Like An Arrow: Going Backwards to Push Forward

to the Hey everyone! It’s time for another update from us. 🙂 There’s been a couple fun things that’s happened since we last spoke, so I guess our lives aren’t ALWAYS boring- but to be honest, for us it’s mostly been boring and a lot of sleeping. Sleep seems to be the main event of our lives, to give you an idea- I sleep at least 12 hours a day and up to 15 hours. Dan sleeps 9 or 10 hours a day usually (he’s still not feeling the best), so for us to actually get out and do things can be a challenge, simply because we’re just trying to fight to get out of bed.

Anyway, we were really blessed a few weeks ago with an awesome lunch date. It was one of those “once in a lifetime” kind of things. Part of our Japamily came to the United States and was only a few hours away from us, so they met us for lunch. That’s right, they flew half way around the world and met us for lunch and some shopping. We felt special. The last time they saw us, I wasn’t hardly able to stand on my own and while I still have seizures and I get tired, I am doing far better now than I was last year when I left. Our time together was precious to say the least.

Mrs. Esther had taken me under her wing when I was in Japan and showed me how to get around a bit off base, and Dani is like a little sister to me. Dan and I both talk to Dani frequently still via Facebook, but it’s not the same as getting to see them face to face. When we were waiting for Dan to get off the boat and trying to figure out what was going to happen with me health wise, Mrs. Esther gave Heather a break and helped to care for me. So to see them again was truly beyond words, and Dan and I hope to see them again.

Let’s see, there’s more. 😉 I’ve recently had a health setback. But it sounds more like an advancement. I’m off all medication related to my Lyme. This is because I went to the ER for a seizure that lasted for 3 hours. The good news is, there’s no brain damage from the seizure (that’s always the concern), the bad news is, they can’t seem to figure out how to control my symptoms, even with all the medications and the PICC line. So my doctor has decided to see if my Lyme is still active, but to to do that, I have to be off medications for a month and then go through a Lyme culture (blood test where they’ll actually grow Lyme- it’s really cool and the most accurate Lyme test available) next month. So until then, I get a break from my 20+ pills a day, and I’ll take it, even if it is most likely temporary.

It’s been a weird time being off meds. I can tell something is off with me, but it’s hard to fully put my finger on it. Sometimes I ache, sometimes I don’t. Some days I have energy, some days I have none. I expected to feel a lot worse, but it’s only been about two weeks, and I’m just now starting to really go downhill, so it will be interesting to see how the next 2-2.5 weeks go.

I’ve had some energy and when we had Beka and Keke come to visit, I felt somewhat normal even, just more tired. It was great to see them, it had been far too long. We went to Gettysburg and did some wine tasting. However, the day out in Gettysburg wore me out so the next day we had to tone it down and just do lunch and a little shopping here locally. I just can’t do things like I wish I could. Luckily my friends love me despite not being able to do everything we wanted to do, and they work with me.

Finally, just the other night Dan and I were able to see Lee and Tina, my youth pastor and his wife who are now missionaries in Haiti. Lee officiated our big wedding in August of 2014, and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen them. They had a large open house at a local church, so Dan and I were able to go and catch up with not only Lee and Tina but a couple other people from the area that we haven’t seen in a while. It was truly uplifting and great to see them.

So, to those of you who are faithfully praying for us, thank you. Please continue to do so. It’s a pretty crazy ride that we seem to be on with my health. I never know what’s coming at me next. Dan has been a real trooper through all this, it’s not been easy to watch the good days followed by bad days. Please continue to pray for us as we both are under the weather and it is difficult when both people in the household are sick at the same time. Also, please pray for wisdom for my doctor as we progress with me treatment since I am not responding the way he thought I would or as quickly as he had hoped- hence the essentially restarting with the Lyme culture coming up, which has me nervous. Please pray that Dan and I would continue to be brave in this very long trial that, in all honesty can be very scary at times, that regardless of how we feel, that we would continue to put our trust in the One who is in ultimate control and that He would use this for His honor and glory. Thank you for walking along side us during this journey.

