I try not to notice the exact date, but this week it's been 2 years since The Big Crash.
On the upside:
- I can work 10-20 ish hours/week
- Sometimes I can walk
- Sometimes I can do yoga or very gentle strength training
- I can do household chores many days
- I can drive myself on local errands so long as it's not a crash day
- SIBO isn't gone but *seems* to be on the decline
- Pathogenic gut bacteria mostly gone
- My boss and co-workers remain supportive
-My partner remains supportive (if mystified)
- Overall the trend appears to be positive
- I have access to some pretty great providers (primarily ND but also acupuncture and massage)
- There are fewer crash days in general
- We can survive financially with me only working part time, without stress. (huge!)
On the Other Side
- Adrenals showed some improvement in last summer's test but are now totally tanked again
- Beneficial gut bacteria also mostly gone
- I still have transient viral symptoms
- I still have intermittent joint pain
- The tiniest little bit of stress (ahem, recent snowstorm/ loss of power) puts me in the red and I have to sleep for days to catch up
- I have a hard time complying with SIBO dietary protocol because I'm so exhausted/ brain fogged all the damn time
- I still am so isolated because I can't keep a social commitment most of the time
- I really wish I could visit my family but am not strong enough to make the trip
THE UNKNOWNS
- Is it Lyme? EBV? Mystery Virus? Or "Just" a Massive Gut Crash?
- Am I destroying any chance of recovery by continuing to work? (Hmmmm)
- Would it be better to go to the gym/ regular exercise routine (however light) first before trying to go to work enough to keep my job? Right now I prioritize the job first.
I keep thinking of that (Bruce Campbell?) advice I saw very early on. He said to get back to full time work before attempting to add in exercise. I don't know if that is right- I know it's so beneficial to move, stretch, strengthen as much as possible.
Sometimes it seems more possible than other times.
On the upside:
- I can work 10-20 ish hours/week
- Sometimes I can walk
- Sometimes I can do yoga or very gentle strength training
- I can do household chores many days
- I can drive myself on local errands so long as it's not a crash day
- SIBO isn't gone but *seems* to be on the decline
- Pathogenic gut bacteria mostly gone
- My boss and co-workers remain supportive
-My partner remains supportive (if mystified)
- Overall the trend appears to be positive
- I have access to some pretty great providers (primarily ND but also acupuncture and massage)
- There are fewer crash days in general
- We can survive financially with me only working part time, without stress. (huge!)
On the Other Side
- Adrenals showed some improvement in last summer's test but are now totally tanked again
- Beneficial gut bacteria also mostly gone
- I still have transient viral symptoms
- I still have intermittent joint pain
- The tiniest little bit of stress (ahem, recent snowstorm/ loss of power) puts me in the red and I have to sleep for days to catch up
- I have a hard time complying with SIBO dietary protocol because I'm so exhausted/ brain fogged all the damn time
- I still am so isolated because I can't keep a social commitment most of the time
- I really wish I could visit my family but am not strong enough to make the trip
THE UNKNOWNS
- Is it Lyme? EBV? Mystery Virus? Or "Just" a Massive Gut Crash?
- Am I destroying any chance of recovery by continuing to work? (Hmmmm)
- Would it be better to go to the gym/ regular exercise routine (however light) first before trying to go to work enough to keep my job? Right now I prioritize the job first.
I keep thinking of that (Bruce Campbell?) advice I saw very early on. He said to get back to full time work before attempting to add in exercise. I don't know if that is right- I know it's so beneficial to move, stretch, strengthen as much as possible.
Sometimes it seems more possible than other times.
