Chronic Illness Archives - Lola & Me

A Soft Place to Land: Gentle Healing & Mindful Self-Care

Amy — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 01:19:27 +0000

I’m in a season of rebranding and shifting how I show up in the world. Over the past few years, I’ve realized that living from a place of curiosity instead of fear transforms how we approach healing, self-care, and life itself.

This blog is a space to slow down, reconnect with your body, and honor your own rhythm. Here, I share insights from my journey with chronic illness recovery, nervous system regulation, and mindful self-care, all rooted in a heart-centered approach that trusts the body’s innate wisdom.

Through practices like brain retraining and vagus nerve toning with Primal Trust, I’ve been able to reframe old patterns and approach life with more joy, curiosity, and trust in my body. Healing has shifted from being a struggle or a “fix-it” mission to an invitation to explore, notice, and allow.

Gentle Healing Over “Fix-It” Mentality

What You’ll Find Here Going Forward:

True healing isn’t about forcing change or trying to “fix” ourselves. It comes from slowing down, listening deeply, and holding space for our bodies to guide the process.

This blog shares insights and reflections to help you:

Restore balance in your body and mind
Cultivate long-term well-being
Move gently through life with uncertainty of medical issues

Here, you’ll discover:

Heart-centered reflections on slowing down, self-trust, and mindful living
Practical strategies and observations for nourishing my mind, body and nervous system.
Stories and moments of everyday mindfulness that encourage presence, compassion, and inner calm
Tools and perspectives to help you shift your mindset toward curiosity, joy, and trust
How Lola guided me on my healing journey

Learning from Everyday Healing

Lola reminds me every day to notice the present moment—when it’s time to rest, when to move, and when the most important thing is simply sitting in the sun together.

Her presence inspires me to slow down, honor my bodies’ natural rhythms, and approach life from a place of curiosity, trust, and joy.

Nature will always be my medicine. Growing up as a farmer’s daughter instilled this in me, and it continues to guide how I care for myself today. I am still using Bee Venom Immunotherapy on my healing journey, but it’s not my primary focus—it’s the cherry on top. I will continue until my intuition tells me I am ready.

I remain knowledge-informed and science-based, always. I come from a place of facts vs fear and staying grounded. The most powerful tool I have is feeling rooted in my breath. One day or one moment at a time.

Subscribe for Heart-Centered Reflections

If you’ve been craving a softer way of moving through life – without pressure to optimize, force change, or “fix” yourself—you’re in the right place.

Subscribe to my Substack to receive weekly reflections, gentle guidance, and heart-centered inspiration straight to your inbox. Take what you need, leave the rest – this is your soft place to land.

With love,

Amy & Lola

Amy

Hiya! My name is Amy. I am a Lyme Warrior navigating my healing journey with my emotional support dog, Lola by my side! I rescued Lola girl in 2022 when I needed her the most, she is an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie Mix with lots of love to give. Buzz along with us as I share all things pet therapy, dog training and my personal healing journey from Lyme and all the things that accompany it!

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Tips When Moving with Chronic Illness & Dog

Amy — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:27:03 +0000

Let’s talk about moving.

Not the cute, “new throw pillows and housewarming gifts” kind of moving. I’m talking about the chronic-illness-kind-of-moving—where you’re managing a healing protocol, working and trying to convince your dog that yes, we live here now.

This move was bittersweet. The place I just left was more than a home—it was our safe haven for 2.5 years. It’s where my healing journey truly began. This was the first home where I felt safe—physically, emotionally, and environmentally. It wasn’t just walls and furniture; it was the foundation for nervous system repair, detox support, and so many small wins. I began bee venom immunotherapy here and gained the confidence to rebuild and repair my mind and body.

I’m adding a video to say goodbye to that space, because it deserves to be honored. But I knew in my heart: it was time.

Time to step outside the safety bubble and move closer to community. To real-life hugs and grocery stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods (yay!) So I packed up everything (again), said goodbye (again), and started over (again). This time with a little more strength—and Lola by my side.

I Packed My Life, My Protocol, and My Pup

When you’re chronically ill, moving isn’t just about location—it’s about survival. I needed to ensure my new home was low mold to ensure I was safe to be using BVT, as well as closer proximity to my partner for more date nights!

I thoroughly cleaned everything with a special mold cleaner and did the best I could to stay on top of ordering new air filters and cleaning my dehumidifiers before the big move! It felt like a huge emotional release to purge some things that weren’t serving me anymore.

Pro tip: Always have a “first 3 days” box—something with daily essentials with clean sheets, Lola’s food and 2 fav toys (duh), and your comfiest clothes. Because when you can’t find your PJs or your electrolytes on day one, you may cry. (Speaking from past experience.)

And before moving in, I scoped the neighborhood like a detective on a mission. I was on the hunt for:

Quiet walking paths
Dog-friendly green spaces for recall training
My fav grocery stores and farmers markets
Bonus points for a neighbor who loves dogs and waves at 7 am

This move wasn’t about chasing perfection. It was about creating the next level of healing—one with more connection, even if that means a little more unpredictability. Scary but hey that’s life!

Helping Lola Adjust to Her New Queendom

Let me tell you: Lola has feelings.

She’s part healer, part emotional support fluff, and part tiny security guard. Within 24 hours of moving in, she’d already chosen her window (for squirrel surveillance) and her perfect spot to sleep (not in either of her two beds, mind you).

