The weight of a boulder...

Well, it's been another interesting week in DeNio land. :) First of all, Tuesday was our eighth wedding anniversary! WOW!! I can't believe that many years have gone by. At times, during our journey, it seemed to crawl at a snails pace as we battled all of my health issues. However, in terms of our relationship, it seems like just yesterday I married my best friend. I fall more in love with him every day! He is one amazing man! I posted one of my favorite pictures of our wedding. This picture was taken right after we were pronounced husband and wife. As you can see, we were both ecstatic! :)

Health-wise, I honestly don't remember feeling this bad. I am sure I did when I started treatment, but when you start feeling well again, you usually forget the icky parts of the journey. I think that is a good thing. :)

My phone appointment with my doctor's NMD went very well. He had a lot of ideas on how to get the Candida under control. He said once I started Nystatin that I could add back in a few whole grain carbs a week and also start my antibiotics again. He also gave me a few ideas to help combat Candida naturally which included continuing on the Olive Leaf Extract and adding in Caprylic Acid. I am just waiting on the latter to be delivered. Thankfully, I am still able to take Olive Leaf Extract. It seriously tastes like I am eating a leaf pile, lol. Hey, if it works, I won't complain! He did adjust my antibiotic regiment by increasing my Rifampin. This is actually what Brian and I requested so that we could hit Bartonella hard, but I am a bit uneasy about how all these antibiotics are going to effect my Candida issue. Obviously, they will compound the problem, but it's our hope that the Nystatin and the other two supplements will help fight back.

We could really use some big time prayer about this. The NMD said that because I am on Rifampin, I can't take the stronger drugs to combat Candida (i.e. Diflucan), so Nystatin really needs to work for me. We don't want to have to go off of Rifampin because it has been the bullet that God has used to help me make so much headway. We are praying for a miracle and that God would heal my system!

I have another phone appointment in a month. However, if I get worse this week, I am supposed to let them know so we can change meds around. I think the worst part of this is the horrible fatigue. I am not sure if I can even describe it. Everything hurts, and I am so tired that I feel like I am walking around with a boulder on my shoulders. Every time I move from one room to the next, I am completely exhausted. I have struggled with fatigue before, but this type of fatigue is very new to me. Brian and I went to the store on Saturday morning, and by the time I got home and got into bed, I didn't even have enough energy to roll over on my side to go to sleep. It was seriously that bad.

I have tried not to let all this discourage me after having such a good two months health-wise. It's a big mind battle, but I know with all my heart that we are still making progress. I just think it's masked by this Candida issue. I have to hold out hope that the Lord is still healing my body. So, it's time to press on and forge ahead even though things during the day sometimes look like an impossible feat.

My grad class is going well so far. I have an amazing group for my group project. So, that is such a relief. I think it will be a lot of work, but every assignment can be divided up among our group members, so that makes it bearable.

I am so proud of my husband! All he has left to do is take the final for his accounting class and then focus on preparing for his last exam. He is doing so well. This upcoming CPA exam is the hardest, so please keep him in you prayers as he prepares.

That's our update! We pray that everything is going well for all of you. Please be praying for my body. I want to kick this so I can get back to feeling healthier again. Blessings!