My Battle with West Nile Virus

This week marks a year from waking with major chills and fever, followed by what I thought was a 24 hr. virus. I went to dr. after not feeling any better Tuesday. She tested for a few things but they all came out negative. She checked for a stiff neck which is a symptom of West Nile Virus. Negative as well. She told me what I thought all along....virus that aggravated Myasthenia gravis. By Wednesday night I felt better and joined Mark and family for his birthday dinner. Thinking I needed to get back to my normal routine, I continued to take Wayne's brother to work and pick him up. Saturday brought about a Worship team one day conference and try-outs. Just wasn't up to my normal self, I left as soon as it was over.
Sunday morning I got up fully intending to dress for church, instead flopped down on the sofa and was still there when Wayne got up for lunch. (he works nights). Letting me continue to sleep, he grabbed a bag of chips and went back to bed. Again, waking up to get ready for work, I was still lying around but functioning somewhat. Ate pizza with Mary Ann that night.Starting to get concerned, I called Barby and she and Carol came with oils to hopefully help. Went to bed pretty early and after taking Mike to work Monday morning, was back on the sofa before Wayne came home from work. He came in, saw me and asked me if I thought I should go to the hospital. I answered if I did, I wanted to go to Methodist in Houston where my Myasthenia Gravis dr. was. We proceeded with plans to go. Wayne calling Dr. Simpson,alerting her I was on my way and me taking a shower and packing. Mark was already in Houston, so he met us at the ER. The first day, I was in ER the whole day, but they did take me soon after I arrived. Waiting on a bed, was the hold up. I was weak but was able to eat a little something when I got to the room at 7:30 pm. Wayne hadn't slept in over 24 hours, so Mark took him home. I woke up with fever the next morning. Wayne stayed with me every night from then on. 2 weeks he stayed with me, except 1 night Mary Ann stayed. I've been on those make-shift beds and I know he sacrificed to do this. He loves our bed at home. He brought the laptop and noisemaker and settled right in.

My symptoms: 1)Extreme fatigue, needing help in walking to the truck. 2)not being able to take a deep breath which scared me. 3)not much of an appetite, thought of food in my mouth was exhausting. 4)fever. 5)eyes jetting back and forth. 6)nausea, after being in hospital. 7) So weak, I asked for a stretcher to cart me to and fro all the tests. I couldn't even hold my head up. 8)lost almost 20-lbs. Oh, but I found it, slowly but surely. DANG IT!!

Tests done: 1)blood tests, of course 2)x-rays, 3)cat-scans, 4)mri, 5) spinal-tap, finally. 6)some nerve test, very painful and I would not let them finish it. If anyone ever comes toward you with a taser like instrument in their hands, say "NO" very firmly.

Remedies: 1) plasma exchange, routine for Myasthenia Gravis patients, 2)2 different kinds of antibiotics, did nothing for the problem. 3)Infectious disease team was called in to solve the mystery. (how special is that?) 4)Oh, and because I said something that appeared I'd given up, they called in psychiatrist and put me on anti-depressants. 5) Also had a cardiologist put me on some sort of heart meds 6)the most special remedy, my sister drove my parents down from West Monroe, Louisiana, when Wayne told them their presence might encourage me. Now, that was medicine worth taking! 7)Matthew and his family came on the way to Florida to meet Ashleigh's dad and again on their way back to Austin, Labor Day weekend. Mark and Lisa with the kids on the weekends. Mark came during the week to stay with me, to give Wayne a rest. Mary Ann came when she wasn't going to school. These were all home remedies for the weary soul. I had many visitors, cards gifts and flowers. I had friends come and stay with me, oil my feet, search for smoothies after agreeing to try, as I was not eating anything. My mouth (muscles) just could not imagine such a task. I am definitely loved and I don't take this for granted.

