Catherine has chronic Lyme Disease for the past 9 years and needs to go to Germany in early May 2021, to receive many rounds of bloodwork to see where her body is at in regards to her fight against this disease. She will then receive intense stem cell, detox, and immune-boosting treatments. Lyme can be beat with a strong or healthy immune system and the right supporting treatment, but hers has been fighting too hard for too long so the typical routes offered in Canada are not working.  With all available Canadian treatment options exhausted, she made the decision to go to Germany.

Your donation helps get her the necessary intensive treatments in Germany and if our goal is reached will also help pay for her housing and food while she is there. If you are unable to make monetary donations, we greatly appreciate you spreading the word to your family, friends and network by sharing the link.

Please read her story below:

"It all started approximately 9 years ago. The neck pain. Severe headaches. So much pressure in my head that I would black out. One day I was driving home from work, I had to pull over. I don’t remember for how long but I was crying from the pain and pressure in my head. I was sure I was going to die right there. I thought I was having a stroke. That wasn’t the first time that happened and certainly wasn’t the last. I would also get swelling in my face. Pain in my ears and jaw. Pain throughout my body. Blurry vision. My legs feel heavy and clumsy sometimes I have a lot of difficulty to get up the stairs, even going down a stairs is scary at times, because I feel like my legs will give out on me. I had steady ringing in the ears for a full year NON STOP. It would drive me absolutely nuts. It was this high pitch whine all day and all night. Thankfully that never came back. Then on top of it all was the foggy brain which has never gone away. Some days it is so bad I feel like someone has drugged me up. On my bad days I cannot remember names. Words. Events. I have even had it where I would go to a store and would have to go home again because I had no idea what I was supposed to get. I have a grand piano but I hardly play because it just takes to much energy and concentration. Sore red swollen throat. So many doctor and ER visits. Never any diagnosis This all went on really strong for a year.

Then things subsided to a more tolerable level. I was able to function at almost normal levels. I always had so much energy so I buried myself into work and family life. At the time I had my six children at home and I had started a second job. Over the next 6 years I knew something was wrong but having been to so many doctors and not getting a diagnosis I thought to ignore what was going on. At one point I was working 4 jobs. Going to the gym. Renovating my old house I had bought. I was participating in competitive dragon boat racing. I had gone through many life changes in those 6 years.

And then two years ago it all came back. All the symptoms I had before and more. Dizziness. I could barely walk a straight line. Oh let’s not forget the nausea and vomiting at any random time. Weird rashes. Muscle pain as if I had run a marathon. Terrible hair loss. Back to the doctors again. Again no diagnosis The muscle spasms that were like non stop seizures were among the worst. This lasted about three months. They would last anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. So exhausting. Not to mention how my breathing just stops when I rest. My oxygen levels go down to76%. It is so scary to say the least. The sleepless nights. Shortness of breath. Chest pain. Numbness and tingling in my arms and legs. The profuse sweating. So many Doctor visits. MRIs bloodwork etc etc finally diagnosed with Lyme disease. Then started a whole regime of meds. Some helped. Others didn’t. It’s been a roller coaster ride to say the least.

Eventually I became so weak that I can’t work anymore. I tire so easy. I have to sleep every afternoon just to get through the day. On my good days I can do a bit of work around the house. On my bad days I am good for nothing. My immune system is so done. It has no fight left. This is what Lyme disease looks like. On a good day with the help of makeup I can look decent but believe me, to attend any function I have to rest lots before hand and pay a big price afterwards. I put on a brave face and enjoy the moment. When I get home my body crashes. The nausea. The extra pain. The utter exhaustion that I cannot even explain.

With Lyme you always feel so alone. No answers from the doctors. You always have to advocate for yourself. The treatments needed are not available in Canada."