But even the bravest pups get stressed with change. Here’s how I helped her adjust—and kept my own nervous system in check too:

Repeat daily walk routes. Predictability is calming. Even if it’s just to the end of the block and back, it helps build familiarity with all the smells of the new hood.
Bring the smells of home and place around the house. Scent = comfort.
Place familiar toys around the house and invite familiar faces over for dinner to help her acclimate.

New Routines, Same Nervous System

My resilience has increased so much the last year, and adapting to my new surroundings much quicker now, thankfully. This helps Lola as she feeds off of my energy. I try to keep it positive for her and my sanity!

Our new routines have became sacred quickly and I am loving thm:

Early potty strolls first thing in the morning to ground int he grass and reset my circadian rhythm in the sunshine.
Evening routines that feel comfy and safe —amber lights on, jazz music playing, gentle stretching, Lola snoring by my side.
A quiet corner of my home to have my sting sessions and listen to my sound bowls.

The Bees Came Too: Moving with my Bee Hut

Oh, and did I mention I moved with my last batch of bees? I was a bit nervous because they are very sensitive to temperature and stress, but they survived! Sting days don’t pause in my world. I feel better when I am stinging, so I try to avoid skipping days if possible! I have been at 10 stings three times a week now for 6 months, but was ramping up in stings a year prior. Coordinating sting days around the chaos of moving required carefully transporting my bees, protect them from temperature shifts, and ensure I had a clean, mold-free environment where I could safely sting when I arrived.

So I planned the move between sting days, loaded up my detox tools last, and prioritized setting up a sting-safe area immediately after arrival. No candles. No weird paint fumes. Just air filters, bee supplies, comfy blanket to cozy up with Lola and plenty of clean filtered water!

Starting Fresh with Low-Tox Living

One of the things I was most excited about with this move? A clean slate—literally.

After living in a space that supported deep healing, I wasn’t about to mess that up with harsh chemicals or high mold in my home. Testing my environment with an ERMI, was step 1. While I am in a new build, the construction can still become moldy while being built. Also, I replaced all air purifier filters, as well as deep-cleaned my humidifiers prior to moving. I have worked very hard on keeping myself safe, while also learning not to fear mold to help me regulate my nervous system! Yay Primal Trust in supporting me on this!

I’ve fully committed to a low-tox cleaning routine, while staying fragrance-free! Think….baking soda, borax, vinegar and a HEPA vacuum cleaner. My newest little splurge was Branch Basics cleaning supplies. I am in love with them already and its giving me a break from plain ol’ vinegar water!

Check out another blog to learn more strategic ways to keep your air clean here.

Switching to non-toxic products isn’t just about avoiding irritants—it’s about supporting my immune system, endocrine system and nervous system with every choice I make. From washing Lola’s bowls to swapping out plastic Tupperware to glass, every product I touch either supports healing… or works against it. And I’m choosing support my body with simplicity in my cleaning supplies and overall lifestyle. This leans well into my minimalistic lifestyle very well!

Rooting into the Present: Starting My Little Patio Garden

With so much change, I needed something tangible to root me—literally. So, I committed to starting a patio garden. As a farmers daughter, you would think I would have done this before, but nope! Super excited to take you all along on this learning opportunity.

While the intention of this garden is to actually grow things, it also helps to remind me that establishing yourself in a new community takes time, patience, and the right conditions—just like growing this new little garden.

The act of tending to something living (besides myself and Lola) has brought calm to my mornings. It’s a ritual. A pause. A moment to connect with the Earth and remind my body, you’re safe here. And bonus—fresh herbs for all the healing meals I’m making in our new kitchen. Stay tuned for snap peas, tomatoes, lettuce and green onions! Luckily my dad has a much larger garden he always shares with me too.

Final Thoughts from Our New Home

If I’ve learned anything from the dozens of times I’ve had to start over, it’s this:

You’re not back at zero. You’re just recalibrating. Luckily, this was not my first rodeo, so it went very smoothly and Lola acclimated pretty quickly. As long as we are together, we are home!

Lola and I are still adapting. Still healing. Still finding our rhythm in the chaos. But we’re doing it—together.

So if you’re moving, healing, or starting over: give yourself grace, pack comfy snacks, and know that it will get easier!

Because some of the best chapters start with a relocation… and this time a whole lot of dog hair.

Thanks for being here and all of your support! I love sharing our healing journey back to wholeness, buzz along for more day to day fun on instagram or tiktok @healingwithlolaandme

Happy Healing!

Lola and Amy

Amy

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How to Create a Lasting Bond with your Dog

Amy — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:48:39 +0000

The bond between an owner and their dog is something unbreakable. They are not called “man’s best friend” for nothing. Coming home to a smiling dog with a wagging tail will put a smile on anyone’s face! The bond with your dog is something special and of high importance in the beginning stages of getting to know each other to gain trust. The greater the bond we have, the more resilient and confident the dog will be, making them resistant to separation anxiety and trauma. This is particularly important for rescue dogs, as they have been abandoned before and need reassurance you are their forever home.

The bond I built with Lola was relatively quick, but it took some time to gain her trust. It took a few months before she slept in the same room as me, but eventually she wanted to be close to me! It taught me patience. Discovering I had chronic Lyme and Mold Toxicity was hard, but she has made this whole journey more bearable in the process!

Benefits of Bonding with your Dog

Bonding with your dog is beneficial for both the person and dog. Dogs are so in touch with your emotions and sense sickness or sadness before you even do! Lola will not leave my side if she senses that I need her, and this is a special bond for the both of us. Also, bonding with your dog can improve their recall, their desire to please you and your bond inspires them to learn new things from you!

