The fight against Lyme disease
I am 20 years old and was diagnosed with Lyme disease.
I have had Lyme disease since around the time that I was 10 years old. For the past 10 years I have gone undiagnosed and untreated. May 2012 was when i was finally diagnosed.
Doctors believe that I was infected twice because of how my blood work reads. Every month I have to fly up to New York to see my Lyme literate doctor. In November is when I was told that I have Babesia and Bartonella which are two co-infections to this disease. November I also found out that in January i will have to get a PICC line placed and give myself infusions every day for a minimum of four months (because i have been sick for so long the time frame of IV therapy is not clear at this point).
Being sick, as far back as I can remember was nothing out of the norm. Unfortunately, after so many years it has really taken a toll on me mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially.
At this time I am unable to work and live with my parents. They have supported and have helped take care of me at the times that i could not take care of myself. The burden, though, of financial strain is far from easy.
I want to give you guys some examples of the struggles. I am always exhausted (many times to point where i feel that i don't have the strength to get out of bed), night sweats, severe joint pain (rheumatoid arthritis), restless leg syndrom, sharp pains in my eyes that go to the back of my head, loss of feeling in legs, insomnia, stiff neck, the feeling of my whole body being covered in bruises, heart issues, thyroid issues and lastly brain fog. Brain fog is what affects my ability to think normally, I am more likely to be confused, and my reading skills have reduced. This can also cause speech patterns to change which happened in June 2012 (I was admitted into the Baptist Children's hospital in Miami, Fl). Walking even a block down the street causes extreme pain in my back and legs, and after i don't have full control of my legs. When this happens I have to walk with a cane. The other night I had to walk up a set of stairs and even though i had my cane my mom stood behind me lifting my leg to help me get to the top.
Regardless of so much going wrong, I am proud to say that I am finished with two online college courses that I was taking. I have a feeling I did pretty well. Thank goodness!
What I am asking all of you for is help. Your donations would go towards my treatment. In doing so, I just might be able to lead a normal life. A life of clarity. I want to thank all of you very much and I will be forever grateful.
God bless.
http://www.lyme-symptoms.com/1Lyme-Symptoms.html
http://www.lymeinfo.net/coinfections.html