Until Next Time,

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When the Going Gets Tough

Hey everyone! It’s been a couple weeks since I started my IV treatments, so I figured I’d let you in on how things were going. 😉 Plus, I have a great story for you. Life here has gotten even more boring, if that’s even possible. But that’s okay, Dan’s been doing his best to make the mundane bearable for the both of us- especially since we’re two extroverts trapped in our house.

So, the first week of IV treatment was rough. Really rough. I had to get used to the routine of getting the main antibiotic out of the refrigerator about an hour before I needed to actually inject it so that it could warm up. Also, the treatment itself just seemed to completely wipe me out. But thankfully, I have alarms on my phone that help me out with this, and Dan helps me schedule things around my treatment times.

Now it’s been a couple weeks, and my energy level is still low, but it is improving. I no longer sleep ALL day. So that is a praise. I’m still having a lot of symptoms, and I’m not back to where I was when I first saw this new Lyme doctor, but I know he’s on the right path. I think it’s funny that I have to go backwards (or at least it feels that way) in order to go forward. Hopefully as the weeks continue to go by, I’ll continue to improve and maybe one day I’ll feel like a real human again.

Well, now for the good stuff. 😉 I have a great story. To understand why this is funny, you have to grasp how I do my IV injections. First, I have to sanitize my hands (duh, it’s IV stuff), but then I have to “pop the seal” of the syringe. I was told I could feel it “give way” and usually, I can- at least with most of them. But not my antibiotic. So, I was trying to get used to this new “giving way feeling”, on my second day- but this particular syringe was super stubborn, until it wasn’t. All of a sudden, the black cap comes off and antibiotic comes spewing out like water out of a fire hydrant and it shoots straight up and begins to hit my ceiling! I realize what is happening, and stop it but not before 1/4 of my medication is gone.

At this point, it is dripping down on me, my coffee table, and praise God- my CLOSED mac. I can’t clean it up because my hands are sterile and I have to get my antibiotic, or what’s left of it, in my body. But two things are going through my mind. 1. “Oh my gosh, it’s dripping from the ceiling! It’s actually dripping from the ceiling!” 2. “…. That’s supposed to be going IN my body right now. What do I do?” So once I realized that I couldn’t just scoop it up and put it back (it doesn’t really work like that), I got myself together (chuckling at the sight of all of this) and called for Dan. Dan thought I was kidding! It took me calling a couple times for him to come save me from being dripped on. It was a mess. Once I was done, I got to clean it all up, but I really wish I could have had a video on to have caught my reaction. Oh, and the cap on the antibiotic landed in front of the coffee table- Dan found it on the floor somewhere.

Anyway, on a more fun and less “sick day” kind of note, Dan and I did have a visitor, two actually. My mom came in for about a week and gave Dan a much needed break from taking care of me. It was really nice to get to spend time with her, and she was a HUGE help around the house. She made us meals and froze them, and even got things set up once she left that people are now bringing us meals to help us out since I don’t have energy to cook (and I can’t lift more than 10 pounds) and since Dan is still not feeling quite right and is tired, he hasn’t been up for cooking either. She also helped me clean my house (something I physically just couldn’t do thanks to my IV kicking my butt) and took me out a bit since I was tired of my four walls (THANKS MOM!) It was a great week with her.

Then the weekend came, and my friend Kevin was in training for his new “big kid” job in DC (he’ll be working in NC but training was in DC). So during the weekend, he came to visit Dan and I. Kevin is essentially like my brother, and Dan really enjoys talking and hanging out with him. It was a great weekend. The boys got to talk games and Pokemon Go, and Kevin and I got to catch up and remember some fun times back in college. Honestly, our time was too short but hopefully he’ll be back up this way before too long for some more training and we can get together again.

