Star Wars quote (See Listen to Your Gut ) but how could I resist? I’m in the process of dissolving my fear of bug bites leading to chronic disease. Do I still have THE FEAR? Well, what do you think? I’m working on it! These rewired thoughts don’t change overnight. But, I truly feel that I had a chronic disease. It’s in the past. (Notice I said HAD!) And I also realized that I was angry! I was angry at myself for getting sick! And I suffered because of this thought.

When I was first diagnosed with Lyme disease, I thought that all I needed was a course of antibiotics and I would be back to normal. But, what I didn’t know at that time was that I was already in late stage Lyme. I knew something was wrong. I knew my symptoms were chronic. I knew being spacey, tired, woozy and achy every day wasn’t normal. But I also knew that the GP who prescribed the amoxicillin for me, knew very little about Lyme and I needed to find a LLMD. He couldn’t help me. I was on my own. And I was scared. I had to find an investigative doctor who understood how to treat chronic Lyme. For the first time in my life, I had to find a doctor that was out of network. I had no choice. I knew a ten minute doctor’s visit wasn’t going to solve my problem. And I certainly wasn’t going to wind up like this:

Thought I’d put in a little comic relief :). But, as you can see... there is a dark side...

The ugly truth is that there is a lot of misinformation and ambiguity surrounding Lyme disease and its treatment. It is a known fact that many LLMDs in the country (mostly members of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) have disputed the CDC's and IDSA'S (Infectious Disease Society of America) recommended 2-4 week course of antibiotics for the treatment of Lyme. The CDC doesn’t recognize chronic Lyme disease. According to the CDC, patients with lingering symptoms, after taking the recommended course of antibiotics, have a condition called “Post-treatment Lyme disease Syndrome” in which “the exact cause of PTLDS is not yet known...”

There has been a huge debate over the treatment of Lyme. Many doctors have been actually targeted by state medical boards and have lost their licenses, for prescribing long term and intravenous antibiotics for their patients.

Award winning documentary, Under Our Skin, is a heart-rending and illuminating look at this controversial hidden epidemic. “Through dramatic stories of those who have been affected by the disease, the film shows how controversies concerning diagnosis and treatment are leaving patients abandoned by the mainstream medical establishment. As Lyme sufferers visit specialist after specialist, so many are told that their problems are “all in their heads.” Many are misdiagnosed with incurable and often deadly syndromes. Some lose their jobs, their health insurance, their life savings, and even their lives…”

So why is Lyme so mystifying? And how can it be so easily misdiagnosed by so many doctors? The answer lies in one word – testing. As the film points out, “standard testing is unreliable.” A negative test result could still mean you have the disease. Lyme is very complicated to diagnose (See Damn! We’re in a Tight Spot) The Bb spirochete likes to change forms. It likes to hide in your organs and soft tissue. And many times, it’s not alone. Co-infections such as, Babesia, Anaplasma and Bartonella, often are transmitted by the same tick that transmits the Lyme bacteria. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Only a competent investigative LLMD will know what other pathogens to test for and the appropriate labs to use. But there is a catch. Competent LLMD’s are few and far between. Many patients have to travel to another state for treatment. Most do not take insurance. Most of the labs that are the most reliable are private labs and are out of network. Supplements, herbs and possibly homeopathic support, may be an additional out of pocket expense.

A typical office visit including supplements may run a patient a couple hundred dollars. Lyme and co-infection testing could cost anywhere from $400.00 to well over $1,000.00. And then, last but not least, are the health insurance companies, who many times refuse to cover the long term Lyme treatment.

Patients are literally caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s no wonder why there is a tremendous amount of fear among Lyme patients. It’s no wonder why there is so much anger toward the “mainstream medical establishment” that defines Chronic Lyme as "Post-treatment Lyme disease Syndrome" – cause unknown. It’s no wonder that there are a lot of sick people out there who are misdiagnosed, mistreated and misguided by a broken, complacent system.

I was one of the angry patients. I hated myself for getting a complicated disease that caused financial burden and emotional stress for my husband and children. What frustrated me the most were the lengthy and costly treatments and testing that seemed to never end. It wasn’t until I brought my younger son in to see Doc Brown that I realized that this wasn’t working for me anymore. I had an epiphany. And it hit me while I observed Doc at a monthly doctor’s visit. I realized that my son and I would never be healed if we stayed with this doctor. I realized that I would always be chronically sick if I stayed within this system.

I had to leave…for my son’s sake.

