Don't Forget to Worry!

Ha! Telling me don't forget to worry is like telling Katy Perry don't forget to wear her spinning peppermint bra.

That said... huh... I kind of did stop worrying about Sweetie.

She's been good! She's been energetic. She's been squirmy, hyper, talkative and crazy. She's been herself. What a wonderful sight to see!

So, Sweetie's back to herself and... I'm sorry to say our "restricted diet" for Sweetie (no grains, no sugars) has, in many ways, slipped back to its old self as well. Not that we were ever bad eaters! Many of Sweetie's favorite foods are fruits and veggies, and she counts fish and a certain tahini veggie stir fry dish we make as some of her very favorite foods. And she's not really a snacker. But still...

We're running low on groceries, can't get to the store, and find that we still have some pasta in our pantry. Eh, let's have that. Look at that! Sweetie did fine!... Wow, it's hot! Sun tea time of year. Sweetie loves sun tea! A spoonful of sugar isn't so bad to add to that... Now we have a family gathering to attend. A buffet. Well, just do the best you can. You really want that roll, huh? Yeah, sure. I guess. And, she's fine... Well, we had pasta last week and nothing bad happened. We're home late and that's an easy dinner. Let's do it again. Well, that went well enough... Friends are coming over and the easiest thing to feed them is to order pizza. Eat the pizza, it's okay for today. But we really do need to get you back to your good diet.

Not to mention Hubby... remember Hubby?... and his diagnosis of Lyme in mid-June. A diagnosis that landed him a 28 day course of doxycycline. A premature diagnosis that, when the blood test came back, proved "wrong," in that the Lyme test was negative. Ha! Those silly Lyme tests and their bad rep for false responses. At least the doctor recognized this and suggested that, if the doxy was helping to make Hubby feel better, he should consider staying on the antibiotics for the full course. Yes, I said. You will be staying on the doxy. No doubt about that. BUT... the doxy, it made him nauseous. Almost constantly queazy. And so, his response... soda. Soda every day. A lot. It settles the stomach, don't you know. Yeah, but... I'm pretty sure soda is no way, no how even remotely allowed to be anywhere near our "no sugars" diet. By a long shot! Yeah, but... the tummy, it turns. A lot.

And so, Hubby slipped. Sweetie slipped. I slipped. We are a very slippery family, we are. But, no... it is not a good thing, for any of us.

And, like I said, we really do have to get you, Sweetie, back to your good diet. You've been good so far with the bad things you've eaten recently. But you've been lucky. You never know when something could bother you again. You've been feeling good... we've gotta keep you that way!

But, then again, Hubby's working really late tonight. I've got to feed you dinner. There's the last of this left over pizza here. Can you eat 3 pieces of the small cheese? That's a lot for you... Okay, here it is... Good! It's gone.

A few hours later... Sweetie's laying on me calmly as we watch TV. None of her usual fidgeting, chatting or craziness. And she seems to be covertly holding her tummy... She wants to go to bed before one of her favorite stay-up-late TV show treats is over.... She selects Love Bug from her stuffed animal collection to sleep with, a friend I know she only chooses when she's not feeling well.

What's the matter, Sweetie? Are you feeling okay?

(nothing)

What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?

(nod of the head)

It feels like I either should get up and do something really active, or I'm really hungry.

(????)

Okay, so I didn't quite understand her explanation of how her stomach felt, but I completely understood why her stomach would be bothering her. Oh, yeah! You have Lyme! Your stomach bothering you is your Lyme "thing." I remember this! You're getting better, but doggone it if the Lyme most likely is still with you. At least a little bit. As we've learned, Lyme - once it's late state - is incredibly tricky, if not impossible, to rid from the body completely. And, you ate that pizza tonight. And all the other junk in the last weeks. And you really need to be eating well. No grains. No sugars. This is our big reminder.

This is what I forgot. Or almost forgot. I needed this reminder. Sweetie needed this reminder. Ever vigilant is how we must remain.

Vigilant. That's a good word. Not this worrying crap. I don't need to worry. Not about this, anyway. Let me tell you, I have a whole boat load of other issues I can spend my time worrying about, don't you worry. Not for me, anyway. I am a worrying pro!

But not about this. No need to worry about her. I just need to remember to stay vigilant. Remember that she's doing so well because we're doing so well! Never forgetting her antibiotics or probiotics. And maintaining a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet for her.

For the most part. Oops.

It's been great to have Sweetie back. We're back to the healthy kid she'd always been. Or, at least - for all outward appearances - she seems healthy. But the truth is, the Lyme is always there, lurking. She can keep it well enough at bay. She can truly feel back to her old self again for extended periods of time. She just has to work a little harder, eat a little better, to strengthen her healthiness and weaken the Lyme.

Sweetie's body is her house. And you, Mr. Lyme/Mr. Neighbor, are to stay out of her yard and mind your own business! You don't worry about Sweetie, and we won't worry about you.

But don't you forget, we're watching you!