Please Help Ewelina Fight Lyme Disease

PLEASE HELP EWELINA FIGHT LYME DISEASE

We are asking for your help to raise money to save Ewelina’s life. Ewelina needs to go to Germany for specialist Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease treatment not available in the UK.

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My dear friend Beti, from Poland, has lived and worked hard in the UK for 20 years.  Her 25 year old daughter, Ewelina, was only diagnosed with Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease (details below) 3 years ago, but has suffered the symptoms for over 10 years before doctors finally reached their diagnosis.  

Before Lyme Disease, Ewelina was a normal, active girl. Her passion was horse riding, and dancing, and she loved to run. She misses the freedom that she used to have before she became too ill to exercise, spend time with her friends and to be independent. Ewelina was working as a hairdresser, but is now so poorly that she is unable to work, is in constant pain, and is completely reliant on Beti.

In the years that it has taken to discover that Ewelina has Lyme Disease, Beti has spent all her savings on treatments for Ewelina for mis-diagnosed symptoms.  Because of the length of time to diagnose Ewelina her symptoms are now very serious. Not only is she trying to live daily with the pain, memory loss and nausea, but the illness is now affecting her heart (Lyme Carditis, which can be fatal - details below).

There is now no money left to fund treatment for Lyme Disease as, sadly, it can not be treated in the UK. Beti has done her research and she will need to take Ewelina to Germany to have her treated privately.


Beti has enquired about costs and the 12 month treatment (including a 2 week stay in hospital) will cost £21,640.

In addition to the amount for the treatment, we are trying to raise up to £25,000 to get Beti and Ewelina out of debt, pay for Ewelina’s current treatment, and transport costs for them both to travel/stay in Germany during the Infusio treatment.

Below are the details of the Infusio Lyme disease Program, in Germany .

I can promise you that Beti is trying so hard to work for the money to keep both their heads above water, and keep staying positive for Ewelina. She works all hours as a cleaner, and even her own health is suffering from the stress, and constant pressure of having to find money for all Ewelina’s medical bills, let alone their normal living expenses.  


We are incredibly grateful that you have taken the time to read about their plight, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any donation that you are able to give.


Thank you

Emma 

(Beti and Ewelina’s friend)


INFUSIO LYME DISEASE PROGRAM:

The clinic in Germany is called Infusio, and has developed a specialist programme to treat Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease.  Details of what is included in this treatment can be found on the website:

https://www.infusio.org/programs/lyme-disease-treatment/


The treatment involves a 4 step programme over a period of 12 months, and she would need to travel to Germany twice during the 12 months. 

STAGE 1:

Ewelina would go to Germany for 2 weeks to be assessed at the Infusio Clinic, and have all the tests done that are necessary to devise a programme for her treatment.

STAGE 2:

She would then come home for 4 months to continue home based treatment. She would have regular contact with the doctors during this period.

STAGE 3:

Ewelina would go back for a 2nd visit (4 days) to the Infusio Clinic to check her progress. She would then continue home based treatment for the remainder of this stage.

STAGE 4:

The home care support program continues for another 7 months approximately, and Ewelina will be advised re supplements and any other supportive measure needed.



WHAT IS LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. 
Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans (EM). 
If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. 
Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.  
Most cases of Lyme disease, if caught early enough, can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. 
Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, and reducing tick habitat. 
The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tickborne diseases as well.


SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE

Later Signs and Symptoms (days to months after tick bite):

Severe headaches and neck stiffness
Additional EM rashes on other areas of the body
Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly the knees and other large joints.
Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)
Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat (Lyme carditis)
Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Nerve pain
Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
Problems with short-term memory


LYME CARDITIS

What it is and what the symptoms are:

Lyme carditis occurs when Lyme disease bacteria enter the tissues of the heart. This can interfere with the normal movement of electrical signals from the heart’s upper to lower chambers, a process that coordinates the beating of the heart. The result is something physicians call “heart block,” which can be mild, moderate, or severe. Heart block from Lyme carditis can progress rapidly.
Patients may experience light-headedness, fainting, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, or chest pain. Patients with Lyme carditis usually have other symptoms such as fever and body aches, and they may have more specific symptoms of Lyme disease, such as the erythema migrans rash. 
Lyme carditis can be treated with oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics, depending on how severe it is. Some patients might need a temporary pacemaker.
Lyme carditis can be fatal.