Major setback

Hi Amy,

I totally understand what you're going through. I will be starting a new job in a week or two. I ran out of money so I was forced to go back to work. The stress of working makes all my symptoms flare up as well.

I think what I will try to do is pulse abx on the weekends. So maybe I'll start abx on Friday, or Thursday and then take them until Saturday or Sunday morning, then stop for the week, and I'll start back up when the weekend rolls around again. I may alternate between the spooky and abx.

I don't know how you react to abx, but when I take abx or use the spooky, I get the lyme feeling. When I'm off the abx/spooky I start feeling better/normal. I think the abx/spooky kills the bugs and the dead bodies make me feel worse. Just my theory.

I know a lot of people only feel good when they're taking the abx, so I'm not sure why abx makes me feel worse.

In any case, I think what my goal for the next two years is going to be stick with my job, and save up enough money to purchase an investment that will provide passive income. I'm thinking I will take out a mortgage for a rental property in a city. If I play my cards right, I should get at least 1k in passive income per month, while also paying off the mortgage with the rent. That's the only feasible way I can see in get through this disease financially. The thought of working for the rest of my life is just not bearable. Achieving a passive income stream is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's my "carrot" on a stick. :)

A good book that I recommend to everyone is Rich Dad, Poor Dad. It's a cheesy title, but a really good book. I think everyone with chronic Lyme really needs to think about a source of passive income just for survival. A full time job, at least for me, is not practical.

Thanks gfields! Deep down I do think it is the job making my symptoms flair but I really want to stay working if I can. I think I am going to take my boss up on his offer this morning and work when I can. Maybe I will try 32 hours for a couple weeks then go down if I need to. Abx usually make me feel better so we will see.

Blue lyme, how did you find the spirochettes in your blood?

My llmd feels that the bacteria is active again in my body. I wonder if that is what is causing this crazy feeling like I have bugs crawling on me all day or is it just the stress I am under witb the new job? Is there anything I can do for this crazy symptom?

I'm not sure if you already own a home, but if not, if you can hold down a job for 2 years you can qualify for an FHA loan. This would give you the ability to purchase a rental property for not too much down. If you can find a low costing double or triple family home in an area with a lot of people renting, you can probably pull off 1k a month in extra income while having renters pay off the property.

My doctor also recommended I apply for disability. They deny you at first, but then resubmit a claim. Although, I don't know the ins and outs of the disability process. I doubt you can have a job and collect disability. Also, I do not that if you collect disability, this is a matter of public record. So if you go to find a job again, employers can see that you collected disability, so it may be a little more difficult to get a job in the future. But I doubt all employers check this.