When a dog creates a bond with their person or family, they feel safe and secure. This allows them to trust you and feel confident in situations that would normally scare them! This was very important in Lola’s case as she was very scared of the world when I rescued her. Slowly but surely we built her confidence and trust in others again. It is still a work in progress!

As I said, when I first got Lola she was suspicious of many things – including new people on our walks. Now, when I say hello to someone on our walks and they would like to pet her, she willingly lets them pet her! She knows that I wouldn’t put her in harm’s way. Pushing any dog outside of their comfort zone or ignoring their need for space can dent that trust, so be mindful of keeping their faith!

How to Improve Bond with your dog

Lucky you, if you are already feeding, bathing and walking your dog – you already have some kind of a bond with them! Below is a list of inspiration to increase your bond more:

Start a Hobby Together
Play Together
Grab a pup cup at the local coffee shop
Find a sport to do together
Cuddle up

1. Start a Hobby Together

Finding a hobby that you can do together, especially if your dog is energetic – like Lola who is a Aussie/Border collie mix, is such a great bonding activity. Flyball, agility, herding cattle, or Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) are some great examples! Lola and I just started practicing agility and we are both really loving it. I don’t have a yard yet, so its a small indoor agility set to get the party started! Next summer, I plan on taking her out on the SUP with me for the first time, with a life vest of course. Also, doing some enrichment games or indoor scent games can be a great hobby to do together. Expect long pupper naps after because mental work is just as tuckering out as physical exercise!

2. Play Together

Overall, spending time with your dog is what the dog wants and is rewarding! You are their world! Playing games together helps strengthen the bond with their person. Additionally, playing a game can help use up any excess energy!

All I say is “Do you want to PLAY?”, to Lola and the tail wags goes wild! I like to work in some obedience training while we play, which is a win win. For example, I have her sit and stay after I throw a treat or lay down first then we play hide and seek. When I first rescued Lola, she never showed interest in playing or playing fetch at all. It wasnt until 6 months later, she let her playful side show! It took patience and lots of encouragement. It took trial and error on what she liked, which was key. Putting a treat in a nerf ball was way more appealing then just a ball – also lots and lots of praise was needed for her to build her confidence! Also, puzzles worked best for her as she is a smart little cookie.

Check out another blog on “Cost Effective ways to Mentally Stimulate your Dog” here!

3. Grab a pup cup at the local coffee shop

One of our very first bonding experience was hitting up coffee shops for pup cups. They are essentially whip cream in a cup. Our local coffee shop knows her by name now! She knows the word pup cup and gets super excited for her car ride to get her treat. Plus, if its nice weather, I sit outside and work while we work on socializing.

4.Find a sport to do together

Some dog breeds are super athletic, while others are not! And thats ok. For some with chronic illness, this is a very personal decision. Lola is very active. It worked to help me get out of the house! Long – term, I knew I wanted to get back into hiking, running, rollerblading and water activities with her.

In the future, getting Lola involved in Agility as a sport sounds fun, but we will see how the cookie crumbles! I do not want to put pressure on her, just find whats fun for her. Also, yoga. How cute is it seeing a dog do “down ward dog”?! #goals

5. Cuddle up

Enjoy some cuddle and calm time together. Talking to them calming about your day, while gently petting them or massaging them is great therapy for you both! This strengths your bond to your dog in so many ways! While Lola is very energetic, she is the best cuddle bug at night when we are winding down. When I am not feeling well, she leans into that and I get extra snuggles!

Key Takeaways

It is hard to deny the benefits that can be gained by working on the relationship you have with your dog. Both you and your dog will be healthier and happier for it! Rescuing Lola has been one of the best things I have done in my life. She gives me so much purpose and her loyalty to me is unparallel to anything I have experienced!

If you want inspiration on your healing journey, join my newsletter to keep up with new blogs and health updates!

Happy Healing!

Lola and Amy

This blog is for informational purposes only to share our healing story and offer hope for a better tomorrow and not give up on yourself. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Please work with your healthcare professional before starting any treatment plan for your safety.

Amy

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Is Chronic Stress Keeping you Sick?

Amy — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 18:50:32 +0000

Stress. We all have it, but some manage it better than others. Stress management is key to laying a foundation of healing from chronic illness. I have found that high levels of chronic stress suppressed my immune function and shut down my digestion. Along with some gut infections that I needed to address along the way! Unfortunately, I was in the rat race working in marketing for many years and going back to school to get my Masters, which took a toll on my health! It left me wired and tired living on caffeine to keep plugging away leaving little time for rest and relaxation! It almost felt like an addiction to always feel stimulated with my phone, coffee, or my racing thoughts to control everything. I know I am not alone in this feeling!

It wasn’t until I hit rock bottom and got very sick with Lyme Disease and Mold Toxicity that I was forced to slow down and get realllll honest with myself on how I was coping with stress. Joining the Primal Trust Program helped me regulate my nervous system and learn how to manage my stress. This has been a game changer for me! Now I am not perfect and moving to Level 2 this year to get deeper into becoming my True Authentic Self. I am excited for the future and will keep you all posted on how everything shakes out!

I learned that stress can range from emotional stressors to physical stressors on our body. This includes emotional stressors, such as Big T & little T trauma or stressful events (hello medical gaslighting!) that resulted in my body holding on to these frustrations and presenting in tight muscles and painful joints. And/or physical stressors such as food intolerances, chronic infections, dysregulated nervous system, fasting too long, or over-exercising.

