My WNV Journey 2008

Thank you for returning to Wellness, Traditional Healing and Prevention. I value your input.

The struggle between my body and West Nile Virus continues in 2008.

January 08

Everyone was back to work and there was so much going on the nervous system could not handle it.

I crashed again with fever, body pain, headache, fatigue, dizzy

February

getting use to being tired, dizzy, nausea, and vertigo

TX: peppermint tea in the morning, protein meals every 2-3 hours, high quality vitamins, electrolytes and lots of rest made me more comfortable.

March

PT-physical therapy twice a week. I was shone where my weaknesses were and how to build my strength and balance back up.

weekend in March I was doing laundry, cleaning house,

All of a sudden it felt like I was going to lose it. I went in the house to rest, drink and eat a little protein bar. I was feeling better so I headed to the shed again. Not making it and running into the bathroom. I was exhausted, and then the fever, chills, headache, and body pain came back again. For the next few weeks I ate applesauce, oatmeal, pudding, saltine crackers, and electrolyes.

I thought I had food poising. Later found out vomiting is part of WNV. ( I only had that one time.)

April

neurologist that ordered an MRI

brain structure was normal and they saw two white spots on the frontal lobe

I was told to be patient with my recovery because it could be months or years.

Day after the concert I had a headache, dizzy, nausea, sever light sensitivity, and balance problems for a few days- I call this the WNV hangover

got my tetanus vaccine. Monday night my arm was a little sore which was normal for me. Tuesday my arm was stiff and very painful. Wednesday felt general malaise (little fever, tired, ache). Thursday . Once I got to work was exhausted and needed a nap. I had a headache, exhaustion, lack of focus, dizzy, nausea, and labored breathing.

May

tornado and we had a bit of flooding with property damage. I spent the night digging ditches to drain the lakes around the house and cow pens.  I was exhausted the next day with muscle pain and twitching. Memorial Day weekend I rested and on Sunday the fever, headache and fatigue came back.  The rest of May I was dizzy, balance problems, fatigue, and nausea.  It feels like a drunk, numb, slow feeling.

June

was dizzy, balance problems, fatigue, and nausea.

started some biofeedback work

July

Las Vegas trip was too much stimulation, came back exhausted. Once I was back home I was sick for 3 weeks with walking pneumonia, laryngitis and sinusitis.

Once over the sickness I got on the real bike to take the dogs out for a run, was fatigued the next day

August

Tx: My daily regimen is a vitality supplement, herbal joint supplement, herbal blood pressure supplement, cranbarrier, electrolytes, protein every 2-3 hours and rest. Vit c 750mg, vit e 800iu, L-Lysine 500mg all twice a day.

rode my bike in old town ft Collins for 10 min 1 mile and felt tired and good.  That night I  had chills, fever, headache, body pain and fatigue.  went to bed early and felt good the next morning. I decided to put the bike away for a long while.

went on vacation and made sure to rest and stay on the regimen.  had 1 day of really dizzy and unbalanced. Other then that it was a little fatigue, dizzy and light sensitive.  I could no longer drive at night.  listened to my body when it was tired. did some swimming at the hotel and it did not seem to bother my WNV.

September

had consistent fatigue, dizzy and balance problems.  My nausea came back mid September with feelings of sick to my stomach. One afternoon and night I was very dizzy and unbalanced.

TX: I had been swimming twice a week for aerobic exercise. It seems as long as I stayed with low level of activity the symptoms are much less. Once I am on the go or talking with various people for long periods of time, I become unbalanced and dizzy.  A rash like the original rash has been on my chest and head. It itches on my head.  A bad attitude and tired of being sick surfaced near the end of the month.

October

more frustration with the same symptoms lingering as I added activity.

became frustrated with the health profession and gave up on medical help. This added to the dizzy, fatigue, unbalance, lack of focus, and headaches.  I was back to taking naps in the day. The beginning of the month I went to a work party and had a sip of microbrew pumpkin beer.  This made my nausea, tired and system shutdown. The end of the month I had sharp stomach pains with general feeling not well one day.

(Beer or any liquor felt like Alcohol poising to my nervous system. )

November

I had a weekend of rest in the mountains and felt relaxed.  One night I was up all night with my 16mo old niece and it felt like a hang over the next day.  I was light and noise sensitive, fatigue, dizzy.

TX: Mid month I decided to change my attitude to focus on living and not sickness. Thanksgiving night I drove home late and the lights did not bother me as much. I noticed late in the month my shoulders would get red after the pool.

December

pretty good since the month was mellow at work with the holidays.  One night I was out late with the ladies on the town and the next morning had the WNV hangover.  I took it slow and went to a neighbor Christmas party for a couple hours and started getting dizzy and fatigue. A week later I went to 2 parties in the same day and the next day have the WNV hang over. I took it easy the rest of the month with headache, mild fatigue, and no motivation.

The journey continues into 2009…