25 Things You Didn't Know About Me: 

1. I didn't like dogs, until my husband convinced me to get a puppy 8 years ago. Now I'm obsessed with my Jack Russell mix, Scooter.

2. I collect magnets from every place I've traveled, but don't like putting magnets on my fridge.  

3. I'm a Francophile and love everything Paris, France, & Eiffel Tower.  

4. I'm a published haiku poet.  

5. I'm a clothing hoarder with very little fashion sense.

6. Although I have no near future plans to have kids I love picking out baby names, most of which are criticized by my friends and family.

7. I have nine piercings in my ears.

8. I have one tattoo of my name in Irish, "Ciarrai," but I want three more: something to symbolize freedom from illness, my dog’s paw print (see #1), and The Little Prince (see #2). Updated: I just got a lotus tattooed on my arm.  

9. I love large animals, especially dinosaurs and whales.

10. I'm claustrophobic.

11. Shark Tank is my current favorite TV show. I also never miss an episode of Veep, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, or Homeland.

12. My favorite movie is My Best Friend's Wedding, but there are many close runner ups: The Lion King, LOTR, Jurassic Park (see #12).  

13. I am very talented at the "claw machine" and can win you anything you want.

14. The best gift I ever got was a heated blanket from my husband. I use it every single day, even in the summer.

15. I am drawn to water bottles and travel coffee mugs and buy way more than I could ever use.

16. I was a kleptomaniac in college and my target was restaurant menus.

17. I've been told I look like Mayim Bialik, Helen Hunt, Celine Dion, and Ana Gasteyer.

18. My top 3 concerts were: Kelly Clarkson, Paul McCartney, and Billy Joel. Spice Girls is #4.

19. I'm pretty good at impressions of Saturday Night Live characters, but not on cue, only organically, so don't ask me.

20. I'm distantly related to both P.T. Barnum and Isaac Newton.

21. I'm hoping for a Squatty Potty for Christmas.

22. I'm born on Flag Day and like to make a big deal about a holiday no one celebrates.

23. I have an official 'Bucket List' that has 101 items on it. So far I've accomplished 22 items.

24. My favorite flower is blue hydrangea.  

25. The top 3 celebrities I would like to meet are Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

What's a fun fact about you? 

"Always go with your passions. Never ask yourself if it's realistic or not." - Deepak Chopra

11 Ways to Cope with Fatigue When You Have Lyme: 

1. Drink tea

Tea is widely known as a calming, soothing drink, but it can also help with fatigue. Go for a mint or citrus variety or try iced tea for a quick pick me up. Drinking tea also helps keep you hydrated, which combats fatigue.

2. Use peppermint essential oil

Place a drop of high-quality peppermint essential oil in your hand and with your index finger rub it on your temples, across your forehead, and behind your ears. Then, rub your hands together and inhale the remaining oil. For me, the awakening effects last about a half an hour.

3. Take a short walk

Sometimes while I sit on the couch I think about my need to regain energy, and I know if I just took a quick walk around the block I would feel better. Obviously, this is much easier said than done. Give yourself a countdown from 10 to get up, sometimes that's the extra boost you need.

4. Take a nap

Maybe it's the hearty Midwesterner in me, but I fight naps like you wouldn't believe. Something deep inside me tells me it's a waste of time. But in reality the opposite is true. If you lay down for a twenty-minute siesta, you will accomplish much more after the nap.

5. Do a few sun salutations

Traditionally in yoga, sun salutations are done first thing in the morning to wake you up and prepare for the day ahead. This is an excellent practice; however, they can be used throughout the day to create a spurt of energy. I do what are called "half suns." Here is a how to link.

6. Listen to upbeat music

Don't confuse "upbeat music: with "good music." They are two very different things. I love Bob Marley, but "Three Little Birds" is not going to make me jump out of my chair and do a load of laundry. Make a playlist of upbeat pop songs. A good example is "I Love It" by Icona Pop. It's not high art, but when you hear it you can't help but move. Even when you think the playlist won't work, press play and see what happens.  

7. Do an activity you love

We often put off the things we love to do, because want to get the "shoulds" out of the way first. When you lack energy and willpower, doing things you don't want to do will be incredibly challenging, if not impossible. Ask yourself, if I could do anything in the world right now what would I do? Maybe it's play guitar or finish your most recent knitting project. Experiment and see if you have enough energy to do that one thing – after you finish you may even want to do more.

8. Try acupuncture

The ancient art of Chinese medicine focuses on unblocking your "chi" (your life force), so your body can come into balance. After I get acupuncture, I feel a quiet invigoration that gets me through the rest of the day.  

9. Change your expectations

I'm a self-described "doer," easily bored and goal oriented. Let's just say checklists are my friend. Most days there is a difference between what I want to do and what I'm able to do. Create your "to do" list based on your energy level for the day. You will feel the same level of accomplishment if your cross 5 items off your "to do" list as 15.

10. Don't spend all your spoons in one place

Have you ever had the experience where you go out with a group of friends and you are the life of the party - you use animated facial expressions and do all the talking, you may even feel completely energized - only to crash into a pile of mush the second your friends are out of sight? If so, I'm with ya. When I'm spending time with friends I slip into "fake it" mode and turn up the charm and exuberance. Sometimes when I get home from those experiences I feel physically nauseous and I say to myself, "next time I won't expend so much energy." This is something I'm still working on. I'm trying to remember I have a limited number of spoons, and while being my old jolly self is fun in the moment, I might want to dial it back a little for the sake of my health.

11. Remember tomorrow is another day

It often feels like life is passing us by. Another day goes by with little or nothing accomplished. I've heard people say that they feel lazy, but you're not lazy, you're sick. If you were lazy it wouldn't bother you so much. If you are too tired to do something today, you may wake up with a little more energy tomorrow and if you don't, you don't. Someday is right around the corner.

Let's face it - the fatigue isn't going anywhere for a while. Your body is fighting a difficult battle and it needs to focus on the task at hand. But with Lyme the battle is harder on some days than others. Give yourself the time and space you need to heal and the energy pathways will eventually start to flow.

"Don't look at your feet to see if you're doing it right. Just dance." - Anne Lamott

Detox was a relatively new concept to me when I was diagnosed with Lyme. Aside from an ill-fated three day juice cleanse I bought on Groupon, I'd never detoxed before. 

I wrote this post for Lymeology to learn about the different options. Some are easy and nonthreatening and others require a little money or bravery. I plan to keep and open mind and see which strategies are the best fit for me. 

Click below to read the post: 

A to Z Guide to Lyme Detox 

Of all the detox methods I've tried, my hands down favorite is Epsom salt baths. I use these salts with 3 drops of this lavender essential oil. 

What is your favorite or most effective way to detox? 

​"Don't underestimate the powers of an open mind. A lot of people are concerned with staying physically young; while that's appealing, I'm more interested in maintaining my curiosity." - Diablo Cody