I have Lyme Disease.

Is that not the craziest thing ever? I never in a million years would think this could happen. Looking back all my weird symptoms now make sense. In a way I feel relieved to have a diagnosis. Now I know why I feel like this. Now I just need to get better! I hope I can overcome this.

I feel like writing out what's been going on with me, just so I can see how this all progressed. I still feel shocked.

I remember getting bit by a tick. I don't know exactly when it happpened. I just know that we were living in our new house so it had to be at least May.

August~ I had my first lightheaded episode. Me, Matt, and Holden were at the Mall and I had to sit down because I thought I was going to faint.

August~ While Matt was in Austin for that week, I had the worst cold ever. Looking back I think this was the flu-like symptoms that are associated with Early Lyme.

September-December I felt fine.

The end of December I did feel lightheaded. We were at Sears buying a camera and I kept having to stop to rest.

January is when it started getting worse. I felt weak, tired, and lightheaded.

Then in March I had really bad back spasms that lasted for a nearly a week. After that my back still ached.

April is when the scary stuff started. I had weird heart palpatations. It started with at tacychardia episode. One night I was just sitting down, putting Holden's shoes on and my heart started beating out of my chest. It lasted all evening. My chest hurt because my heart was beating so hard and fast.

I finally went to the doctor. He said everything was fine and referred me a a Cardiologist. It took so long to get the referral that I finally went to a different doctor. He said I had heartburn. At that time my prominent symptom was chest pain. I doubted that diagnosis, but decided to take some anti-acid. It didn't help.

I finally got in to see the Cardiologist. He set me up with a heart monitor and scheduled an ECG. At this time, I had researched my symptoms a lot and kept coming up with Lyme Disease. I knew it was unlikely but had to take the test to be sure.

I found a doctor that knew about Lyme Disease. When I had mentioned getting bit by a tick to another doctor that I had seen, he brushed it off. I felt crazy for even mentioning it.

I went to the Lyme Doctor and got the test. I had to pay out of pocket because the insurance didn't cover it. It cost $245 (ouch!)

Last night is when I got the call about the results. I answered the phone totally expecting to hear that it was negative. I can't even explain my shock when the nurse told me "...and it's Postive". She even said it was the most positive test he had ever seen and that my B12 was low.

So many thoughts have gone through my head since then. I have so many questions.

Does Holden have it?

What can I do?

Can I get better?

Is there going to be permanent damage?

As I sit here my chest hurts, my heart is beating weird. It's something I've become used to (sadly). I can't wait to be myself again. You don't understand. To be able to go to the store and not feel like I'm going to faint. It will be so wonderful. I'm trying to be hopeful about this but I'm scared too.

I hope by my birthday (Septmeber 26) that I'm better. That will be the best Birthday present ever.