So there you have it folks, another glimpse into our everyday life. It’s gotten pretty boring for us. We’re just going through this medical adventure the best we can, and we’re trusting that God has a purpose and a plan for this crazy mess. It’s been very hard for us at times to see the bright side, but we continue to lean on each other and ultimately the Lord as we progress. Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for us through this, it has not been a short journey, nor is it anywhere near over. I realized recently that I have been sick for over a year now. So Dan and I are truly grateful for those of you who continue to faithfully lift us up and build us up and we ask that you continue to pray for us. Sending all our love.

Until Next Time,

The Journey Continues…

Hey everyone! Wow, I’ve really been slacking. I’m so sorry! I’ll try to work on that. I guess life has gotten really boring for Dan and I. He does a lot of homework and I do a lot of Netflix. 🙂 We are still loving our little place (it’s almost picture worthy!) and things are going (mostly) well. However, I guess it’s time to catch you up on our biggest of news (nope, still no little one in the oven- I’ll leave that to our friends).

Okay, so here’s the deal. I was doing pretty good, for the most part. Dan has been taking really good care of me. However, the oral antibiotics that I was taking (and trust me, the individual pills I take add up to over 20 a day – and still do) only got me so far. I was doing great, even seemed normal for a while. Then my seizures with the blurry vision came back, the pain in my joints never went away, and slowly but surely almost everything that brought us back to the United States was coming back. I just couldn’t quite shake the “Lyme factors” and get 100% into remission. So after over 8 months of antibiotics and supplements, my doctor decided it was time to send me to a big name doctor in our area for Lyme- a man who gets results and is even better than her.

So just over a week ago, I stepped into a doctors office. My old doctor’s office was more hippy-like, which is why I loved it since I hate doctors. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The new doctor was fantastic! He is super kind and his bed side manner is top notch. Not to mention his knowledge about the disease far exceeds anything I’ve ever encountered. Dan and I were super excited. He spoke with us, and had me stand with my feet together, close my eyes and put my head back to check my balance, as it turns out- I have NONE. Dan and the doctor had to basically catch my fall.

However, the doctor has come up with a new treatment plan for me, and he didn’t waste any time. At the appointment he said, “by the end of the week you should have the PICC line in and have your first treatment of antibiotics.” He wasn’t kidding. My appointment was on Monday morning, by Thursday afternoon I had the PICC line and first treatment. I have to give myself an IV treatment twice a day Monday through Thursday, so I get my weekends off- except for the flushes to keep the line clear. He’s estimating that since my Lyme is a bit more advanced, that I’ll have this for four to six months- but that’s an estimate. It could be longer or it could be shorter, there really is no telling. However, he thinks I’ll start to feel like a real girl again within a month, so as much as this PICC line freaks me out, I’m excited to get my life back. This is the first doctor who has mentioned getting me back to running, so for that, I’m truly grateful.

Dan and I also went ahead and had him tested for Lyme via a culture test. We’ll have the results back in a couple weeks. I’m hopeful that he doesn’t have it, however I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’d hate to see him suffer with this awful disease. Also, the culture is 95% accurate so we’ll actually know what Dan is up against if he is positive and how to best attack it, where as my tests were more ambiguous because of when I was diagnosed. It’s pretty cool how far science has come.

So for our prayer warriors, I am asking that you please keep us in your prayers now as we embark on this new journey. I will be very raw with you, and tell you that insurance has denied coverage for my treatment right now, so please pray that the appeal process goes smoothly and that we get the aid that we need. Please pray for Dan as he has to watch me handle this IV, and those of you who know my husband know that he HATES anything to do with needles and IVs- and now he has to help me wrap my arm everyday so I can shower, I’m proud of how well he’s handling it, but it’s hard for him for sure. Obviously, please be praying that his Lyme culture is negative- I’m terrified for it, so I’m just trying not to think too hard about it. 🙂 Finally, be praying for me as I continue to fight to get my life back. Once my new doctor said, “We need to get you back to running”, I knew I liked him.