It is never just one thing that causes nervous system dysregulation, but compounding of many factors.

Lets get nerdy on the science….

Effects of Chronic Stress on Your Body:

Stress can create a cascade of problems in your body that ultimately leads to metabolic dysfunction and gut issues. Stress can deplete nutrients, such as Vitamin B6. And because vitamin B6 helps convert the amino acid, tryptophan into serotonin, low vitamin B6 can further exacerbate mood fluctuations tied to stress. Supplementing with a B complex formula, which includes B6 vitamins, may help improve your stress response. Another common nutrients depleted with stress are vitamin C and magnesium.

Chronic Stress can also impair digestion because during fight or flight response, the digestive process slows down or even stops! The body will divert its energy to the brain and other organs that are handling the threat – digesting your food is not top priority when your body is in perceived danger! If this becomes chronic can lead to a number of gut -related chronic conditions, like dysbiois or leaky gut.

Lastly, chronic stress can reduce the immune systems ability to fight off pathogen (bacteria, protozoa, viruses) infections. Almost 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, called the Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT). When compromised, so is your immune system. You need a strong immune system to fight all the infections happening with chronic illness, so stress is indeed is a root issue.

Practical Stress Management Tips

Get a furry friend (pet)
Commit to Quality sleep
Improve your Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Regularly stimulate the Vagus Nerve
Move your Body
Fuel Your Body with Whole Foods – Not Caffeine!

1. Get a furry friend (pet)

I get it. The last thing on your mind is taking care of something other than yourself, especially when in fight or flight or (freeze) mode fighting for air.

Hear me out. Pets increase positive feelings and associate with less pain overall! Coming home to a smiley dog is the best feeling in the world. They just want to be loved and for you to be happy as well.Truly my happy place is with Lola and she makes anywhere home for us! It has done wonders for my emotional health.

Not only does pet therapy aid in chronic pain management, but also your immune system. This study, proves the positive effect of petting a dog on ones immune system function. On the contrary, owning a pet CAN be stressful at times! I don’t want to paint a picture of unicorns and rainbows all the time. But in my opinion, the good out ways the challenging times in the long-term for your healing and personal growth.

Learn more here on how dogs can help with chronic pain.

2. Commit to Quality Sleep

When you sleep, this is when true healing happens. Your organs are naturally detoxing to get rid of cellular waste accumulated throughout the day. Poor sleep leads to a cascade of non so helpful things the next day, such as increased cortisol levels and blood sugar imbalances throughout the day typically leading to increased caffeine and unhealthy food choices to “get through the day”. This is why its so important to stop eating at least 2 hours before bed, so your body has time to complete digestion.

One easy intervention to explore is incorporating a wind-down routine, like turning off your TV, computer, and phone at least an hour before you go to sleep to avoid blue light exposure. If you have trouble falling asleep, try taking a warm bath, listening to sound bowls, practicing breathework or reading a book for 15 minutes before bed.

3. Improve your Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

Most fitness trackers are now tracking HRV, which represents the fluctuations of time (ms) in between each heartbeat. This is such a valuable tool to stay in tune with how much stress your body is under day to day. When you are relaxed, a slower HRV is more likely than when in a stressed state. The HRV reflects how adaptable your body is to stress. A low HRV is associated with many chronic illnesses, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and mental health.

A diet rich in Omega -3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, polyphenols and probotics will support a healthy HRV. This means adding in foods such as grass fed beef, olive oil, yogurt, fruits and vegetables can be very supportive! Low HRV is a result of consuming to much alcohol, saturated/trans fat and high glycemic/processed carbohydrates.They all lead to a higher heart rate and stress inthe body. Other factors include, eating to close to bedtime, illness, over-exercising and dehydration.

Improving your HRV involves exercising regularly, priortizing mental health with breathing exercises and toning your vagus nerve.

4. Regularly Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve that connects your brain to the rest of your body and is often called the body’s “super highway”.It is an essential part of your parasympthetic nervous system responsible for relaxing your body after a stressful period. It also controls digestion, heart rate, mood and your immune system. Overall, stress inhibits the vagus nerve. Lowering stress through effective management techniques is crucial to support this important nerve connection. By regularly activating your vagus nerve, you can train your body to relax more quickly and efficiently after a stressful event. Very much like exercising a muscle, if you don’t use it – you lose it!

Calming techniques to activate the vagus nerve include:

Breathework (4-7-8 technique, alternate nostril breathing, box breathing)
Meditation and Mindfullness (goal is to pay attention and be present – not “turn off your brain”)
Yoga or Qi-gong or Orienting – Somatic movements (slow and intentional movements with breathework activates the vagus nerve)
Dancing to Music, Listening to Soundbowls with earbuds, humming and singing (the vibration on your chest helps tone the vagus nerve)

5. Move your Body

There is an abundance of research demonstrating the protective effects of exercise on stress. It has been known to reduce levels of stress and lower cortisol levels, but finding balance is key. Be mindful of avoiding intense exercise daily and alternate with low impact movement, such as pilates, walking with ankle weights or a flow yoga. Avoid pushing your body past it’s limits – harder is not always better. It can be so challenging to get out of bed, when not feeling well. I get it. But getting outside for at least a 15 in walk after you eat or right away in the morning can do wonders! Also, I love this quick burst exercise thats only 4 mins – HIIT workout by Dr. Zach Bush!

