Parasite Cleanse

Since this little blog is a testimony to my journey through a major health crisis, I am learning to be more truthful with myself and those around me with how I really feel.  It is actually helping me to admit it more when I have a bad day...or week.  I never want to be a complainer and I always fear that people will think I am complaining if I voice my pain too much.  I still think it's a fine line.  But having this place to journal my feelings helps!  With that said, I have learned that I am more honest about my pain if I write while I am in it...as opposed to after I have recovered.

So, guess what?  The last 24 hours have been brutal.  I have been doing SO well.  My diet launched me to a new level, I had energy, I was starting to think about exercising again, I felt good for the first time in a long time.  I was able to "cheat" a little on the weekends, but always landed back on my diet for the week.  I also started acupuncture.  It has been a new experience for me and I am still watching for big results.  I am dreaming for the first time in years!  I really haven't dreamed since I had kids.  Since acupuncture, I have dreams every night.  I guess thats good?  When I told my acupuncturist about my entire health history, she asked if I had ever done a parasite cleanse.  Of course, I hadn't, but it sounded interesting since I did acquire Giardia the first week we moved to Houston.  She suggested I try it and I was willing.  I had just started recovering from the big detox and even Babe suggested I wait a bit to start something new.  "Let's just enjoy your good health right now, " he said.  I totally agreed.

So, I geared up and started the Parasite Cleanse last week.  It is very safe and easy and the more I read, I was thinking I should do this every once in awhile!  Without grossing everyone out, we do have parasites that we aren't aware of...from undercooked meat, from daycare centers, and more.  It is a simple regime with 6 pre-packaged pills in the morning and 6 pre-packaged pills in the evening for 10 days.  After the first two to three days, I started to get a skip in my step. Could this have been my problem all along? I was feeling great! However, yesterday was Day 6.  I started to get some pain in my stomach. I thought I just needed to eat, but it continued to get worse.  So great that I couldn't sleep.  UGH!  No more sleepless nights!  I thought I was over that!  By about 3am I started to get worried and got online to research the cleanse with greater detail.  Bingo!  The way the cleanse works is by taking natural herbs that create an acidic environment in the gut that parasites cannot live in.  Sounds fine to most people...but not to a girl with a massive bleeding ulcer in repair. My pain is a relapse in my ulcer.  After all the hard work, all the strict eating, I am so discouraged thinking I am back where I started from?

I am hoping and praying that I can get through this on my own.  I popped a Prevacid in the night and while I had moved back to one dose a day, I am stepping it back up to two.  Dear Lord, PLEASE don't let me get to the point of another blood transfusion.  I am hoping the increased dose of Prevacid will kick in and help me re-heal in the next few days.

I do know that I am on the mend.  While I have made HUGE strides forward, I know there will certainly be small steps backwards.  I just have to remind myself to focus on the prize.  I so often think of the verse from Psalm 34:8.  "Taste and see that the Lord is good.  How blessed is the man who finds refuge in Him."  I have tasted the feeling of good health over the last few weeks and it is SO good.  I can get there again!