Thank you for saying this, "I am grateful that this vigilance is helping me move into the future with better overall health so that when there is really no alternative to taking a drug temporarily, I will be strong enough to weather its deleterious effects."

For me, my decision to not start the antibiotics suggested by Tyler has much to do with what you said and at age 82 and 3 1/2 months of age. This is my first chronic illness.

In looking back I believe I have had the infection since 2017, or prior, because I was needing to clear my throat of a substance each morning for a short time in the mornings and there were days that I brought up a small mucus head that was deeper, much deeper, in color than what comes up now after starting the routine for BE/MAI including air way clearance.
All during that time from approximately 2017 and now I have overall felt well and traveled to Europe 2 times. My worst experience was the 2018 flight return to the USA due to the dry air of the airplane and the painful sensation in the airways of the nostrils. My history of dehydration was due to my not listening and practicing the guidelines of drinking enough water.
During 2020 I was also at my worst in terms of my immune system due to allowing myself to let it weaken due to all I was not doing for myself during a horrendous period of stress with the settling an estate and the Covid precautions I put into practice including masking. However just before we were told to mask I blew dry leaves away from the foundation of my home, without a mask, and it was shortly after that when things took a turn. Needing to clear my throat gradually worsened to what it is today. This is my worst problem, having to constantly clear my throat which could be related to the small hiatal hernia that NJH found in Oct. of 2023.
I did not have Covid until 2024 (went to local pulmonary rehab for 3 days, no one was required to mask, and by the third day Covid diagnosis) and the effects of Covid lasted for less than a week without taking a full routine of Paxlovid. At the time of the Covid diagnosis in 2024 I had been back on my no processed foods diet etc. and drinking the water I needed.

Again, we are all different and different philosophies abound in all things, be it personally, or with the medical professionals etc. etc. . and as well, we all have different systems, genes etc. and health problems that require adjustments and deep thinking to help ourselves.

Wishing all of us to find our way to the best way to take care of ourselves and live our best life.
Barbara