6. Fuel Your Body with Whole Foods - Not Caffeine!

Avoiding added sugars and refined carbohydrates from ultra processed foods and replacing with whole food options rich in fiber and protein is a great place to start when supporting your stress management goals and healing chronic illness. Remember the nutrients depleted with chronic stress?! Well these can be replenished with fruits and vegetables!

Additionally caffeine is a stimulant and a stressor on the body. An increase can lead to more adrenaline and cortisol production, adding fuel to the fire! Can’t give it up? Try to limit, swap for matcha or drink your morning joe with your breakfast to support your blood sugar from spiking leading to a crash!

Final Thoughts

Stress management is key to laying a foundation to healing from chonic illness. If stress and trauma are not addressed on your healing journey, you can find yourself on a path of many years feeling sick and not getting better. Speaking from experience here! Some practical tips to help manage stress are whole food nutrition choices vs fueling with caffeine, get quality sleep, improve HRV and vagal toning, and move our body.

If you want support on your healing journey, join my newsletter to keep up with new blogs and health updates!

Happy Healing!

Lola and Amy

Amy

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Tips For Socializing With Chronic Illness

Amy — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 20:14:22 +0000

When I was feeling my worst during my healing journey from chronic illness, the last thing I wanted to do was socialize. Social isolation crept in before I actively learned how to set boundaries for myself and also allow myself to grieve the once healthy vibrant young woman I was! I felt robbed of the experiences I just couldn’t do. This was hard for many of my family and friends to understand because I was always such a social butterfly! This created a lot of shame and guilt on my end. I am happy to say that phase of my healing journey is behind me, but I want to help others understand that they are not alone. The effects of social isolation is deep and effects more people than you think. I see you and I hope this blog post inspires you!

Below are some tips I learned along the way to get my social life back and feel more myself again as I navigated healing my chronic Lyme disease:

Tips for Socializing With Chronic Illness

Prioritize Yourself
Nurture Your Relationships
Plan Ahead For Events Or Cancel
Set Social Goals Each Month
Get a Dog (you knew this was coming, right?)

1. Prioritize Yourself

To some, prioritizing themselves feels selfish and I was one of them for quite some time. I am a recovering people pleaser who wanted to just keep the peace! But the reality is, you need to take care of your physical and mental health above all in order to be your true authentic self! I learned to set boundaries and say “no” if something wasn’t serving me. I learned to re-learn to trust my intuition and follow my heart again – it feels amazing when you tune into your needs again. This is something I learned with Primal Trust Program – tuning into your own needs and expressing them is such a powerful tool and something I never really thought about until I was forced too. I often ignored my needs for rest, as I healed because I wanted to show up for everyone else or not to be a “burden”. I know ya’ll feel me on that one!

2. Nurture Your Relationships

Making new friends when dealing with chronic illness is challenging. I was lucky enough to meet a lot of fellow lyme warriors who use Bee Venom Immunotherapy (BVT) like me, which has made this healing journey SO much less lonely. They understand the good and bad days, so I don’t need to explain myself. As someone who has moved A LOT the last few years, I am still finding my groove in making new friends outside the chronic illness community, while still deepening my current friendships around the country! Unfortunately, some friendships are lost along the way on your healing journey and thats ok! True friendship always prevails. Life goes on. Learning how to navigate explaining that I sting myself 3 times a week with honeybees isn’t something I lead with when meeting someone new either, so that was something I had to learn.

I have really made an effort to prioritize time with my family and friends dearest to me, while also learning to communicate my needs and health goals. I am oh so blessed with an amazing support system through all this! One of which is my amazing boyfriend, who is my calm in the storm. Yes, you can find love when healing!

3. Plan Ahead For Events Or Cancel

While I am feeling SO much better than I was a year ago, I still have days that I experience not so fun symptoms from dieoff! This is when I prioritize my rest and increase my detox that day to listen to my body! These days are becoming less and less thankfully, but I still do need to cancel plans time to time. As most lyme warriors can relate, brain fog, fatigue, joint pain and shortness of breath are pretty common and not the most fun to deal with, but I try not to let them stop me from living life. It is a delicate dance to find balance!

The biggest challenges for me have been:

Learning how to navigate safely eating out
Not drinking alcohol at social events
Navigating travel with mold toxicity

On sting days, I am still needing to avoid certain foods/spices and alcohol that can cause histamine issues and even worse anaphylactic shock if its a perfect storm. Don’t worry I carry an Epi-Pen! This will get better as time goes on and my mast cells stabilize, but I have had to learn how to communicate my needs more clearly to my partner and friends/family! I often plan ahead by looking at the menu and address with the waitress, as well. You are your best advocate! Enjoying a glass of wine is something I do miss, but I am getting very good at making fun mocktails to keep things interesting – no more hangovers for this girl! I make an effort to share with others to encourage creativity amongst my people too.

Due to my sensitivity to mold and mycotoxins, I need to be very careful where I spend my time indoors. This was pivotal on my healing journey to find a low mold home. AND very stressful. Let me tell ya, it was not easy to find a safe home with low mold in the Midwest (humidity is crazy here!), but it’s possible! Through a mold detox protocol with my doctor and nervous system regulation work with Primal Trust, I am becoming less and less sensitive. As for how I manage travel, I do my best to avoid older buildings or opt for outdoor activities like hiking or picnics and if I notice symptoms pop up, I simply communicate my needs and leave. If I can not leave, then I lean on my coping strategies to feel safe and remain calm. Trust me, I am still navigating this, but also learning to live in the moment and not try to control every little aspect of life. Going with the flow of life is a work in progress!