I had to leave…to be healed.

To be cont…

"I Must Not Fear...Fear Is The Mind-Killer..."

From the Ben Gessirit “Litany Against Fear” - Dune (1984)

"Even though I fear bug bites leading to chronic disease, I believe that I have the power to be completely healthy and whole. Even though I fear chronic sickness, I believe with the guidance of God, I will dissolve this fear.”

I was in a surreal daydream. As I continued to tap and recite my personal Litany Against Fear, I suddenly felt lightheaded, weak and exhausted. My brain felt fried! My thoughts were unclear! I felt shell-shocked! Was this therapy that powerful?  I could hardly stand up from Dr. Gurevich’s examining table. My session with Dr. Gurevich was over for now, but I wasn’t ready to go home yet.  I certainly was in no condition to drive. So, I continued my litany and tapping with Dr. Gurevich’s assistant, in another office, for another half hour or so, until I was calm enough to drive home.

Before I left his office, Dr. Gurevich informed me that I had been experiencing a kind of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder over my first tick bite!  My anxiety over bug bites manifested into an anxiety disorder! Ay Yi Yi!  This was the psychological component of the neuropsychoimmunological loop - my fear of suspicious bites, triggered my fear of chronic disease, (aka Lyme), then triggered my immune system to react.  

Did tapping and affirmations actually bring this “mind-killer” to the surface? Was this why I was feeling so drained and shell-shocked?  Was this why my head was so fuzzy?

There was no question that my mental, emotional and physical states of being were responding in unison. And what was the connection?

FEAR!!!

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD can happen to anyone who has experienced some type of traumatic episode in their life. I’ve always associated it with war veterans or victims of some type of terrifying event. But PTSD symptoms vary and can be hard to diagnose. Many people that have been diagnosed with chronic sickness or a devastating disease may have PTSD and are not aware of it. I was not aware that I had this “common” anxiety disorder.

And then it hit me! I was reliving MANY fears every time I got a suspicious bug bite.

I was reliving the fear that crept up inside of me when I was told that I had a persistent and complicated disease that would always be with me. I was reliving the fear that I was too powerless to fight this disease. I was reliving the fear of no one understanding what I was going through.  I was reliving the fear that somehow I was doomed and that I’d never be completely healthy and well.

These fear-laced thoughts were very real to me. I believed in these thoughts.  But these thoughts weren’t helping me. These thoughts were depressing my body, mind and soul. These thoughts were making me sicker.

                                                                                     

So now I’m in the process of changing these destructive thoughts and beliefs to healing frequencies. I’m in the process of changing my health and well-being. I’m in the process of rewiring harmful thought patterns to healing affirmations. And reciting affirmations are now a part of my life.

Through my affirmations, I have found a spiritual connection that I’m just beginning to understand. When I ask for the guidance of God or the Universe, I believe that I’m not in this struggle alone. I’m not asking God to heal me. I’m asking God to guide me and help me to heal myself.

 I’m asking God to help the healer within:

“I am ready to be well…I am ready to be completely well.”**

“I am willing to be well; My heart, brain, liver, breast….is able to heal and be totally well again.”**

“I give myself permission to be free of chronic disease from now on; I let go of every problem that causes my condition to occur and persist.” **

“I let go all of my beliefs that I will stay ill;  I let go of every problem that is blocking me from expressing God’s will through my thoughts, feelings, words, works and actions.”**

**   selections of affirmations prescribed by Dr. Gurevich

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” - Buddha

"...I Think I'm Getting The Fear..."

Dr. Gonzo – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Here I was, over one thousand miles away from my home, and I was getting The Fear. Not the crazy, paranoia drug-induced kind of fear that Dr. Gonzo was experiencing. But the crazy, paranoia, Lyme-induced kind that I associated with suspicious bug bites.

I was on a mini-vacation in Florida and I was bitten by some flying insect, which left a suspicious mark.  The bite wasn’t anything like the supposed Lyme-infected mosquito bite that caused me to relapse in September. The bite was smaller and had a light pink circle around it. It grew to about the size of a 50 cent piece. By the next day, it was the size of a nickel. Still, the uncontrollable panic and Fear trigger from my tainted past, burst my happy bubble and sank me into a depressed state in a matter of minutes.

“Here I go again,” I bemoaned. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Of course I had the repellent on me, but it was a windy day. I didn’t think I needed it. But, thankfully, I had the doxycycline on me and I started to take it the next day, just in case.

