Shenanigans Crossing Borders

Some people have asked, and it feels appropriate to give an update.

How does Elyce feel?

This is a loaded question.

Emotionally, I am spent, excited, intrigued, reluctant, afraid, happy and everything else.

Physically, it is a bit of everything as well.

Looking at me from an outsiders’ perspective, you would think I am 100% recovered (never having dealt with a life-threatening neuro-invasive disease 17 months ago). For context, in September of 2024, I was stricken with West Nile Virus, and developed Meningoencephalitis (it is a serious, often life-threatening inflammation of both the brain parenchyma [functional tissue in the ole noggin] and its protective membranes [aka meninges]). I suffered from super high prolonged fevers, severe headaches, stiff neck, and altered mental status. I spent 6 weeks in a hospital and remember none of it.

The doctors said recovery from West Nile could take between 6-18 months.

17 months later and I am not 100%.

My new normal is not 100% of before.

• My balance is still a little off
• My vision still has its moments
• I get dizzy if I move too fast,
• I struggle to recall some words (though it is not clear if this is part of the recovery or perimenopause?),
• Lack of focus
• Loud noises for any length of time cause my body to shut down. (I know the youngest three children don’t help this).

Am I relying on JP a lot? Yes, I am.

Is that causing stress? Yes it does.

Are we making it work? Yes we are!

We are in a partnership and this is what you do.

Sometimes the jokes and humor may be a little crass…sometimes annoying…sometimes dark. But we are both here to support each other, and though he hates to admit it, he likes making sure I can still ensure I can put up a fight!

So…why did we still decide to travel?

Why not?

The doctors didn’t care (well, maybe the G.I. does). And JP was able to negotiate travel while working (digital global nomad).

But most importantly: we have talked about this for years, and we are finally in a place where it is actually possible.

So we are doing it.

Is it tough being not fully capable? You betcha!

I have not worked out, like truly worked out in a gym, for nearly 17 months. And I am feeling it.

I am stiff and slow moving, but still doing it.

Are the memories we are making worth it?

1,000,000%

I wouldn’t give this up for anything.

We love the small towns we have been staying in.

They are much easier for me to function, taking walks, being able to hear what is happening around me (no more hearing aids [for now]) and working on regaining the parts of my life that were temporarily lost.

We know that it’s a long road to recovery and the fact that I felt I could travel says a lot.

Not every day is great for me (physically or mentally). There are bad days and worse, good days and mad. Yet almost every day I notice something that in the Fall/Winter of 2024/2025, in the throes of my initial hospitalization and immediate recovery, activities I could not do, things that I can do now. This is a reminder of how far we have come.

Every day is a blessing, even if it is hard to see it in the moment.