So there you have it. We have a totally new journey ahead of us, one with schedules and a ton of pills, and nurses coming to our home once a week. This is going to be a crazy ride. But we know that God uses these things to bring us closer together as a couple, and to show others His grace and goodness. Pray that He uses us for His glory in the midst of this craziness. Thank you all for your love and support! Sending you all our love- Dan and De.

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Let’s Catch Up

Hey Everyone! It’s been far too long since I last posted. I’m sorry I’ve been off the grid. I figured I better catch you up on the boring life of Dan and I. Ok, so it’s not always boring- or not really boring- but it’s somewhat boring or more like alarming. I guess I’ll just have to back up and explain and then you can decide for yourself what our little life really is- because I think it’s a combination of boring and odd. 🙂 But hey- it’s Dan and I, what can you really expect?

Since we last talked, Dan and I are officially moved in at our little half house. We love it here, and it really does feel like home. My friend Jamie even came over and helped me make my washer and dryer (which was given to us) look pretty with contact paper (can you say Pintrest project much?) along with a cubby thing I have as you walk in the front door- it’s SUPER cute (photos at the bottom of the post if you want to see it lol.) and she was super sweet and bought us a house warming gift- a plant. This is truly a test for me because if you know me at all, you know that I can’t keep anything alive- so I have named the plant Penelope, and yes, I talk to her often. She’s out our front door now in the lovely planter Jamie gave us. 🙂 I think Dan is convinced I’m going to kill her.. but I’m determined to make her live.

Aside from little projects, and finishing settling in, I’ve been able to see a couple of friends. Including my friend Anjoli who I’ve been talking to online for years (we lived in this area a long time ago but then went separate ways for college and kept in touch)- ok so I know her in real life people… but it’s been years since I’ve seen her in person. Well, a couple weeks ago we were able to have lunch together before she moves out west to start her O.T. job. (I’m super proud of her!). I’ve also been able to see one of my best friends Emily who has moved back into the area from Illinois. She even “babysat” me one day while Dan had training (I’ll explain in a minute, so hold your horses there). But it’s wonderful to have people around again and be in a country where I can understand everything happening around me.

Now questions about health. I get asked “how are you doing?” a lot. That’s a hard question to answer. Please understand that I was doing really well at one point, but here lately, I have seemed to taken a downward turn, and furthermore apparently Dan has decided to come along for the ride with me. Ok, so now let me backup, and pause and then press play for you. 🙂

Starting with Dan; he wasn’t feeling good a couple months back but decided that it would just pass on it’s own. It hasn’t. Now we go to Walter Reed Medical Center in DC a LOT for him. However, doctors are actively working to try and figure out what is happening. (Please be praying for him- we know it’s something in his GI area- he’s having difficulty eating, loosing weight, and he’s in pain a lot). Pretty much the doctors right now are telling him to eat healthy (which he does anyway- he eats what I eat…no white flour, sugar, ect), and to be careful about exercise (too much and it can make his stomach distended… it’s really weird). So hopefully soon we’ll know what’s going on with him.

As for me, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. Chronic illness and myself are not friends and this is something that I am not fond of, but will have to learn to live with… and manage… and hopefully prevent from happening again. Anyway, at one point I was working out 5-6 times a week (against doctors orders- but I couldn’t take this resting thing anymore) and I digressed pretty quickly. The doctor quickly told me that I am only to work out a max of 3x a week… yay (can you hear my sarcasm??). I was doing OK, but then it seemed out of nowhere I was getting dizzy and my vision (which I’ve been having issues with) would go completely blurry. I’ve been “loosing my sight” (I mean it gets REALLY blurry) several times a day. One day, I was up over 30 times, and ended up in the ER- that was bad just because the seizure meds they gave me actually made me feel worse than loosing my vision (go figure). So I went to my doctor, and now I’m on a higher dose of seizure meds until I can go back to my Lyme doctor to talk about Babesia (a co-infection of Lyme- something that can come with Lyme). So for now, I loose my eyesight a lot and poor Dan has to keep a pretty close eye on me because my balance is off as well (part of the fun of this), oh and I’m tired again. Just when I was starting to think I was a real girl again…