4. Set Social Goals Each Month

This may sound silly, but I often would set goals for myself on being social each month. I would tell myself, I will plan 2 gathering this month and really prepare to feel my best and energize for it! This works for phone calls as well, just to engage with friends and family! I also set goals to find other interests outside of the anything health related to help me keep my sanity. I know others can relate because it’s hard to think outside of our illnesses and not obsess over every little symptom. It was really freeing to refocus my energy at times and enjoy the little, yet big things, in life that bring me joy! This leads me to my next tip….

5. Get a Dog (you knew this was coming, right?)

Lola really helped me break out of my shell and get outside to meet more with people on our daily walks! It really did get me outside my comfort zone. While we had to work hard with training initially, she now loves the belly rubs from fellow dog lovers on our walks. She really helps opens up the door to many conversations with my neighbors, which I appreciate. Interesting that as I worked on socilaizing her with new people and different environments, I was also socializing myself! Funny how that worked out, right?

Final Thoughts

Socializing when you are navigating a chronic illness is incredibly challenging mentally and physically. So remember to prioritize yourself when you can, nurture your relationships with a strong support system, always plan ahead, set social goals each month and of course rescue a dog to get you outside of your comfort zone! Surrounding yourself with supportive people and avoiding social isolation with these tips can help support you on your healing journey. I know it has for me. I am finally living life, but honoring my body’s needs day to day!

Remember, be kind to yourself, you are doing the best you can.

XOXO, Amy and Lola girl

This blog is for informational purposes only to share my healing story and offer hope for a better tomorrow and not give up on yourself. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Please work with your healthcare professional before starting any treatment plan for your safety.

Amy

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How To Advocate For Yourself At The Doctors Office

Amy — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:44:25 +0000

We have all been there. We go to the doctor expecting answers, but we leave feeling broken and misunderstood. It was heartbreaking to constantly hear “you don’t look sick”. This is all too common to feel gaslight by doctors in the chronic illness community and learning to advocate for yourself at the doctors office is necessary to get answers. I learned very early on in my healing journey to do my research before my appointments and not leave the appointment without kindly demanding answers or next best steps that I felt comfortable with.

On average, a conventional doctor’s visit is only 15 minutes, so a lot needs to get packed into that 15 minutes! Functional Medicine doctors are typically longer, but the same principles should be applied. Your appointment is YOUR time to get the help and care you deserve. Sometimes this simple mindset shift can be really helpful. So how do you actually get answers and advocate for yourself at the doctors office? Keep reading for ideas that have helped me on my healing journey!

Tips for Advocating For Yourself At The Doctor:

Come to Appointment Prepared and Take Notes
Prioritize Your Concerns and Take Control
Bring Someone With You
Ask Why To Understand Your Treatment Plan

Come to Appointment Prepared and Take Notes

Your doctor is really smart healthcare expert, but YOU are the expert of your own body. Only you know what is normal and not so normal. Before your appointment, jot down some questions and/or research you have done to prepare. I would always come with a list! If you have multiple symptoms you want to discuss, make sure to think about:

How and when it started
What makes it worse or better
Any associated symptoms
Things you tried to alleviate symptoms already (don’t trust that past symptoms are in your chart – they usually never have time to review prior to your appointment either!)

Check out my free Self-Care Tracker. I print this weekly to track my day to day symptoms and celebrate my wins too. It’s helpful to look back before my doctors appointments, so I don’t need to think so hard when preparing!

Also, if you have test results to review, make sure to bring copies with you. It is always helpful to also bring a list of your medications and supplements to make the admin portion of your doctors appointment goes smoother as well!

Oh and take notes if you can. Even jotting down a few words to joggle your memory is helpful. I recognize how hard that can be when trying to be present in the moment though!

Prioritize Your Concerns and Take Control

Do your best to take control of the appointment and ask your questions in order of importance, so if your time does get cut short, you have those answered first. I have even shown my doctor my list of questions and circled the most important to start with. I share with them everything that I am doing that is foundational to my healing as well, so they understand my lifestyle and that I currently use Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) to heal my chronic Lyme Disease.

Bring Someone With You

Bringing a family member or friend with you for another set of ears can be really helpful, especially if the appointment relates to next steps on your treatment plan. It can feel very overwhelming as the patient, so do not feel shameful if you want to bring someone with you! If that is not possible, you can ask the doctor if its ok to record the appointment on your phone or small recorder, so you can listen back. I typically do this on my telemedicine appointments in case I need to refer back.

Ask Why to Understand Your Treatment Plan

This is my favorite tip when advocating for yourself at the doctor’s. If you don’t understand why a doctor is telling you something or why they are prescribing you a medication, ask them. If you would like specific labs or tests run, ask them and explain why you feel you need the labs (after researching prior of course). I used to be intimidated when questioning the doctor, but then realized doctors are human and don’t know everything. Now my doctor thanks me for bringing things to his attention. For example, I asked for my iodine levels to be checked with my full thyroid panel and he thought it was a great idea. You never know until you ask!

You have every right to ask for certain aspects of your care and also gain clarity on why they are recommending a specific treatment plans. Here are a few examples on how I kindly ask for clarification in the moment:

Can you help me understand____?
Are there other options that I can consider?
When my results are back, how do I interpret them? Can you email me your full explanation?

