When Normal Becomes An Adventure…

MCAS, Fireworks, Lyme and co-infections

When "Normal" Becomes an Adventure

There are moments in recovery that sneak up on you.

Not the big milestones.

The little ones.

The ones that remind you that you're living again.

This past weekend was one of those moments.

It was the Fourth of July.

The "normies" were making plans.

Boating.

Lake days.

Fireworks.

Barbecues.

Cold drinks.

Staying up way too late.

No one was talking about supplements.

No one was wondering if they'd packed enough clean water.

No one was thinking about mold exposure, parasite cleanses, nervous system regulation, or whether the bug spray was the "clean" kind.

Years ago...

That was us.

You don't realize how much mental energy good health gives you until it disappears.

Choosing Life Anyway

We were invited to a few different parties and decided to spend the evening with dear friends on the lake.

Her husband has been putting on fireworks shows since he was a kid, and knowing this was America's 250th birthday celebration, we knew he would create something spectacular.

He did not disappoint.

His wife—who somehow manages to run a busy chiropractic practice—also fed what felt like an army.

An incredible taco bar.

Great friends.

Beautiful weather.

A sunset over the bay that reminded me why Wisconsin summers are worth waiting for.

I even made one tiny "off-plan" decision.

A flour tortilla.

No alcohol.

No dessert.

Just one tortilla.

Progress, right?

Then the Mosquitoes Arrived

We started with natural bug spray.

The mosquitoes laughed.

This has been one of the worst tick and mosquito seasons we've seen in years.

Eventually, we admitted defeat and reached for picaridin.

By the end of the night, Gio and I were practically bathing in it.

Sometimes recovery is glamorous.

Sometimes it looks like aggressively defending yourself from mosquitoes.

The Fireworks

They were breathtaking.

Professional quality.

Massive.

Loud.

We happened to be sitting less than twenty feet away.

At first it was exciting.

Then I noticed Gio becoming quieter.

More tense.

By the end of the show, his nervous system had had enough.

On the drive home he was fighting what felt like the beginning of a panic attack.

My neck had tightened into a knot.

It wasn't emotional.

It wasn't psychological.

Our bodies were simply telling us...

"That's enough stimulation for one day."

So we listened.

We showered off the bug spray.

Dimmed the lights.

Focused on calming our nervous systems.

And went to bed.

The Morning After

Sunday morning we both woke up...

Off.

Not terribly sick.

Just...

Off.

Was it the tortilla?

Maybe.

Was it the fireworks?

Maybe.

Was it the chemical exposure?

Maybe.

Was it the combination of a long day, loud noise, disrupted routines, bug spray, mosquito bites, and a nervous system that had been working overtime?

Honestly...

Probably some combination of all of it.

One of the things chronic illness teaches you is that the body doesn't always respond to a single stressor.

Sometimes it's the total load that matters.

So What Did We Do?

We didn't panic.

We simply went back to the basics.

Hydration.

Fiber.

Clean food.

Rest.

Hyperbaric oxygen.

Red light therapy.

Primal Trust.

ZenBud.

The things that have helped us support recovery over time.

Because of the number of mosquito bites we received during a season when tick-borne illnesses are a concern, we also chose early treatment for potential Lyme and co-infections (acute exposure requires two antibiotics for a minimum of one month). That's not a one-size-fits-all decision, but it was the approach we felt was appropriate given our circumstances.

Recovery isn't about never having setbacks.

It's about knowing how to respond when your body asks for help.

The Biggest Lesson

There was a time when an evening like this would have made me angry.

I would have thought,

"Why can't I just be normal?"

Now?

I look at it differently.

We went.

We laughed.

We ate amazing food.

We watched one of the most incredible fireworks displays I've ever seen.

We spent time with people we love.

Did our bodies remind us that they're still healing?

Absolutely.

Will that stop us from making memories?

Absolutely not.

We'll just be a little smarter next time.

Maybe we'll sit farther away from the fireworks.

Maybe we'll pack a little extra bug spray.

Maybe we'll leave a little earlier.

Healing isn't about getting back to the exact life you had before.

It's about learning how to fully live the life you have now.

And here's what I know for sure...

Recovery isn't linear.

You'll have incredible days.

You'll have setbacks.

You'll think you've gone backward.

Then one day you'll realize you're doing things you couldn't even imagine doing a year ago.

Keep going.

Adjust.

Learn.

Recover.

Live.

Because healing isn't about perfection.

It's about refusing to quit.

And for the record...

Those fireworks were absolutely epic.

My nervous system just politely informed me that twenty feet away is a little too close. 😊🎆

What We Pack to Help Us Feel Our Best

One of the questions we get all the time is:

"What products do you actually use?"

We're not looking for perfection—we're looking for ways to reduce our body's total stress load so we can get out and enjoy life. Here's what made the cut for our Fourth of July weekend:

Takesumi Charcoal

Our favorite gentle charcoal binder. Charcoal helps bind toxins within the digestive tract so they can be eliminated rather than reabsorbed. We often use it after travel, dietary indulgences, or higher environmental exposures to give the body an extra hand.

OptiFiber Lean

One of the simplest ways to support detoxification is to make sure everything is moving well. OptiFiber Lean provides gentle fiber support to promote healthy elimination while also nourishing the gut microbiome. Healthy detox starts with healthy digestion.

Picaridin Bug Spray

Living in Wisconsin means respecting tick and mosquito season. Picaridin has become our go-to insect repellent because it provides excellent protection against ticks and mosquitoes without the greasy feel of some traditional repellents. Preventing bites is always easier than treating what they may carry.

SpringAqua Water Filtration System

Clean water is one of the foundations of health. We love our SpringAqua filtration system because it helps reduce many common contaminants, allowing us to start with the cleanest water possible every day.

YETI Water Bottles

Hydration matters—but so does what you're drinking from. We fill our insulated YETIs with our filtered water and take them everywhere. Cold, clean water makes it much easier to stay hydrated all day long.

ZenBud Vagal Nerve Stimulator

Recovery isn't just about supplements. Your nervous system plays a huge role in healing. ZenBud provides gentle stimulation to support vagal nerve function, helping shift the body toward a calmer, more restorative state. We especially like using it after travel, stressful days, or overstimulating events.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (2.2 ATA)

You all know how much we love our hyperbaric chamber. HBOT increases the amount of oxygen delivered to tissues, supporting healing, recovery, and overall cellular function. It's one of our favorite ways to recharge after travel, illness, or simply a long week.

Primal Trust

Perhaps the most important tool of all. Healing isn't only about killing infections or taking supplements—it also means teaching your nervous system that it is safe again. Primal Trust has become a regular part of our routine to help regulate stress responses, improve resilience, and support long-term recovery.

The bottom line?

Healing isn't about finding one magic supplement or one perfect treatment.

It's about consistently making choices that lower your body's total burden while increasing its capacity to heal.

Every small decision adds up.

And over time, those small decisions become your new normal. ❤️