So Dan has had a couple of things to do with the Navy where he is gone all day and I’m not really supposed to be there (and I don’t want to be there at all). So the one day Jamie came and got me. She had me and her little sister (who was recovering from a double concussion) and so she had fun confusing us as to where we were going next. And this last time, Emily came over and picked me up to babysit me for the day. I went back to her house to help her with her work (they moved the office from Illinois to PA and it’s been crazy) so I did some basic administrative stuff that I love. It was a nice day out, and Dan didn’t have to worry about me while he was at training. 🙂 I’d say it’s a win-win.

Overall, I’d say that Dan and I are essentially turning into 80-something year olds. We’re doing the best we can given the cards we’ve been dealt. The last couple months haven’t been the easiest, nor do the months ahead look like smooth sailing- but we know that all things will work together for our good. For those of you who have been praying for us- we thank you, and ask that you continue to do so- especially now that both of us are ill. There are also a lot of decisions that are coming up and I am asking that you pray for wisdom for us as we try to figure out the best plan for our family. All I can really say is, we make life interesting- it is one big adventure for Dan and I. 🙂 Thank you all for your love and support- I promise to try and be better about keeping you up to date about what’s happening in our lives, especially since we are now in a brand new type of medical adventure. 🙂

My lovely washer and dryer… THANK YOU JAMIE!!!

The cubby I was talking about… Thank you Jamie!!

Jamie took me to see her sister in a play (The Addams Family) when she “babysat” me one day.

Back to the Basics

Hey everyone! Wow it’s been a while since I’ve posted. So sorry I’ve been quiet on here. I guess there hasn’t been much to say. Since being diagnosed, life pretty much quieted down or halted it seems. I sleep roughly twelve hours everyday, so it makes getting out and about pretty tough. However we have come to a pretty good routine, Mondays and Thursdays Dan goes into the recruiting station to say “hi” (Ok so it’s more than that, but that’s basically what it feels like from my standpoint). The guys in there know me as well- they call me “Mrs.” Dan’s rate and rank which is super cute. They get excited with us when I have good weeks, especially when I walk more but they get to see first hand how the Lyme has affected our lives. They’re really supportive and we’re grateful.

Anyway, while I’ve been recovering, life has slowly been moving on. Seasons are changing. Here in PA we have gotten a LOT of snow. Luckily it has been melting pretty quickly. If you know me, you know that I like to LOOK at snow but I’m really not a fan of the cold. And now my joints REALLY hate the cold- so let’s just say that spring can’t get here fast enough. The groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil told us that we would have an early spring- since then I believed it’s snowed two to three times. I’m still hoping the weather breaks soon.

On a more exciting note, Dan and I recently received some pretty exciting news: Our household goods are in the United States! In fact, they’re in the area! What that means is that Dan and I got to do some apartment/ townhouse hunting. Within a week we found a cute half a house (it’s tiny), in a perfect location – I used to live on the road where it’s located at, so it feels like we’re moving home for me. So we will begin the move-in process on March 1st (or sooner if we can get ourselves together)! We’re super excited! It’s been a long haul since coming back on emergency from Japan. But we really feel like this is where the Lord is leading us to be.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support during this time. This coming year will not be easy for us as I continue to recover and Dan continues in his studies and career. We’re hoping that while we’re “home” we’re able to see more people -especially as we get settled in. It’s hard to believe we’ve come back to where it all began. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we continue on our journey and we will continue to take you with us as we venture onward in this military life. 🙂 Sending all our love!

