When Life Gives You Lymes

                                                When Life Gives You Lymes

For those who prefer CliffsNotes:  Shelby is a 25 year old NICU RN who has recently been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.  She is suffering debilitating pain as well as multiple symptoms suggestive of tissue damage and immune compromise related to this disease.  Her recovery could be anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on the extent of the disease’s damage to her body.  Over a month has passed since her initial symptoms appeared, and she continues to be denied clearance to work due to her illness.  Pressured by their financial future as well as inadequate insurance coverage, Shelby and her fiancé, Ryan, have decided to deny themselves their dream wedding for  prompt, understated nuptials.  At this time she needs the support of those willing to provide information, medical resources, and/or donate money to help provide treatment and assistance towards her medical recovery in this time of crisis.

Those who favor a brief novella of her recent challenges, continue onward.

Once Upon a Time...in a green-belted mountainous land, lived a stunningly tall, fit, beautiful young woman.  Shelby draws your attention, not only because she is smart, quick of wit, or easily outgoing.  These traits she possess in mass quantities, but her most powerful charms are her beautiful smile, her giving heart, and her untamed love of people and nature.  She is:  a talented NICU nurse, a chaser of rainbows/sparkly things/happiness, an enthusiast of fitness/learning/growing, a fierce lover of her cats, an outstanding sister/daughter/fiancé/friend, and has been known to be indecently spirited at times.  She comes alive when she is in her element: outside pursuing the call of the wild.

Perhaps the journey that lead to Shelby’s rollercoaster of medical exacerbations can be pinpointed to June 1, 2016.  It was another sunny, beautiful day, perfect for a day of hiking in Yakima’s Bumping Lake.  All was well until an unwelcome guest perched upon her arm, a tick!  Ready to launch an attack, the tick’s devious plan was thwarted by a bug crushing blow that robbed the unsuspecting insect of his meal...or so Shelby thought.  No signs of a bite were to be found, the wicked tick was dead, and life continued without a second thought to the incident.

On with her life, Shelby and her fiancé, Ryan, began their epic three week road trip on June 10th, to visit family and friends in Idaho, enjoy the thrills Vegas has to offer, and explore the beauty of Yosemite.  Twelve days later, while basking in the raw talent of some of nature’s best work in Yosemite, they camped and rafted their way through areas known to be inhabited by ticks.  Maybe this excursion is the pivotal moment that would later change her life.  Nobody will know for certain.  During her adventures, she received devastating news that her sweet fur baby, Pippin, who was thought to be on the mend, had taken a turn for the worse.  Despite all efforts to preserve his life, he was unable to wait for Shelby and Ryan’s return, and was lovingly laid to rest.

Their vacation cut short by the premature loss of Pippin, the despairing couple headed home to mourn their loss and comfort Pippin’s fur brother, Nigel.  By June 28th, Shelby began feeling flu-like symptoms: fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, all leading to a 15 pound unintended weight loss.  She has since been to the ER 7 times with these and numerous other symptoms, and was finally admitted on July 11th to ICU with septic shock and gastroenteritis.  Her treatments included:  central line placement, multiple antibiotics, vasopressors, pain management, fluid maintenance, and countless tests via CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds, and samples of blood/urine/stool/spinal fluids.  Her doctors diagnosed her with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) caused by a viral sepsis of unknown type or origin.

Finally thought to be properly diagnosed, Shelby was discharged from the hospital, and began the arduous climb up the mountain to recovery. She was sent home on multiple medications to treat her sepsis, only to be slapped with the grossly expensive sticker prices for the antibiotics that were prescribed to her for a minimum of 3 weeks.  In addition, the medical bills started to loom over her head with thoughts of her many hospital visits, multiple expensive procedures, as well as the stress of not being cleared for work.  Although the financial burdens began to rear, she continued to focus on reclaiming her health and life.  This was no easy feat given her struggles with a host of unpleasant signs and symptoms:  overwhelming joint pain, chest pain, nerve pain, migraines, fatigue, shortness of breath, abnormally low heart rate, poor stamina, weakness, insomnia, water retention, poor appetite, difficulty concentrating, a bout of oral thrush from the prescribed antibiotics, as well as her initial chief complaints of flu-like symptoms.  

