Reminiscing in preparation for my return

I’m headed back for more treatment. This time on my terms not out of desperation, or doctor or even parent direction.

I approached my parents. I contacted Dr. Shroff on my own. I chose the flights. For the first time I set the trip in motion.

Packing for my return I reminisce on all that brought me to India the first time. 7 years seems like long ago. At the time I was so young, Dr. Shroff had my parents wait until I was 18 to bring me to India (Dr. Shroff now takes patients younger than 18). I still remember the news as the best birthday present ever. My Lyme ravaged body was catching up to my already deteriorated brain. I could barely speak. I could not read or write. Fatigue and pain were constant. Ripping bartonella pain was taking away my ability to walk even the short distance to the bathroom. Treatment efforts had become ineffective. The pain medications covered a fraction of my pain, a fact I tried to hide.

Back then Dr. Shroff had her patients stop all medications before undergoing her stem cell treatments. I could not go without medications at home but for stem cells I stopped everything. This meant going off cold turkey for most of the necessary prescriptions. I would not recommend doing this then or now. I was incredibly fortunate that I did not suffer any withdraw effects. At least none that could be deciphered through my Lyme symptoms.
I went to India in a wheelchair. And although I could walk some I returned home in a wheelchair after 3 months of treatment. Medications that had stopped working to treatment my condition were becoming effective again. However, within 3 months of returning home to the states I was in need of more stem cells treatment. This came much earlier than expected but again my mom and I made the journey to India with me in a wheelchair.
I made the same journey two more times. My last stint left me with an able body and mind ready to relearn how to live.
Stem cells heal damage. They must be taught to live to flourish.

I spent the next years learning and relearning how to live. Sometimes I fell down sometimes I moved mountains. I was able to return to school. Though I was by no means out of the woods and healed, I had an immune system ready and willing to work for me.

My brain raced with all of the new knowledge. It over fired leading to new challenges.
Treating bartonella left me with CIDP.
And over this last year my adrenals became ineffective. Adrenal insufficiency made me dependent on steroids to remain able to function.
Yet I still managed to move out and live with some assistance but growing in independence.

And this is where I now sit on my apartment floor packing my last few items in preparation to leave for India once again.