After seeing nothing on the first 4 tests, Friday, they discontinued my plasma exchange so my blood would clot in order to have the spinal-tap. After 8 days in hospital, Tuesday, I had the spinal-tap. The majority of those tests came up negative, telling us, I probably had an infection of the brain and will just have to wait it out and that the 2 remaining tests coming from the spinal-tap will probably come up negative also. Towards the end of the 2nd week, the test came back positive for West Nile Virus. They told me, there was nothing they could do and would have to ride it out. They said for someone with a normal immune system the virus would have only lasted maybe 3 days. Some don't even realize they have it, before it's gone. The virus exasperated myasthenia gravis, which is a muscle fatigue autoimmune disease. My stay in the hospital lasted 15 days, with a long expected recovery at home. They told me it would take 1-2 years to get back to normal. Hmmph! What do they know. I was back to my normal in 2 months after leaving the hospital.

My Real Remedy: Young Living Essential Oils! Plain and simple!! For 2 weeks,my good friend, Barby, came over every other day and gave me a "raindrop massage" with some powerful healing oils. And then 2 times a week for a month. I put oils on the bottom of my feet, in capsules to swallow and inhaled oils. I was not looking forward to it being maybe 2 years recovery and it wouldn't have surprised me if it did take that long, remembering how weak and sick I was.

Recovery: First of all, what seemed like a bad thing turned out to be the best thing. Let me explain: Mary Ann was laid off right before all of this. It was a blessing for us, because I needed her when I got home. It was a blessing for her, because she got to draw unemployment while caring for me. My friends from church and Bible Study were there to help in the way of food. Mary Ann was taking 15 hours of school to graduate in December and didn't leave her much time to do any major cooking. Although, she's a pretty good cook.
I was loaned a walker with wheels and a seat, sad to say, I needed it the first 2 weeks and often had to sit down to rest. I ate like a bird. Guess my stomach shrunk. It was a the last week of September before I could sit on floor and hang my head backwards in the tub for Mary Ann to wash it. An who has a hairdresser who will come to your home style your hair and then won't take money for it? I do. About the same time for me to put make-up on. That ain't like me, AT ALL, not with all the visitors I had. I have never had to take heart meds or anti-depressants, so I weened myself from those. All I needed was my mg meds and vitamins and Ningxia Red (a healthy tonic loaded with antioxidants. Oh, and I'll never be without my Young Living Essential Oils.

My first outing but in my pjs was to see a master herbalist with Barby. Got on this bed of hers hooked up to some machine and she was able to read what was going on with my body. My 2nd outing was to Sams' Club with Wayne to exchange a coffee maker that had gone ka-put! Neither of those I count as real outing. I mean it's not like I walked around in Sams, I went and sat on the counter while Wayne got another coffee maker. The real first outing..dressed up to see people was to the memorial service we had here in Conroe for a very special friend and mentor from Colorado who passed away on one of his mission trips. He was very special to our family, counseling us thru some pretty rough storms of life. The legacy he left behind will continue to help people all over the world. RIP Michael Wells.

One thing I took away from this is how God has used technology for HIS purpose. Not only were my family, church and Bible Study ladies praying. I expected no less. What I didn't expect was people I didn't even know, praying for me thru facebook and emails. There were friends of friends, Bible study groups and churches all praying for me. LITTLE OLE ME!! All over the world, maybe at the same times. The spiritual realm stretches over all heaven and earth. This was most humbling to realize I was covered literally in prayers.

With 43 people dying in Texas this year of West Nile Virus, and my cousin's husband in Louisiana dying of it, I realize JUST how close I came but was spared. I am so blessed to be alive.
I believe my days are in God's hands and nothing comes to me that doesn't go thru HIS hands first. This was not my time to go, although, I often wondered if it was leaning that way. I didn't want to go but I had a peace about it. I mean, who am I, it happens? Never thought he'd take Jean or Kathy so soon but it happened. I still have some living to do and I will continue to live HIS song. To GOD BE THE GLORY! He delivered me, yet again.

I know this was boring for most but wanted this event recorded. I've been meaning to write this for a year. Seemed fitting to do it near the year anniversary.

I just label as I see it.