July 19th marks the day that Shelby finally came to know what was truly going on inside her body.  With a preliminary positive test, the doctors ordered a final test which confirmed the diagnosis of Lyme Disease.  For many who are exposed to a tick bite, there will be no symptoms, as most ticks aren’t disease carriers.  However, for the unfortunate who are infected by these pests, one well known illness spread by the tick is Lyme Disease.  While it can be easily treated, it is not familiar ground for most physicians in the Pacific NorthWest, as it is a very rare occurrence in this part of the country.  To put it in perspective, the CDC’s most recent statistics of 2014 revealed, of the nation’s 25,359 confirmed cases of Lyme Disease, only 8 were cited in Washington State.  The anomalous occurrence, coupled with the fact that Shelby did not present with the classic bull’s-eye rash, made the diagnosis a challenge.  Despite these odds, one nurse took note of Shelby’s many vague symptoms that hinted toward the disease, and made a stand for her patient.  This nurse was adamant that her patient be screened for Lyme Disease. If this intelligent, insightful woman had not advocated and pushed for this test, it’s anyone’s guess how long it could have taken for the medical staff to reach the true diagnosis.  A great many thanks and a round of applause are owed to this nurse for the knowledge, perseverance, and dedication she displays in her work and with her patients.

Because Shelby’s exposure cannot be determined, there is uncertainty if her treatment was started before long term effects could be prevented.  These ailments are not to be taken lightly, as they can have serious, life altering complications (click CDC link for further information http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/index.html).  On top of her current worries, there are studies that suggest a direct correlation between people with Lyme Disease and Lymphoma later in life.  On the bright side, the initial treatment Shelby was prescribed for her PID happens to be the same antibiotic used to treat Lyme Disease, so fingers are crossed that the treatment was started early enough to stave off the complications that are feared.

Overwhelmed by her fragile health, an unexpected diagnosis, depleted savings, and mounting bills, Shelby began to reach out to her friends and cohorts of the medical community for advice and assistance.  She was flooded with support, well wishes, prayers and many people willing to share their expertise and medical knowledge.  After a gracious courtesy consult with a pediatric neurologist, she was encouraged to have an urgent MRI of her brain and lumbar puncture (LP) due to the neurologic symptoms she was experiencing.  

On July 21st, after twelve hours of waiting in the ER, Shelby underwent her second MRI as well as the suggested LP to check for meningitis.  Thankfully her MRI was normal and the LP showed no signs of meningitis.  Days later, she is still suffering excruciating pain and migraines from the LP, and while a procedure can be done to “patch” the pain, her complex medical situation disqualified her from receiving this treatment.  She is now on pain medication and a week’s worth of bedrest.

At this point Shelby is going to be working very closely with multiple specialists to include but not limited to: the CDC, Primary Care, Neurology, Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Hematology and Oncology.  She is not cleared for work at this point in her recovery, as she is still suffering the acute effects from Lyme Disease.  Our hope is that she will find 100% recovery of her life and health, but due to the long lasting effects of the disease, along with the specialized treatment she will undergo, Shelby now faces the financial burdens that come with this disease.  

Sadly, despite being a medical professional and having insurance, she is still engulfed by the overwhelming costs of medical care.  She was extremely adamant that she would not take monetary assistance from anyone, but has been quickly overtaken by the battle she braves, and has since realized the fight won’t be won alone.  Together we can help raise Shelby back to her feet, to once again, be the vivacious, adventurous, hardworking woman she strives to be every day.

This illness has forced Ryan and Shelby to come together in an unexpected fashion, as their hands have been forced together...to expedite their wedding.  The couple will sacrifice their perfect dream day, in order to maintain a financial foothold, while making sure she remains insured.  No extravagance will be noted when these two exchange vows, as they are choosing to forego the expected formal ceremony.  A frugal display of love united and simple elegance will be witnessed by a close circle of family and friends...and with our help, They Will Live Happily Ever After.