Life Over the Edge

Welcome to Life Over the Edge!  This blog is dedicated to sharing my experiences with chronic illness and the things I’ve learned on my journey.  There are so many who suffer from chronic illness and conditions of all kinds.  Each person has their own story and experiences–all seen and experienced from their own perspectives and circumstances.  Each person’s story is unique.

My journey with chronic illness began over 17 years ago.  I was diagnosed with TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) which leaves me in pain all the time.  The pain can vary from a nagging headache to migraine levels where it is almost impossible to function.  And my doctors suspect I also deal with fibromyalgia.  

I’ve also had allergies all my life, and had many bouts of croup (as a kid), bronchitis and sinus infections.  No one ever dreamed that I was allergic to anything, until I was in my 30’s.  My doctor, at that time, wanted me to go for allergy testing, but I chose not to go.  Instead, I made a major move to a new state, and began to be even more sick.    

Eventually, my new doctor suggested allergy testing.  What a surprise we got!   I was diagnosed with multiple airborne and food allergies, along with asthma!  As a result, I began immunotherapy, but after only three shots, my immune system was pushed over the edge.  Now, my allergies and asthma are more severe and sensitive than before the shots.  This happens to one out of a million people. The doctors have not been able to figure out why this happened to me!  I’ve even been to National Jewish Hospital and Research Center, in Denver, Colorado.  They were able to help stabilize my asthma with better medicine and also discovered I had acquired more allergies!  But they could not “fix” my immune system.  Life became very interesting at that point!  I now have to live and work at home in order to stay healthy.  Friends have jokingly said I need to live in a “bubble!” Living in my “bubble” allows me to be healthy enough to enjoy outings with family and friends, and travel.

My life  has been one of exploration and experimentation to find what works to keep me healthy.  I will share what I’ve learned along the way in this blog.  Truly, it has been and continues to be an adventure on all levels for me!  I have learned so much about myself–what are my weaknesses, what I’m really capable of, what are my strengths–things I’m grateful to have learned on this journey!  And I must say that my life has been full and it continues to grow and change in ways that I would never have thought possible! 

I write another blog, Czech Off the Beaten Path , where I share my adventures as an expat living in the Czech Republic.  I also write about tourist sites we visit in the Czech Republic and other places my husband and I travel to.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments:  czechoffthebeatenpath at gmail dot com!  It makes me very happy if I can be a help to others…and to learn from others!  

Thanks for stopping by!

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