When I saw Dr. Goodsoul the following week, he had another diagnosis for me. I was reacting emotionally. I had what he called a “neuropsychoimmunological” response. Very simply, my fear of suspicious bites, triggered my fear of chronic disease (aka chronic Lyme), which triggered my immune system to react.

The mind is very powerful. Your thoughts and emotions can influence your health.

Through muscle testing, Dr. Goodsoul discovered that I was still emotionally reacting to my first tick bite. I still felt the The Fear of Helplessness. The Fear of Hopelessness. The Fear of Isolation. The Fear of Depression. The Fear of Chronic Sickness.

I had unknowingly imprinted this fear as a regular thought pattern. I often wondered if my fear of biting bugs can actually attract biting bugs in my direction. Was this possible? I remember having a fear of Lyme disease before I became sick with Lyme. I thought about it every time I would walk on the grass. Could my fear of Lyme (plus other factors), help to depress my immune system to the point where I got sick? Does fear really attract fear?  Can Fear make you sick?

Holistic practitioners see the mind, body and spirit connection. Dr. Goodsoul knows the devastating effect that negative emotions have on your health. Can unresolved fears make you sick? Absolutely! Can negative emotions attract more negative emotions? Yes, again!   Can my unresolved fear be resolved? Yes!  

So, as I lay on Dr. Goodsoul’s examining table, I started to recall that moment in my life when I discovered the first horrendous bite that lead to chronic Lyme. Dr. Goodsoul gave me purple (emotional) glasses to calm me down. While wearing the glasses, I gazed at his hand as he hypnotically made a figure eight pattern above my face.

Now, comes the interesting part…I started to tap, using all my fingers, on specific acupuncture points. As I tapped I recited my Fear:

“I’m afraid of bug bites leading to chronic disease. I’m afraid I will never be completely well. I’m afraid that I don’t have the power to be well. I’m afraid of chronic disease.”

I felt almost nauseous from this huge emotional upheaval that was raging inside of me. I was hearing words that I didn’t want to hear. I had to face something I didn’t want to face. What had been at the back of my mind, every minute of every day, was now exposed.

I began to hoarsely hum as I continued tapping. Tears were streaming down my face. All I kept thinking was that I had to go on. I had to finish this. There was no turning back.

Before we went to the next step, Dr. Goodsoul turned to me and said:

“So, what did you learn?”

What did I learn? I never expected him to ask me that question. I took the glasses off ,  collected my thoughts and whispered haltingly, “ I’m afraid of chronic disease.”

“Yes. And now you are going to begin to dissolve this fear.”

So, I resumed tapping. I was prompted to say powerful statements to undo what I had done to myself. I was now saying spiritual and emotional words of affirmations:

“Even though, I fear bug bites leading to chronic disease, I believe that I have the power to be completely healthy and whole.”

“Even though, I fear bug bites leading to chronic disease, I believe that through God’s guidance and help, I will be completely healthy and whole.”

“Even though, I fear chronic disease, I give myself permission, through God’s light and love, to be completely healthy and whole.”

I was asking for God’s guidance and help – in Dr. Goodsoul’s office.

We are all spiritual beings, after all. And sometimes, we need extra help – from within.

The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases

Is that there are physicians for the body and

physicians for the soul,

although the two cannot be separated.

-PLATO (427-347 BC)

To be cont…

 www.livinglyme.com

"Damn! We're in a Tight Spot!"

Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Are Thou? 2000 

O brother, I was in a tight spot alright! Here I was, sitting in Dr. Goodsoul’s office and freaking out over the devastating news that my old infection was re-activated.  And it was from a mosquito bite, no less. Did this mean that mosquitoes could transmit Lyme? Or, was there something in the mosquito’s saliva that somehow triggered the spirochetes to re-enter my bloodstream and cause symptoms?

As of now, there is no scientific evidence proving that mosquitoes can transmit Lyme to humans. But there is published scientific data that shows the presence of the Lyme Bb bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) in mosquitoes as well as tears!

Dr. Lida Mattman, a nominee for the Nobel Prize of Medicine, was a brilliant bacteriologist who devoted close to fifty years researching spirochetes. She was able to extract and study Lyme spirochetes from mosquitoes, gnats, ticks, fleas, as well as urine, semen and blood.