Two Years Down… Forever to Go…

Hey everyone! Hope your new year is going well. I figured it was about time to give you another update. Although there is nothing new with my health, and Dan and I are doing just fine. I figured I’d share some of our joy with you. 🙂

Dan and I are celebrating our second year of marriage! Can you believe it?! it feels like just yesterday that we were both extremely nervous as we stood in a small, country church and pledged to spend the rest of our lives loving one another. When we stood before that congregation that warm, winter night the only things we knew was that our lives were about to change and that our married life together wouldn’t be “normal” since Dan is not a civilian. Yet, we love our military life- it has truly given us some great stories.

So our second year of marriage… wow. What can I say about it? While it hasn’t been the easiest of years for us, I can say I am a truly blessed woman. So below Dan and I have comprised the biggest events that have happened in our marriage this year. Enjoy! 🙂

In our second year of marriage ….

~ We Walked the Streets of Tokyo

~ De got to go to an Alice in Wonderland Themed Restaurant

~ We got Professional Photos during Cherry Blossom Season

~ We sent Dan off on His First Deployment

~ Dan got to Eat a Steak in Australia

~Dan Saved De’s Life

~We Moved Back to America

~ De was Diagnosed with Late-Stage Lyme

~ We Spent Veterans Day in DC and Got a Private Tour of the Pentagon

~Dan has been Taking Good Care of De

We’ve been super blessed this past year- and we’re excited to see what’s in store for our third year of marriage. 🙂

Reflecting on 2015

Hey everyone! It’s been far too long since I’ve given you an update on how Dan and I are doing.Plus I thought I’d share some of my thoughts about this past year with you. It’s been a wild ride and I’m sure glad that you’ve been following our little life together as 2015 has thrown us some pretty interesting twists and turns.

First, I will tell you that Dan and I were blessed to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family in Pennsylvania. It was our first major holiday as Mr.&Mrs. that we actually got to spend time with family and not just each other or friends that became our family. 🙂 It was a lovely day and we enjoyed ourselves.

Since we’ve been back in the United States we’ve been working hard to get everything the military needed to get the humanitarian orders together so that Dan could get back to Asia to pack up our apartment (yup, we’re STILL living out of suitcases), sell our two cars, amongst other things in order to fully close out our life overseas and get situated into his new command. After a LOT of work and time, we finally had success! It meant that Dan had to miss Christmas this year, but the Lord has worked things out so that he could get things done and get checked into his new command just after the first of the year. We will be back in our hometown area for the next year (ish) while I am in treatment with my Lyme doctor. This is truly a praise and we are grateful the Lord has worked everything out in our favor.

For those of you wondering about my health, I have good days and bad days. I don’t know when I’ll have a good day or a bad day, so I just sorta roll with it. The best thing I can do is simply not overdo it, Dan has become a pro at knowing my limits (seriously folks, he knows my limits better than I do). But I’m in good spirits none the less :). Oh, and for those of you wondering about all the medications I posted about a couple months ago- I’ve added more. I’m taking roughly 24 pills a day and I have two different tinctures (drops to add into water). The Lord is really using this time to make me rest in Him and to rely on His timing and not my own. Believe me when I say, if it were up to me, I would be done with treatment by now. But alas, I’m only about 3 months in- and my doctor says it will probably take 9-12 months to get back into remission. So for now, I feel like I sit back and wait for life to pass me by- yet at the same time Jesus is teaching me so much about relying on Him and rest that it’s crazy.

