Help Beth Battle Lyme Disease
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Since she was young, my wife, Beth, has always been a type-a, go-getter, full of energy and always moving. She was a competitive athlete, excelling at nearly every sport, especially basketball. She gets embarrassed when I brag about her basketball days! But in 2011, her life would change in a devastating and unexpected way. She was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease.
One morning she woke up with a terrible fever, an intense migraine from the back of her neck to the top of her skull, extreme light sensitivity and swollen lymph nodes. The pain was so severe she ultimately ended up in the Emergency Room. They sent her home suggesting she had a virus. The pain never went stopped. After four trips and no diagnosis, she demanded that the doctor give her answers. He finally ran some tests, including the Western Blot Test. In early 2011 she was ultimately diagnosed with Lyme. At the time, she was relieved and thrilled to finally have a diagnosis and receive treatment. The doctor prescribed one month of antibiotics and assured her that would be the end. Hallelujah! During treatment, many of her symptoms began to subsided. But the month passed and the fatigue continued and the migraines resurfaced. Soon the light sensitivity followed and the anxiety set in. The doctor assured her all this was coincidental.
These symptoms continued to affect her, but she began to accept them as normalcy. And she did a great job of hiding her pain for several years.
Things took a turn for the worse while she was pregnant with our fourth child, Ezra. During her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos Autoimmune Disorder. She got on meds and we drastically changed our diet to an autoimmune protocol. We felt hope and did everything we could to attack what we thought were causes not symptoms. But things did not get better. Her doctor later told us that it was a miracle Ezra was able to survive in her condition.
Her fatigue became so extreme that she would spend 18-20 hours in bed. She began to experience neurological symptoms, brain fog, depression, tremors, joint pain, the list goes on. Desperate for answers, we began doing our own research and learned about Chronic Lyme Disease. A doctor confirmed through testing that the Lyme was still present along with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other Co-Infections.
Great news, right? We have answers! Unfortunately, few doctors treat Chronic Lyme. Worse, most Lyme Literate Doctors don't accept our insurance to cover any of the treatment that she desperately needs. We have already racked up thousands of dollars just to get a diagnosis.
But right now Beth's anxiety is through the roof. Two weeks ago she developed severe tinnitus (ringing in the ears). She did not eat or sleep for a week. She became severely depressed and even experienced thoughts of suicide. Though she is strong and persevering, she is more desperate than ever to get the proper treatment and finally put this in remission.
Her fear of the financial toll her treatment will place on us overwhelms her even more. Those that know Beth, know she would give you the shirt off her back. She is always thinking of others and has a heart of giving not of receiving. But she needs this treatment desperately and this is our last resort.
She was this great athlete and now she spends all her time on the sidelines watching life pass by. Just now she told me all she wants is to be able to function normally. She wants to have the energy to play with her kids, to get involved in church and serve others, to cook dinner for her family, to graduate from college (in addition to being a mother of four, she is a full time college student working on getting her teaching degree).
We have found a Lyme Literate Doctor in Georgia and scheduled an appointment for her to begin treatment on March 8th.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us during this time.
One morning she woke up with a terrible fever, an intense migraine from the back of her neck to the top of her skull, extreme light sensitivity and swollen lymph nodes. The pain was so severe she ultimately ended up in the Emergency Room. They sent her home suggesting she had a virus. The pain never went stopped. After four trips and no diagnosis, she demanded that the doctor give her answers. He finally ran some tests, including the Western Blot Test. In early 2011 she was ultimately diagnosed with Lyme. At the time, she was relieved and thrilled to finally have a diagnosis and receive treatment. The doctor prescribed one month of antibiotics and assured her that would be the end. Hallelujah! During treatment, many of her symptoms began to subsided. But the month passed and the fatigue continued and the migraines resurfaced. Soon the light sensitivity followed and the anxiety set in. The doctor assured her all this was coincidental.
These symptoms continued to affect her, but she began to accept them as normalcy. And she did a great job of hiding her pain for several years.
Things took a turn for the worse while she was pregnant with our fourth child, Ezra. During her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos Autoimmune Disorder. She got on meds and we drastically changed our diet to an autoimmune protocol. We felt hope and did everything we could to attack what we thought were causes not symptoms. But things did not get better. Her doctor later told us that it was a miracle Ezra was able to survive in her condition.
Her fatigue became so extreme that she would spend 18-20 hours in bed. She began to experience neurological symptoms, brain fog, depression, tremors, joint pain, the list goes on. Desperate for answers, we began doing our own research and learned about Chronic Lyme Disease. A doctor confirmed through testing that the Lyme was still present along with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other Co-Infections.
Great news, right? We have answers! Unfortunately, few doctors treat Chronic Lyme. Worse, most Lyme Literate Doctors don't accept our insurance to cover any of the treatment that she desperately needs. We have already racked up thousands of dollars just to get a diagnosis.
But right now Beth's anxiety is through the roof. Two weeks ago she developed severe tinnitus (ringing in the ears). She did not eat or sleep for a week. She became severely depressed and even experienced thoughts of suicide. Though she is strong and persevering, she is more desperate than ever to get the proper treatment and finally put this in remission.
Her fear of the financial toll her treatment will place on us overwhelms her even more. Those that know Beth, know she would give you the shirt off her back. She is always thinking of others and has a heart of giving not of receiving. But she needs this treatment desperately and this is our last resort.
She was this great athlete and now she spends all her time on the sidelines watching life pass by. Just now she told me all she wants is to be able to function normally. She wants to have the energy to play with her kids, to get involved in church and serve others, to cook dinner for her family, to graduate from college (in addition to being a mother of four, she is a full time college student working on getting her teaching degree).
We have found a Lyme Literate Doctor in Georgia and scheduled an appointment for her to begin treatment on March 8th.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us during this time.
Organizer
Beth Williamson
Organizer
Harrison, TN
