The alarm on my phone has sounded 533 times. It is a gentle sound, almost like the song of rain but it means just one thing. It is time to take my Lyme meds – again! Haven’t I taken enough of these darn things?

533 times. This doesn’t include my morning meds which I can easily remember to take with breakfast or the Byron White Formula which has to be taken two hours after the antibiotics and away from everything else.

Most of the time, I just take them. Sometimes I turn off the alarm and then forget to take them because I’m in the middle of a phone call or task. Sometimes I can’t take them, because I forgot them at home and the alarm simply reminds me of my forgetfulness. Occasionally I do revolt – my stomach feels too sick or my herx reactions are too strong and I leave them right where they are. I’m not taking you right now, not this time.

But, often I also take them with gratitude. This arsenal of medications are keeping me as well as possible, moving me forward toward healing – hopefully to a complete cure. I especially give thanks for the Lyme tincture my ND makes, the Chinese herbs which seem to help with the months of tinnitus and the new natural medications the Byron White Lyme formula and the Samento. There is something about the natural medicines that feels especially powerful and healing.

533 times so far. How many more before we are done?