In her revolutionary book, Cell Wall Deficient Form: Stealth Pathogens, she identifies the pleomorphic Bb bacteria as having the ability to convert from a spirochete to other forms, such as the cyst form, the cell-wall deficient form and bio-films. The problem with these “morphed” forms is that they are very hard to treat. The cyst (a tightly coiled sac of spirochetes), the CWD (lacks a cell wall) and the bio-film (which is a colony of cysts) are resistant to many antibiotics.  Dr. Mattman’s research also shows that the CWD or cell-wall deficient bacteria, may be responsible for many chronic illnesses, including Lyme, MS, ALS and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Goodsoul was very familiar with the “morphed” forms of Lyme and he didn’t waste a minute. He looked at me and said, “You must have ozone irradiation intravenous therapy and you must start as soon as possible. Can you start treatment today?”

I knew nothing about this new therapy but did I have a choice? If Dr. Goodsoul recommended it to me, it must work. And considering all of his other therapies benefited me so far, I knew this was what I had to do. So as his nurse practitioner was prepping me for the IV, Dr. Goodsoul explained that this therapy was actually two therapies in one.

“First, blood is withdrawn and injected into the saline solution. Oxygenated ozone is bubbled into the blood and mixed. Then, this blood solution is exposed to ultra-violet light as it is re-infused into your body.”

Dr.Goodsoul raved how this therapy helps the body to function at a more efficient state. It oxygenates the blood and cytokine* cells so that the body can combat bacteria  (including spirochetes), viruses, parasites, bacterial yeast, and the bio-films. The best part was that there were no side effects. I needed eight weekly treatments to halt the extent of the infection. The procedure lasted about 45 minutes and the only time I experienced a significant herx (die-off reaction) was after the first treatment. I was so spacey that I went through a stop sign on the way home. I arrived home safe but I must admit it was a challenge to keep my mind steady and focused on the road.

My foggy thoughts kept on straying to the AI drops. I knew I had to re-submit my saliva to the allergie-immun lab as soon as possible. But the problem was that my therapy had been finished two months ago. I was worried. Would they honor my original account and not charge me for a whole new course? “Well,” I thought,” there was only one way to find out.”  

So, when I got home, I wrote them a note explaining that I was re-infected, and along with my saliva sample, mailed it to Germany that very day.

Sure enough, about three weeks later, another round of drops had arrived in the mail. The analysis revealed chemical, energetic and biological disruptions. And to my delight, they didn’t charge me any additional fee.

It took just one more round of drops and the completion of the ozone therapy to get my health back to my previous state.  The Lyme is in remission and I’m feeling good again.

Dr. Goodsoul believes that it is possible that mosquitoes and biting flies could transmit Lyme. So do many other LLMD’s. And so do many Lyme patients who can’t recall being bitten by a tick. It’s true that the nymph deer tick is the size of a pinhead. Ticks also secrete an anti-inflammatory into their saliva when they feed. Therefore, many times they go unnoticed.

So far, research and funding is only limited to ticks. This may change in the future. Public awareness and data are the key factors. Suspicious bites from flying insects should not be ignored. If there is enough data, then maybe researchers like Dr. Kerry Clark could open up a whole new can of microscopic worms (aka spirochetes!)

Dr. Kerry Clark, associate professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health at the University of North Florida, has devoted his life to researching the cause and transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. He would “love to investigate if wild mosquitoes contain Lyme Borrelia DNA.” But he needs info from YOU!

Send clear digital photos of your bite (put a coin next to the bite for size comparison). Include the date (clipped from a newspaper or magazine) in the photo, a full body shot and a description of your experience and symptoms, if any.

Send data to Dr. Kerry Clark – kclark@unf.edu 

And at the same time, send a copy of your info to the CDC – CDCINFO@cdc.gov  or http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/   and your doctor, too.

It took me three months to get out of my “tight spot.” I will never know if that mosquito that bit me was indeed infected with Lyme. But my gut tells me that this wasn’t an isolated incident. I believe many of us who have been exposed to Lyme in the past are at a higher risk for re-infection.  The good news for me is that the fear of relapse and returning to a chronic state of sickness is fading away.

Now my road to healing will lead me into another path. 

My road to healing will lead me to another dimension.

My road to healing will lead me to answers.

“I cannot tell you how long this road shall be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward. Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation.”

Blind Seer – O Brother, Where Art Thou?

*cytokine - a protein secreted by the lymph cells that affect cellular activity and controls inflammation. (Encarta Dictionary)

                                                                                                          

"Yoo Need Protehshon"?

