I had a lot of plans at the beginning of summer, I really wanted to do things that made me feel good about my progress with Lyme, but to do that, I needed to feel good with Lyme. So, I decided I was really going to listen to my body, and what it was saying. I had to put my body over anything else this summer, and that meant pushing it.
I was already feeling I was getting better in April when I came home from school, but if you read my previous post (click here to read it), I didn't really know just how good I really was feeling. I didn't know my limits. This summer became a time to test my limits, and push them.
My first real push was to attempt to work out more this summer. I had taken a weight lifting class in school, but I wanted to really implement it, and feel better about my endurance. I wanted to know I could work out, and not have it leave me spending a month in bed. I signed up for Crossfit. The first couple times I went, I almost started crying, but I felt so good after, and even though I was very sore after my first couple workouts, I was still able to keep up with the daily grind of life. This helped my confidence, in what I was able to do for the summer, soar.
My second test began in the middle of May, I went hiking in Southern Utah, in a place called Kanarraville Falls. Two summers prior, I couldn't even make it halfway up the hike, and it was about a week recovery after going because I was in so much pain and so exhausted. This time I went, we had to stop and turn around after 2 hours, because our group had to head back at a certain time, and to my utter surprise, I wanted to keep going. I felt like I could have hiked for 5 more hours! I was at the front of the group, and helping others wade through the deep waters and skinny narrows, I had so much fun. This was my first time realized, and testing the waters (literally and figuratively), in what I could and couldn't do. I went right back to work the Monday after that, with no problems, and feeling great.
My third test, and the one I was dreading the most at the beginning of summer was work. I started off the summer not looking forward to going back to working at the Daycare center. It is fun, the summer is full of actives, but it is very exhausting, and I have worked there almost every summer since I was 16. It makes for a long summer. This summer I was very worried, because we were switching up how we did the program in some major ways. I will admit that I had many doubts about working this summer. However, as time went on, I began to realize that the changes to the summer program at work made it easier on me. It was hard to change, but easy to do. The changes implemented made it so I was able to get closer to the kids, and have more fun. I didn't think I would be able to work out after work, because I would be too worn out from work. Instead, I found myself not wanting to leave work, not because I didn't want to work out, but because I was having too much fun. There were many times I was told to go on my break, and I didn't want to because I was in the middle of a game with the kids.
Now that the summer program has ended, I sit back and look at all the pictures that I took with them, and I think, man I wasted way too much time stressing and worrying about how hard it was going to be to go from a part time tutoring job in the library on campus, to a full time entertainer/caregiver to 25 (give or take a few) kids... Now my concerns have done a 180! How am I going to go back to a more professional job, after all of the fun I have had this summer?
Of course there have been ups and downs this summer, but for the first time since being diagnosed I am happy to report that this summer has been more up's than downs! I would venture to say double the ups than downs. Today, September 3rd, is the 3 year anniversary of my diagnosis. If you would have told me a year ago I would be feeling this good, I would have thought I was being filled with false hope, not because I didn't hope in it for myself, but because it sounded too good to be true. I have had a sort of "bucket list this summer" and I am happy to report that the final thing on my list is going to be crossed off this week, hiking Table Rock in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming (don't worry, I'll post pics of that hike on my instagram).
As I look at this picture (now a traditional picture) of all my boxes I have collected of medicine, I realize just how far I have come because of all these little bottles. I have had a goal of "Remission 2k17" (click here to read) and if I don't get there within the next 3 months I do know that I can keep working to get there, and that I am living a nearly full life now. I am feeling good nearly every day, this summer was an example of how far I was able to push myself, and keep going, and now I can actually feel the results from the summer, and from all of these medicines and I am for the first time actually excited. I am excited to keep going and healing.
-The Lyme Warrior