Recently I was blessed with a care package from my high school mentor. She sent me three different books on Lyme disease. I’ve already finished one (took two days for me to read) called “The Lyme Diet”- I really found it to be eye opening as it explained more in depth why I have to eat the way I do. Not to mention it made me realize that I have to adjust my diet, yet again (pray for me). Not only do I have to be sugar and white flour free (that’s easy- I’ve done that for months now) but now I have to be gluten free (… Ok… that’s not TOO bad) and dairy free (this one might kill me- not really but I LOVE yogurt and cheese…). Right now I’m in the middle of “Healing Lyme” which is a bit overwhelming but also super interesting. It explains my disease and why it’s so hard to treat. It’s actually a really smart bacteria that’s super cool- when it’s not roaming around in my body. So basically if I read the book too long it starts to freak me out because I know that this is in my body. The third book is huge but looks to be really awesome. I plan to make Dan read these books as well so that he has a better idea of what I’m fighting and what he and I can do to make sure I don’t relapse ever again- because believe me when I say I don’t want to do this again. 🙂 So thank you Ms. Jill for the amazing resources!

Looking back, 2015 was one crazy year. Dan and I started the year by celebrating our first anniversary (some would say we’re lucky since we have two wedding dates- but we choose which one to celebrate based on his deployment schedule). We were able to take some time and experience our new country before I began working and before Dan was deployed. While Dan was gone, I was able to make a new entertainment center (thanks for the help Heather!), have some serious girl time, and even begin training for a half marathon (I ran 11 miles in the hot Japanese sun one Saturday and ended up getting burnt) before my illness became way too much for me to handle. Then the Lord really taught me humility and the importance of friends and asking for help. My Japamily took care of me until Dan could get off the boat and back to me. I truly believe my husband saved my life this year by getting me back to the United States and getting me the medical care I so desperately needed. When we got home, our family friend and doctor saw me immediately even though he was on vacation- the plus side is that I got to see his family too (we’re all friends) and they were truly the hands and feet of Jesus. Since being home the Lord has slowly worked everything out for our good. Dan has been working with recruiting station that he came out of- but they have been nothing but supportive of us. It’s been truly amazing. I can see how the Lord is using my illness for our good and it is beyond anything I could have imagined. As 2015 ends in all of it’s craziness, I find myself excited to see what Jesus does with our 2016 and how he turns it on it’s head from what we expect. I really love that the Lord is making our life a true adventure.

We love you all and thank you for sharing in our lives with us. We hope you had a Merry Christmas and that you have a wonderful New Year.

Veterans Day in DC

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since we last chatted. Things just have been pretty boring and to be honest, I don’t have a whole lot to say. However, today is Veterans Day- which holds a very dear spot in my heart since I am married to a veteran and have several friends and family who are veterans. So today Dan and I decided to celebrate the day in a special way, we went to see his best friend Nick in Washington, DC.

When we got to DC, the first thing we did was grab a bite to eat with Nick and his roommate at a wonderful Greek restaurant. Then the real adventure began. We were able to go to the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon and tour around a bit. And spend the day at the national mall. It was so surreal to be at these monuments on such a day as Veterans day, with the flowers and the eeriness of our nations capital being practically empty since everyone has the day off, it was truly a great way to reflect on the sacrifice that so many have made and are currently making (including Dan and Nick). So below are the photos from our adventure today.

Part of the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon.

Each wing-like structure represents a person and they have lines on the ground that go to the year they were born. One direction means they were on the plane, the other means they were in the Pentagon.

The WW2 Memorial from afar- up close it's so much prettier but so much to take in that taking a photo almost seemed disrespectful. — The WW2 Memorial from afar- up close it’s so much prettier but so much to take in that taking a photo almost seemed disrespectful.

In front of the Lincoln Memorial since we couldn't get any closer with all the steps.... — In front of the Lincoln Memorial since we couldn’t get any closer with all the steps….

Today was super amazing- I am blessed to be able to call myself a military spouse. I am proud of our veterans and thankful for our freedom.