 Paul Serone, skeevy Paraguayan snake poacher in Anaconda (1997)

I’ll bet you never heard of the schlocky horror-action film, Anaconda. Jon Voight, who stars as the sleazy, snake-obsessed, Spanglish speaking villain, Paul Serone, is a riot as the crazy bad guy. His performance is a must-see for B-movie fans! My husband happens to do an uncanny Paul Serone impersonation. Sometimes he’ll sneak up behind me and whisper in my ear, “Yoo need protehshon?” It’s become an inside joke between the two of us and never fails to give us a good laugh. Ironically, I recently found new meaning behind this absurd question. And my response was no joke!

I love being outdoors. I love communing with nature.  I love the longer days, the blooming foliage, the scent of spring – you get the picture. But I hate what undeniably comes along with all this beauty – BUGS!  I don’t despise all bugs - just the ones that spread disease.

As far as I can remember, I have been sensitive to bug bites. When I was a baby, my arms would sometimes swell up from mosquito bites. I’ve never had severe allergic reactions to any bites, but nevertheless, it was, and still is, a big problem for me. When I was a kid, I used to spray Off liberally all over my exposed skin until I smelled like chemicals and glistened in the summer dusk. As an adult, I’ve replaced Off with Skin-So-Soft, essential oils and health store brands. These are a healthier choice and are almost as effective. Yes, Deet is powerful but it’s a neurotoxin, so I won’t use it anymore.

The point is, that if I remember to slather bug repellent on ALL my exposed skin, I’m in good shape. I’m more or less protected. But, if I were to miss a spot on my skin (let’s say the back of my thigh), and its buggy out, I will without a doubt, get bitten on this missed spot. This has happened so many times, I’ve lost count.

So, why am I making such a fuss? It is a known fact that ticks spread Lyme and other diseases. What is not known is that it is possible that Lyme disease can be spread by mosquitoes and biting flies. How do I know this? I’ll give you one guess.

Last September, my husband and I went to the shore for the weekend. We were walking to the beach and, out of no where, I was zapped on my inner thigh, by a hungry mosquito. I was completely caught off guard. I wasn’t wearing any repellent. The bite became intensely itchy and inflamed. Within two days, it spread to two inches in diameter. There was a lighter ring around the perimeter. It looked nasty. It looked like Lyme.

In the past, I’ve had many suspicious bites that were the result of being bitten by flying insects. By suspicious, I mean bites, larger than a quarter, that were irritated and spread out to almost two inches in diameter. When I was bitten before, I was already positive for Lyme, so I couldn’t tell if I was experiencing new symptoms. I remember Dr. Doolittle examining one highly unusual bite and exclaiming, “Only ticks spread Lyme. This must be a histamine reaction.”  I knew it wasn’t a tick bite(it was on the front of my thigh), but I was given a course of new antibiotics to play it safe.

Years later, I was bitten by a mosquito, while I was at an evening Little League game. The bite blew up to almost three inches in diameter. Doc Brown, who was treating me then, immediately put me on antibiotics and within one week, I was experiencing a Herxheimer (die-off) reaction. I wasn’t retested, but I knew I was re-infected.

But this time, I was in remission. I was feeling great!  And I was crossing my fingers that the bite was just a histamine reaction. So, I made an appointment with Dr. Lovejoy, who was able to see me the following week. She tested me and when she told me I was positive, I had that sinking feeling all over again.

Well, I thought, I’ll go on a course of doxycycline and I’ll be fine.  The problem was that I wasn’t feeling fine. I was feeling tired every morning and spacey 24/7.

By the time I saw Dr. Goodsoul, I was on the doxy for three weeks. He re-tested me and not only was I still positive, but the new bite re-activated my dormant Lyme. A course of antibiotics was not going to be enough. I needed to do something more radical and aggressive. 

I was in a state of shock. And to think, this was from a stupid mosquito bite!  And during the summer months, mosquitoes are everywhere!  How could I protect myself from mosquitoes in the future?  And would I have to worry about green heads or gnats, too?

I need protection, all right! I need protection from blood-sucking mosquitoes. I need protection from vampire biting flies. I need protection from viper ticks.

It’s a creature feature action-packed  monsterama outside. And I’m the bait!

But, wait a second…there is hope. (At least a 40 foot man-eating anaconda isn’t after me!) And I know  what I need to do.

I must keep a filled prescription of doxycycline at my fingertips – at all times. In hindsight, I realized that if I started the antibiotics within a few days after I was bitten, I more than likely would have nipped it in the bud.

So that’s my “protehshon”…and that’s my answer…for now.

To be continued…