INTO THE LIGHT (NEVER LOOK BACK)

 

Covid 19 - my experience (a brand new life).

Covid 19.

 

It was Good Friday, 10 April 2020 and we had been Zooming with friends that evening. We'd said goodbye and in the space of thirty minutes I started to cough and develop a temperature. It was that quick. Oh my God. If ever there was a test, this would be it; days that seemed endless and nights that seemed longer. That's how it began.

 

A gift

Looking back at my Easter post about having Covid19, I wanted to return to this paragraph...

And what if thinking you are going to die becomes a gift going forward? Surely you don’t sustain such high temperatures without knocking out an unwelcome bacteria or two? I’m keeping everything crossed that this may just have been a blessing in disguise. For example, people talk about losing their sense of smell through CV. I haven’t been able to smell for years thanks to Lyme. But I’ve got an incredible sense of smell back again in the last week! The fatigue I’ve known for so long? I’ve only had an amazing sense of energy throughout this recent battle, give or take feeling a bit pooped in the last couple of days. Just maybe, my broken body has undergone some repairs in the process? 

Astonishingly, it appears to continue to be the case; I AM WELL. The energy I speak of remains, and I am better than I've been in a decade. I am literally pinching myself every single morning on waking pain free. I have yet to research 'fever therapy' but understand that it is a thing. Meanwhile, I'm just happy to think of my brush with Covid19 as a gift. Please God, long may this last.

I choose life - A poem

Recently, I said to my husband Simon, 'I thought I was going to die.' He replied, 'I thought you were going to die.' In the midst of being desperately ill, I wrote this poem for my children. What began as a eulogy - in case I wasn't able to let my two beautiful daughters know some of the simple stuff about me - soon morphed into a mantra of positivity; as I shifted into believing this disease would not take me, I was going to live to tell them myself.

HOLD STILL

This picture captures life in lockdown with a mummy that is seriously sick. I couldn't get any closer to the girls and at this particular moment they both were so upset, I asked them to take comfort from each other.

A COVID19 EASTER - A close call

I went to Birmingham at the start of the year. It was something I wanted to do, although I knew it would take it out of my non-existent immune system. Sure enough the same week, headaches and fatigue kicked in. In Feb, I managed a night away with Simon and friends. I went for it, I paid for it. Another immune system fail. Truth is, thanks to Lyme, for a long time I’ve been living half a life. It’s the way it’s come to be and yet is a vast improvement on how things were a couple of years back. Thanks to naturopathic and Traditional Chinese Medicine I’m better, but these have only taken me so far, the latter stopping recently as I felt I no longer responded to treatment. I came to accept the status quo. Then Easter. Team Newland enjoyed a lovely Good Friday, but come the evening, in the space of 30 minutes, I went from feeling tired, to having a temperature and coughing.

The ten days between now and then have rocked our world. I can say that was far too close for comfort. I’m not out the woods completely but I’m over the worst and I know now that I’m going to be alright. Obviously, my Simon, chest physio extraordinaire, is a bloody legend and his halo is very much intact. The girls have swung between extremely anxious and super brave and positive, the two of them taking great comfort from one another. Not being able to cuddle them has been the hardest, and I’m holding out for the two-week marker so we can do just that. So far so good and please God, they and Simon will not go under with CV too. 

I have to thank the amazing community around us, the shoppers amongst you leaving food on the doorstep, the lit candles, the positive vibes, the daily photos and general well wishes and love that has been so apparent. Then there was the help and advice. Reiki Dawn and Nurse Nicki, my sister-in-law JanJan– a nurse practitioner on A&E who had only just recovered from the virus herself and goes back to work next week. Karen, who consistently and positively checked in on me and gave me such hope having been there recently herself, ‘You got this!’ The brilliant NHS, 111. My parents, who I know have been so frightened, and anyone else I’ve forgotten. Oh and my Grandpa, who died when I was 12. I thank him. At my worst point he carried me. 

When my Grandfather died, my Gran always kept a single rose in his memory. Simon bought me a dozen roses about three weeks ago. They were a £3 yellow sticker bargain and soon past their best, perished. All but one. Not only has it survived, but it has new life on it.

And what if thinking you are going to die becomes a gift going forward? Surely you don’t sustain such high temperatures without knocking out an unwelcome bacteria or two? I’m keeping everything crossed that this may just have been a blessing in disguise. For example, people talk about losing their sense of smell through CV. I haven’t been able to smell for years thanks to Lyme. But I’ve got an incredible sense of smell back again in the last week! The fatigue I’ve known for so long? I’ve only had an amazing sense of energy throughout this recent battle, give or take feeling a bit pooped in the last couple of days. Just maybe, my broken body has undergone some repairs in the process? It’s a bit too soon to say, but one thing is for sure, the love has shone out brightly here at no.19, and I know it is that which will help us all win this battle of uncertainty. This battle against CV. And for all those that haven’t made it, fly high angels. You have helped in creating a future of love and oneness for all humanity. 

Stay safe all. 

Forwarned is forearmed: blog update & Jeremy Hunt

LIFE AS IT IS has taken a back seat while my Lyme disease has been driving. I'm in a much better position than I was a few years ago though and wanted to say thanks for supporting me along the way. My numbers on the lyme posts are staggering. Clearly there are lots of you interested in how to recover naturally from a disease that takes out ones immunity.

Next month, I've planned a one-to-one with MP Jeremy Hunt. I'm making it my mission to have warning signs put up in place, reminding people that ticks are present all over the UK. Not just the New Forest and Scotland. I don't mean to scare people, only to remind them of the unseen dangers, and the havoc these minuscule little creatures can create. I'll keep you posted.

I took this photo in France. Why do we not have anything like this here?

UPDATE

So I met with Jeremy, and he was incredibly helpful. Together we sent letters out to The National Trust, Public Health England, Surrey Wildlife Trust and The National Wildlife Trust as these were the groups that covered the local green areas surrounding my home which I wanted to target. 

The results were better than I hoped for with a great response from all accept Hilary McGrady the Director General of the National Trust who frankly was rather patronising. Shame, but 3 out of 4 is a good start!