Dear Japamily (Our Japan Friends Who Became Family)

Dear Japamily,

I want to start this open letter to you all by simply stating: I LOVE YOU! I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart. Dan and I talk about our time in Japan just about everyday, and how much we miss you all. Each and every one of you have truly enriched our lives in ways we never could have imagined, and for that we are truly grateful. So thank you to all of you for putting up with us for the past several months- you have helped us grow in so many ways. 🙂

Our time in Asia was truly way too short. We wish that we could have gotten to know everyone there so much better simply by being there longer however we are so glad to have been able to have the blessing of meeting each and every one of you. You are all so unique and truly show what America feels like in another country. Nothing felt better than after a long day of exploring than coming back on base and seeing one of our friends, it was wonderful. Or even better, going out all day and going exploring with some friends. We loved getting to spend time with you all- and you all showed us some pretty awesome places (shout out to Ramen- which saved my eating out life over there. 😉 ).

There are a few of you who when I became really ill truly stepped up to the plate, and you all know who you are- thank you! Knowing how bad my lyme is now, it is quite possible that the care you all provided, the meals, the overnight stays, the visits, the encouragement,even offering (because I’m a pretty stubborn person who doesn’t like to accept help at all)- you all may have helped save my life (not really exaggerating here either). So thank you for your sacrifices and for coming to my aid and for all your prayers, concern, and literally everything. I can’t even truly express myself well enough through this blog how grateful Dan and I are for you all.

Our time was too short, that much is true. However, military friendships are unlike any others I’ve ever encountered. You not only became my friends, you became my family. I had to call on you in my time of need, and you were there for me when nobody else could be (literally, I was in another country by myself…), and I had the honor of being there for some of you at times. My heart breaks knowing that we won’t get to have the time over there we were supposed to, but I am grateful for the time we had. I am truly blessed to have been able to meet every one of you- and I am excited to see where your lives take you. Thank the Lord we have Facebook, snail mail (yes, I still do that- though I’m not that great at it, so be patient with me), and email so that I don’t have to loose touch with any of you. I love you all and thank you for becoming my Japamily!

Lots of Love,

Changing Tides

Hey everyone! Dan and I have some exciting news to share with you all. After countless tests, and doctors… seriously, I think Dracula used less blood than all these doctors took from me. We finally have some answers!! Praise the Lord! The verdict is *insert dramatic drum roll here* (no surprise) Lyme disease with co infections. While we’re thrilled to have answers, this does mean that I have a long, hard road to get back to remission. (My Lyme is Chronic and this is a relapse- it was discovered in college… LONG story.) The good news is, we have a diagnosis which means that the Navy now has to work with Dan and I, however please continue to pray for us due to some complications with this disease that may make it difficult for the military to understand- let’s just say I can’t be treated by military doctors. (That’s the simplest way to put it.)

The steps leading up to this were quite an adventure to say the least. 🙂 I have been to Walter Reed Naval Hospital a couple of times. In fact, I think Dan can get there without a GPS at this point. While we were there one day (we thought we were going to be moving there… again this is all a long, complicated story, and I try to give you the good stuff), I was scared to death while Dan was pushing me by a deer. The deer are super friendly, so I made Dan get a photo or two of them, just so you can see how close you can get to them. Unfortunately they’re skinny, but we think it’s because they’re in the city and they don’t have much to eat. These deer don’t have any fear of people. 🙂

There were 3 of them, but this little guy came the closest.

Anyway, I’m sure you’re wondering what our new found answers means for us. To be honest, we’re not sure about all of the answers, but I can give you a few. 🙂 I am going on a TON of medicine (see photo below) and more will be added on as time continues on. We’re trying oral medication first, but if that doesn’t work, my doctor knows who to send me to for a pic line. Dan and I are hoping that oral will work, simply because the idea of a pic line freaks us both out a lot. 😉 We are moving back from Asia. I can’t live overseas in this condition, nor can I live alone. I’m going to get a lot worse before I get better, so Dan can’t be out at sea. It is going to be a bit of a fight (even with doctors orders) to get him on shore duty, but we are trusting that the Lord will continue to work things out for our good. We’re still waiting for new orders, but it’ll be on the east coast to keep me close to my doctor. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we continue to sort things out and as I begin treatment and a new fight with an old enemy. We love you all and thank you for walking with us through this adventure.