**NOTE: most of the above donation balance is from around 1.5-2 years ago during my first round of treatment. My doctor has prescribed a new protocol that’s going to run $1,500-$1,800 a month. Any and all donations help. Please share if you can.**

My name is Whitney W., and I have chronic Lyme disease. Chronic Lyme Disease has an array of associated symptoms. Here's a list of just some of mine:

Full body pain
Overall stiffness
Severe fatigue
Muscle fatigue, weak muscles
Out of breath at light activity
Microspasms along spine
Spine pain
Burning in muscles to the side of my spine
Restless spine and core
Restless legs
Pain that radiates down leg and is amplified in joints
Tingling/numbness in limbs and glutes
Burning sensation in skin, tender to touch
Daily headaches (sometimes tension, deep headaches with pain behind eye)
Heart palpitations
Easily increased heartrate with anxiety
Dizzy spells/vertigo
Increase in clumsiness
Ringing in ears
Brain fog
Easily overwhelmed
Can't handle multitasking

The full list of symptoms is much longer. I began having the new neurological symptoms early this year, but a bad flare up hit me on Easter, and it hasn’t let up since. Currently, I can't walk for more than about 10 minutes without a cane and anything above light activity is out of the question.

As the CDC still does not recognize Lyme disease as being the cause for the associated autoimmune response that happens in the body, there is still controversy surrounding Lyme disease, and insurance companies will not cover associated costs.

I am in the process of trying to get a diagnosis for the neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms I've been having. While insurance would typically cover at least a portion of the diagnostic costs with the neurologist and GI doc, my insurance doesn't cover anything until I reach my deductible, which is high. And again, anything I pay towards my Lyme treatment doesn't go towards my deductible since it's not covered.

With the increase in medical visits, medicines, and physical therapy sessions I need, I've been financially struggling to make all ends meet. The cost for the recommended treatment for my Chronic Lyme Disease and therapies to help ease some of the associated symptoms is over $2,500 a month. I'm hoping to find a more long term solution for the financial burden, but for now, I'm asking for your help. Absolutely anything you can contribute helps. I appreciate you being here. Thank you.

Dallas