It's been a long time since I blogged and I felt the desire to share how things are going now that a new year is upon us. It has been one heck of a year for me with so many things that have happened, it truly feels like several years have passed. My sister keeps a "memories jar" every year and goes through everything she puts into it on New Year's Eve. She text me a picture on the last day of 2016 to share with me her recorded memory of us going out to celebrate the end of my Lyme treatment. I have to say it gave me tears not just because she thought enough to save that date in her jar, but also to see how far I've come. Praise God!
As I go back and re-read some of the posts here on my blog, it amazes me what the Lord has done in my life and put on my heart to share in times past. I am so grateful for all the Lord has accomplished in me these past few years. I am so thankful I started this blog and shared all He has done because it's my own personal account of His faithfulness in my life that I really need to read and re-read more often.
As I go back and re-read some of the posts here on my blog, it amazes me what the Lord has done in my life and put on my heart to share in times past. I am so grateful for all the Lord has accomplished in me these past few years. I am so thankful I started this blog and shared all He has done because it's my own personal account of His faithfulness in my life that I really need to read and re-read more often.
As of my last post, I had finished my treatment for Lyme and was starting to get my life back together, and praying for the best outcome off of medication. I'm happy to say that, six months later, I am doing really, really well with no relapse! The first few months off of medication, my body seemed to still go through a cycle of every 4-6 weeks not feeling well and then better again, but my only real symptom was the fatigue and just feeling "off". I couldn't get back into any kind of aerobic activity or strength training without feeling too wiped out to face the next day. However, I was still way more than 50% better than ever and symptom free, so I kept plugging along. It wasn't until September of 2016 that I made the decision to cut all refined sugar out of my diet. (I have been told that sugar feeds the Lyme bacteria) At the same time, I was introduced to Pilates workouts online by a friend and decided to give them a try. Ever since I changed my diet and scaled back the intensity of my workouts, my healing has jumped from over 50% to just about 100%. I really credit the even more dramatic improvement to giving up sugar. The past 4 months of Pilates and walking have been the first time in years I have been able to stay consistent with exercise and I feel better and stronger than ever. I rarely need my afternoon naps anymore. I feel GREAT! I have even gotten well enough and strong enough to start hour long water aerobic classes that I am also enjoying! I never thought I'd ever be back to the fitness level I'm at again, but here I am. Praise God! I just want to be strong and healthy to have a body that's fit enough to serve Him and I know He is honoring that motivation.
I'm not sure I've talked much about care-giving for my grandma (who lives with me) on the blog, but I have been doing that full-time for the past 3 years. I took care of her before my diagnosis, during my treatment and now after being sick myself and that has certainly been a story of God's strength in my weakness in itself. This year has been a very difficult one for her health and has tried and tested me more than ever as well. She has had 3 hospitalizations, developed dementia, went from walking to wheelchair bound, and was even dying and on hospice just a few short weeks ago. God is not done with her yet though because He granted her a miraculous healing and she is home with us again (another long story in itself)! Just as He used my sickness to shape and transform me, He has been using my situation with my grandmother to do the same. She is 99 years old and will be turning 100 this November!
This past year of 2016 has certainly been one of the longest and most trying years, but I'm thankful for all the blessings too. While I'm happy to leave it behind at the start of 2017, I'm so grateful to look back on my healing, my grandma's many healings, all the ways the Lord has provided for us and the success of my Etsy shop! I'm still selling paintings to whomever the Lord leads to my store and that has been a blessing too. I don't know what this new year will hold, but He does. If the Lord had told me all I would endure last year, I would never think I could survive it all. Looking back on not only surviving it all, but thriving, I know I can face anything that comes my way because He is with me.
