Help Anne Kick Lyme's Butt!
Donation protected
Hello everyone!
Thank you for visiting my page. My name is Anne, and I enjoy sunshine, coffee, and swimming. More relevantly, I'm currently battling Lyme neuroborreliosis, the fancy name for the neurological manifestation of Lyme disease. Please click on the video (coming soon!) to hear me talk about my personal journey, and continue reading to learn about where I am currently.
If you want a picture of me and and my mom, here you go!
In January of 2015, I began intravenous antibiotics and other supportive therapies. I am considered a "complicated" patient due to other medical factors impeding my wellness. I also have Babesia and Bartonella (co-infections that came along from the ticks), as well as severe gluten enteropathy (Celiac disease), psoriasis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, mold allergies, toxic metal overload, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, and a few other complications that make treatment difficult. Needless to say, it has been a long process and my treatment team has worked hard to try new treatments.
A few days after surgery for my port-a cath. Don't worry, it looks better :)
My symptoms currently include neurological episodes, muscle pain and weakness, abdominal pain, brain fog, loss of focus, low blood pressure, migraines, lightheadedness, and occasional speech and movement difficulties.
Currently the most debilitating symptoms are reccurent seizures; they can occur multiple times a day and can be triggered by small things such as the sound of an airplane flying overhead. According to the doctors, the origin of the seizures are believed to be related to inflammation from the disease process. The seizures have been increasing in magnitude and frequency, making my situation is more urgent as it is a major impediment to move towards healing.
Unfortunately, the expenses to treat these diseases are expensive. Out of pocket, I have already paid $30,000. Per doctor's orders, I have been unable to work since 2015 and have used up my savings. There are very few doctors in the region who understand how to treat Lyme disease, making seeking treatment even more costly. Many insurance providers also don't comprehend the nature of Lyme; in fact, I've found myself in the middle of multiple appeals processes to get coverage for needed tests and treatment. Currently, for example, I am appealing $9,000 with my insurance for a SPECT scan to make sure that blood flows to all parts of my brain.
I realize the amount I am asking for is signficant, but this is where the funds are allocated towards:
• Insurance premiums
• Office visits with Lyme-literate doctors (often out of network or not accepting insurance)
• Medications not covered by insurance
• Medical supplies
• IV nutrients
• Therapy, massage, acupuncture
• Experimental treatment
• Transportation costs
• Supplements
A few times I've dropped my pills and supplements on the ground - thank goodness this was only half a week to re-organize!
I've been as resourceful as I can about my fight and will not let Lyme disease get the best of me. Despite this disease, I have been working my butt off to get my master's degree to teach middle school science. I have devoted the majority of my time outside treatment to my studies and making sure I have a future after Lyme. Because the nature of my Lyme disease, I understand that I am working towards remission and not a cure. Still, I want to heal in order to create an impact in the classroom for a new generation of student learners who can think critically about science (and *ahem* Lyme disease).
Wear your safety googles when conducting experiments.
My healthcare team is working hard to get me to where I'm having more good days than bad, so I really appreciate all the support from my incredible community of family and friends who have already given so much encouragment already. Even if you can't contribute, I always appreciate prayers/thoughts/good vibes for healing my direction. Feel free to pass this on in Facebook and in your community!
Anything you can give would mean so much. A person's health is the best gift they could ever receive.
Also, please use this as a public service announcement to become more Lyme literate yourself and within your community! Consider looking into these resources to learn more about Lyme disease:
An overview of Lyme Disease
Extended trailer from "Under Our Skin," a Lyme documentary
Thank you!
— Anne
Thank you for visiting my page. My name is Anne, and I enjoy sunshine, coffee, and swimming. More relevantly, I'm currently battling Lyme neuroborreliosis, the fancy name for the neurological manifestation of Lyme disease. Please click on the video (coming soon!) to hear me talk about my personal journey, and continue reading to learn about where I am currently.
If you want a picture of me and and my mom, here you go!In January of 2015, I began intravenous antibiotics and other supportive therapies. I am considered a "complicated" patient due to other medical factors impeding my wellness. I also have Babesia and Bartonella (co-infections that came along from the ticks), as well as severe gluten enteropathy (Celiac disease), psoriasis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, mold allergies, toxic metal overload, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, and a few other complications that make treatment difficult. Needless to say, it has been a long process and my treatment team has worked hard to try new treatments.
A few days after surgery for my port-a cath. Don't worry, it looks better :)My symptoms currently include neurological episodes, muscle pain and weakness, abdominal pain, brain fog, loss of focus, low blood pressure, migraines, lightheadedness, and occasional speech and movement difficulties.
Currently the most debilitating symptoms are reccurent seizures; they can occur multiple times a day and can be triggered by small things such as the sound of an airplane flying overhead. According to the doctors, the origin of the seizures are believed to be related to inflammation from the disease process. The seizures have been increasing in magnitude and frequency, making my situation is more urgent as it is a major impediment to move towards healing.
Unfortunately, the expenses to treat these diseases are expensive. Out of pocket, I have already paid $30,000. Per doctor's orders, I have been unable to work since 2015 and have used up my savings. There are very few doctors in the region who understand how to treat Lyme disease, making seeking treatment even more costly. Many insurance providers also don't comprehend the nature of Lyme; in fact, I've found myself in the middle of multiple appeals processes to get coverage for needed tests and treatment. Currently, for example, I am appealing $9,000 with my insurance for a SPECT scan to make sure that blood flows to all parts of my brain.
I realize the amount I am asking for is signficant, but this is where the funds are allocated towards:
• Insurance premiums
• Office visits with Lyme-literate doctors (often out of network or not accepting insurance)
• Medications not covered by insurance
• Medical supplies
• IV nutrients
• Therapy, massage, acupuncture
• Experimental treatment
• Transportation costs
• Supplements
A few times I've dropped my pills and supplements on the ground - thank goodness this was only half a week to re-organize!I've been as resourceful as I can about my fight and will not let Lyme disease get the best of me. Despite this disease, I have been working my butt off to get my master's degree to teach middle school science. I have devoted the majority of my time outside treatment to my studies and making sure I have a future after Lyme. Because the nature of my Lyme disease, I understand that I am working towards remission and not a cure. Still, I want to heal in order to create an impact in the classroom for a new generation of student learners who can think critically about science (and *ahem* Lyme disease).
Wear your safety googles when conducting experiments. My healthcare team is working hard to get me to where I'm having more good days than bad, so I really appreciate all the support from my incredible community of family and friends who have already given so much encouragment already. Even if you can't contribute, I always appreciate prayers/thoughts/good vibes for healing my direction. Feel free to pass this on in Facebook and in your community!
Anything you can give would mean so much. A person's health is the best gift they could ever receive.
Also, please use this as a public service announcement to become more Lyme literate yourself and within your community! Consider looking into these resources to learn more about Lyme disease:
An overview of Lyme Disease
Extended trailer from "Under Our Skin," a Lyme documentary
Thank you!
— Anne
Organizer
Anne Riordan
Organizer
Edmonds, WA