Key Takeaways

Ultimately, this is your health and your life. The chronic illness community gets pushed around from doctor to doctor frequently, so it’s time to take a stand and take back your control! I learned to put on the “CEO of my own health hat” a lot these days and fired a few doctors along the way on my healing journey. I have learned a lot and now encourage others to do the same!

We have the right to advocate for ourself with doctors and ask questions to make more informed health decisions. Don’t be afraid to ask for your needs – this took me a long time to accept. You are your own best advocate!

Amy

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My Healing Journey Using BVT to Heal Lyme Disease

Amy — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 21:24:47 +0000

Introduction

Growing up I was always the sick kid. Plagued with chronic sinus infections, hives, and allergies year round. As an adult, I was tired of “treading water” and acquiring more food intolerances year after year. I became very sensitive to chemicals and various smells that would cause me to break out in full body rashes. I had to get to the root cause. And this led me to discovering I had chronic lyme disease, along with mold toxicity. This resulted in beginning Bee Venom Therapy Immunotherapy (BVT) to heal myself after antibiotics/herbal protocols only made me sicker.

Key Takeaways On My Healing Journey

How I got sick
Where I am now on my healing journey
Plans for my Bright Future

How I Got Sick….

I decided to take matters into my own hands. I began seeing a Functional Medicine Practitioner in Denver, Colorado and in 2020, I was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease, along with Mold Toxicity. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I almost felt relieved. I actually had a diagnosis and I could treat it easily, right? So I thought. I am sure many of my fellow Lyme Warriors can relate to this very feeling after being gaslight by healthcare professionals for many years.

So my treatment plan began and I was nervous. SO nervous! I knew it was going to be challenging, after researching more about chronic Lyme and the horror stories online. (I am on a mission to not be that person by the way – positive vibes only here!) I was put on various antibiotics and herbal protocols with various killing and detox tinctures. Looking back my body was in NO place to be killing at the rate I was. I became incredibly sick and could barely function. After a lot of soul searching and running out of money (being sick is VERY expensive), I threw out or cleaned what I could then made the decision to move back to the Midwest to be closer to my family. It was a hard decision as I loved Colorado and the mountains, but I knew I needed the support.

Let's talk...mold toxicity

Let me back up a bit and discuss mold a bit. It’s terrible. Unless you have been through mold sickness or witnessed someone going through it, you have no idea how much it impacts your already suppressed immune system. Yes, I recognize mold is everywhere in our environment, but some molds create mycotoxins that can accumulate in your body if your liver can not properly detox them out. They can also colonize on your organs and need to be treated by a medical professional. Luckily, I worked with an expert medical professional in this area of expertise!

My apartment in Denver in 2020 had high levels of Stachybotrys chartarum (aka black mold that creates toxic mycotoxins) and it was thought to have triggered my Lyme to become active, along with chronic stress. It was in my bedroom from a leak on the roof and I had no idea. What I know now is that my Mast Cells were activated and it created a perfect storm. My diet was very limited and I was malnourished because it seemed like everything I ate made me feel unwell.

The trauma mold has caused in my life is something I am navigating still today! I have moved more times than I can count due to mold exposures at this point and I have learned all the tricks to keep my home low mold now as a result. Now that I am starting to travel more again, its been challenging, but doable to help me get my life back! I even have a handy dandy traveling air purifier that I love.

TIP: Advocate for yourself if you see any discolorations or signs water damage in your apartments. Landlords need to be held accountable! I was not educated in the matter at the time, but now I am fiercely diligent! Starting with an ERMI from EnviroBiomics to see what molds you have in your environment and then compare with your lab mold markers is a great place to start if you think this is a barrier to your healing.

Where I Am Now On My Healing Journey...

It is crazy to think how far I have come as I reflect on my journey. I am one strong cookie as I look back! I never gave up on myself and kept seeking answers.

Ultimately, I stopped all Lyme antibiotics/herbs in 2022 and embarked on my quest to prepare my body to begin a Lyme treatment called Bee Venom Immunotherapy (BVT). It was not an easy road as you can imagine. I worked hard to regulate my nervous system, get quality sleep, drink quality water, gentle movement and low inflammatory diet. It was very important to bring specific inflammatory markers down significantly to safely begin. I completed a nervous system regulation program called Primal Trust to set the foundation for healing. I can’t recommend this Program enough! Here is a link to check Primal Trust out. Getting out of the “sick mentality” when you have been sick for so long, is not easy, but doable.

I am working with a BVT guide (who healed herself from lyme years ago using BVT) and my Doctor to run quarterly bloodwork. So how does this work? Well, I administer BVT (with an Epipen prescribed from my doctor) – 3 days a week. So yes, I sting myself with honey bees 3 times a week. I will let that sink in….. It seems extreme, but hey it’s the ONLY thing that has worked for me.

I am finally getting my life back and don’t plan to stop until I fully eradicate the Lyme and potential coinfections. It took a minute to get used to the process, but now that I am in my groove and ramping up, it is becoming second nature. They live in a little bee hut in my bathroom. I just see my little healers as something else in my medicine cabinet.

I am also working through healing my gut, as well as continuing to regulate my nervous system, so BVT is not the silver bullet as some may say, its just the cherry on top! I also, focus on the basics everyday – joy in the little moments with Lola, clean water, keeping a clean environment, calm mind and a nourishing whole food diet. See my blog on keeping your home air clean here!

