Karate Chop (Diagnosis)

I remember my Mom and Grandma Millie telling me about a talk Elder Neal A. Maxwell once gave that talked about the "karate chops of life"... when our circumstances seem to change in an instant.  One of those karate chops happened on Oct. 12, 2009 when my Mom called to tell me she was terminally ill with cancer.  Another was April 27, 2013 when Scott was in a dirt bike accident.  Here is the timeline for the latest "chop"...

May 7, 2014 - I got the Tdap shot in preparation of attending Girls Camp in the summer.  We were headed to a Scout Camp, and they require that those attending be all current with their shots.  I wasn't sure the last time I had a Tetanus shot, so I decided to get one.

May 12, 2014 - I started feeling aching in both of my knees.  I thought that maybe I had done some weight lifting exercises wrong and strained them somehow.

May 13, 2014 - I felt aching in my ankles.

May 14, 2014 - The aching had spread to my elbows, hands and wrists.  I started getting really scared.  I did some research online and found that other people had aching joints a few days after receiving the Tdap shot.  I was beginning to think that the shot had poisoned me somehow.  I asked Scott for a priesthood blessing.  He told me that "through the power of the Atonement I would be made whole.  I will fill my heart with gratitude for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I will exclaim to those around me how great and good They are."

May 19, 2014 - I saw my family doctor.  He seemed quite perplexed by my joint pain, and he ordered a bunch of blood tests.

May 23-26, 2014 - We spent the weekend at the annual Memorial Day Breakfast in Oak City, Utah.  I could not stand for too long without my legs feeling like they were on fire.  I was extremely exhausted.  My brother-in-law called in a 3 day prescription of prednisone for me.  I don't think I could have made it through the weekend without it.

May 27, 2014 - I got a call from the doctor's office asking me to come in and discuss the results of my lab work.  He told me all of the lab tests came back in the normal range except for Lyme disease.  He just happened to throw that test in at the last minute thinking it was highly unlikely that it would come back positive.  He kept saying, "You could have blown me over with a feather" ... meaning he was so surprised that it was positive.  He asked me if I had traveled to the east coast lately.  I had been to Maryland last November, but I was mostly in a hotel and in meetings.  It didn't seem likely I had contracted Lyme there.  My best guess was that I contracted the disease while in Zion National Park or Snow Canyon for spring break (April 8-13).  I remember having a dull headache and mental confusion for the past month.  On April 15th, I wrote in my journal "It was 1:30 in the afternoon when I realized that we had not mailed in our state taxes this year.  I honestly worry about my brain sometimes.  I feel that I already have a minor form of dementia.  I certainly can't think as quickly as I use to."

The Tdap shot must have overloaded my already taxed immune system and made the symptoms flare up.  I am actually glad this happened, or the symptoms would have slowly increased, but not enough to alarm me to go to the doctor... things have to be pretty bad before I take myself in.

The doctor called in a month prescription of Doxycycline and suggested I make an appointment with an Infectious Disease Specialist.



May 28, 2014 - I wasn't feeling very well... mostly nauseous and tired.  I was also more emotional about the diagnosis and what it might mean.  I made an appointment with an Infectious Disease Specialist.

May 29, 2014 - My sister came to visit and brought flowers.  It was very therapeutic to be able to visit and have her near.  I felt like she was sent on this errand by Mom.

June 1, 2014 - My Dad gave me a priesthood blessing... "As I seek guidance from the Lord, He will lead me in the direction I must go to heal and eradicate this disease from my body."

June 2, 2014 - I spoke with my sister-in-law's friend about her experience with Lyme disease.  She didn't really know she had Lyme until she completely collapsed 4 years ago.  It turns out that she had had it for about 20 years.  There were times when she would be driving and black out for a moment.  She would often completely forget her 4th child when she was a baby... leaving her in the crib while going somewhere, etc.  She is amazed that they even survived.  She went to see Dr. Jason West in Pocatello, Idaho.  It was really good to talk to her and get some information.  I canceled my appointment with the Infectious Disease Specialist and made an appointment with Dr. Andrew Petersen.

June 11, 2014 - Scott went with me to meet with Dr. Petersen.  It was unlike any doctor appointment I had ever been to.  He sat in the office and spoke with us for almost two hours.  He asked me questions and explained the disease in terms that were easy to understand.  He had the lab take 34 vials of blood to run for various tests.  He put me on Tinidazole and Doxycycline.