The Power Of Bee Venom Immunotherapy (BVT)

So much research is being done on the power of the medicinal properties of Bee Venom and I foresee this really taking off in the coming years! Its antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic. Many people are already using bee pollen, propolis and honey for various ailments. These wonderful little healers can do it all! Specifically, an amino acid in Bee venom that is called melittin, gets the most attention as its found to break through the biofilms of bacteria and viruses. It is currently being studied for the use in breast cancer treatment as well. Overall, so much emerging research is surfacing that shows how powerful Bee Venom is at low doses for lyme disease and I am feeling the positive effects already.

Plans For My Bright Future...

I am back to living semi-normal! I have energy to work, keep up with Lola, meal prep all of my food and be present with loved ones. Don’t get me wrong, I have days where I need to SLOW down. This is when Lola girl intuitively knows, it’s a snuggle fest kind of day on the couch. I love how instinctive dogs are! I have learned to listen to my body and rest.

Pictured above are my bee huts and me in a beekeeper suit. PS. I don’t actually need a beekeeper suit. I was lovingly gifted this when I started BVT, but maybe someday if I have my own hive! For now, I will buy my bees from a local beekeeper or online.

Typically, it takes 2-3 years for the BVT protocol from start to finish depending on the complexity/progression of the disease and coinfections. Slow and steady wins the race and I am in no hurry to rush the process. I am going to keep on, keeping on! I will continue to be monitored by my doctor along with checkins with my BVT guide. Luckily, I also have a group of sting friends that I chat with frequently, who also work with my BVT Guide. This journey can feel a bit lonely at times, so I am happy I have them along with my family and friends. You know who you are! So much love for you all.

My motto is – Test Not Guess, so I also get a big lab panel done with Function Health – 2x a year to ensure my basic labs are within range. Data is fun and I love to track and trend. Taking my blood pressure and blood sugar every morning has become a routine and I know this will serve me long-term. If you want help tracking like I do, download my personal Weekly Self Care Checkin Planner below!

Final Thoughts

My healing journey has had its ups and down, but I am finally on the right path for me. I am learning to trust my body again – trust that it will heal given the right environment and positive mindset! I am slowly creating my mind body connection again. It feels wonderful!

Buzz along for all updates, as I progress on my BVT journey – this is only the beginning!

Please note: I know BVT is not for everyone and that is ok, I am just sharing what is working for me. Please be kind and refrain from any negative, judgmental comments. This is a space of positivity and healing!

Amy

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How Dogs Can Help Manage Chronic Pain

Amy — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:57:35 +0000

Furry friends are much more than just day to day companions. New Research shows that they are a great tool to cope with pain and function better with chronic pain. When I rescued Lola, I was in a dark place emotionally and physically. I was in need of a reason to get out of bed and improve my quality of life!

5 reasons pet therapy is a great tool to manage chronic pain:

Relaxation
Distration
Physical Activity
Socialize and Maintain Quality of life
Improved Mood

Relaxation

Nothing is better than cuddles on the couch with Lola. Nothing. Good or bad day, this always makes me feel better and encourages me to slow down my mind and body. It is thought that pets seem to sense when their owner is in pain or feeling stress, so they tend to stay close by to monitor the situation! Australian Shepards are VERY sensitive to their owners feelings and anxiety, so this keeps me in check to manage my emotional health for hers as well!

Distraction

Pets bring joy and laughter to most situations! Thinking about your pet’s basic needs – like taking them out for walks, potty breaks and feeding them or training them, can be a nice distraction for those with chronic pain to not focus to much on the pain. I know when I woke up with terrible neck and back pain the last thing, I wanted to do was get up and go for a walk, but I am SO grateful I did looking back.

Physical Activity

This brings me to physical activity! Different breeds have different activity levels, but owning an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix keeps me active physically to keep up with her! Also, mental stimulation is needed, so I had to learn how to get creative in that department – more that in another blog 5 Cost Effective Mental Stimulation Tips For Dogs!

Moving your body and being out in nature is great to alleviate pain and your furry friend is just the ticket to do just that. Dogs LIVE for their walks.

Socialize and Maintain Quality of Life

Because we moved so much and I work remote, this left very little opportunities to build “community” in order to maintain a quality of life. Getting Lola has helped me get out and socialize more on my walks and even during our behavioral challenges, I used this as an opportunity to reach out and network with other dog owners for advice and help socializing Lola.

Improved Mood

Pets increase positive feelings and associate with less pain overall! Coming home to a smiley dog is the best feeling in the world. They just want to be loved and ou to be happy as well.

Truly my happy place is with Lola and she makes anywhere home for us! It has done wonders for my emotional health.

Not only does pet therapy aid in chronic pain management, but also your immune system. This study, proves the positive effect of petting a dog on ones immune system function. Another study, I found proves how pet therapy can improve behaviors of older adults with dementia.

On the contrary, owning a pet CAN be stressful at times! I don’t want to paint a picture of unicorns and rainbows all the time. But in my opinion, the good out ways the challenging times in the long-term for your healing and personal growth.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, everyone is different in how they want to manage their pain. Lola has succeeded in promoting relaxation, yet physical activity and socialization for us both. Oh and also so much joy and cuddles on even my darkest days!

If you are here, hopefully you are a likely dog lover like myself and see the beauty in all the snuggles, and smiles a dog brings to your life.

After all, this is the blog where hearts heal and tails wag!

Amy

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