Lyme Aid For Brenda Scott

 
WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LYME

About twenty-nine years ago my wife, Brenda, began a difficult journey. As a sixteen year old she came down with the “flu” and never got over it. She was an active young person involved in a variety of school and extra curricular activities, but because of this mysterious flu-like illness she had to finish the rest of high school from home. About two years after getting sick and numerous consults with a variety of doctors she was finally able to get a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. It was a vague and controversial diagnosis in the early 1990’s but it was at least validation that she wasn’t “crazy” or “making it up.”

As time passed, she would receive little help through conventional western medicine and decided to seek support from a Naturopathic doctor. With appropriate testing, he was able to find a number of health issues, including: hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue/exhaustion, food allergies and sensitivities, leaky gut, gut infections, nutritional deficiencies, genetic issues, neurotransmitter imbalances, hormonal imbalances, and more. Appropriate treatment for these conditions enabled her to eventually get her GED and even start taking some college classes. She was full of dreams and plans for the future but her health would prevent her from reaching them.

I met Brenda in 1997 while I was in graduate school and she was attempting to take some college classes. We had a lot in common and eventually started dating. She was friendly, kind, intelligent, and eager to pursue her dreams but her health kept getting in the way. Not long after we started dating she had to withdraw from school. Due to extreme fatigue, physical pain, brain fog, and other symptoms she was not able to function well enough to maintain involvement in college. We got married the following year and I would learn firsthand just how difficult her life really was.

There were times she was doubled over as she experienced intense pain in her adrenals and stomach; sometimes it was so painful I would rush to help her expecting her to drop to the floor. I have awakened in the night to see her rocking back and forth as she struggled through terrible headaches and nausea with little, if any, sleep. Other days she was so weak from pain and vomiting that I had to carry her from the bathroom back to bed. Once I found her crawling from one room to another because her fatigue was too great to walk the short distance. Add to that the uncertainty of not knowing how she was doing while I was at work or what state she would be in when I got home. I have come home to find her sitting in complete darkness wearing an eye mask because her eyes were so sensitive to light. Countless times I have had to massage her shoulders to help deal with her chronic headaches. Many times she would show how grateful she was by crying in my arms. It is hard to describe the level of fear, sorrow, and utter helplessness I have felt watching Brenda go through all these things or the amount of frustration we’ve felt over another treatment not working.


THE BITTER AND THE SWEET

Brenda is the most dedicated person I know and yet I am still surprised by how well she has adapted to change. Whether modifying her diet, getting rid of toxic personal care or household products, or trying another new treatment, she always worked hard to be healthy.   In addition to eating the organic autoimmune Paleo diet, Brenda maintains an extensive daily medication and supplementation regimen, uses our portable sauna for detoxing, reads countless health articles, and attends online health summits to learn about cutting edge research and treatments.

She’s said more than once, “If I’m doing everything I can to take care of my health and I’m still not well, then I can have peace that this is part of God’s plan.” She finds comfort in:

Romans 8:28 NASB
“…that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God…”

Isaiah 55:9 NASB
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.“

She still grieves for unrealized dreams and can get discouraged when she is going through a particularly hard time. But she keeps at it, day after day until she eventually finds hope in the darkness. I joke with her sometimes and call her a tough ol’ bird.  There have been times when she and I have wrestled with the impact of her illness privately, but I am grateful for the moments when we've leaned into it together, facing the weight of it all and found the courage to continue the fight. Sometimes hope comes through emotional support and other times through tests and medical research.

In 2011, some new insight came when her doctor diagnosed her with Lyme disease. It had probably been Lyme all along. This would explain the chronic daily headaches, low-grade fevers, pain that moved around her body depending on the day, the neurological symptoms, etc. It was more validation but there was still a long way to go.

Armed with the knowledge that she has Lyme disease she did some research and found a new treatment called 10-Pass ozone therapy. It demonstrated results for chronic Lyme patients, and there just so happened to be a doctor in the area that had recently acquired the equipment and training to provide the treatment. The summer of 2018 she was able to get 5 treatments and the effect was encouraging. Her headaches were better than they had been in years and there was a week, near the end of what we could afford, where she had a significant increase in her energy. I was surprised and very grateful to see her smiling from genuine delight at how she felt physically. Unfortunately our funds ran out and three weeks after the last ozone treatment her symptoms returned. It was really painful to watch that happen!

We have kept at it now for over 20 years, saving when we could so she could try something new. In 2006, we decided to downsize our living space to a one-bedroom apartment so we could spend more money on treatment. Presently we are spending approximately $1,100/month on supplementation and medication to slow the progression of her illness, but our finances won’t allow for more expensive treatments that could help her get completely well.


A RECIPE FOR HOPE

This spring a generous friend offered to pay for five more 10-Pass ozone treatments ($2,250) and strongly encouraged fundraising to provide resources for more treatments. With her encouragement, I decided to launch a GoFundMe campaign to continue what this friend started. My hope is that by sharing Brenda’s story those with a desire to help might join us on her journey to wellness. We are looking to raise support for comprehensive treatment that Brenda believes has the greatest potential for getting her well. Here is the list of treatments:

1. Genetic Testing & Consultation

Tree of Life, Bob Miller ND
$424 for initial testing & consultation, & 1-2 follow-up consults

https://www.tolhealth.com/genetic-nutritional-consultations/
https://www.nutrigeneticresearch.org/research

2. 10-Pass Ozone Therapy

Pawnee Health & Wellness Clinic, G. Laird, DO
$1800/month for approx. 11 months of treatment

http://www.docrowen.com/home.html
https://www.faim.org/ozone-high-dose-therapy-or-10-pass
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.holtorfmed.com/high-dose-ozone/amp/


3. Clinic Specializing in Chronic Lyme Disease

Sophia Health Institute, D. Klinghardt, MD, PhD
Approx. $83,800 for 2 years of treatment + $17,000 for travel & lodging

https://www.sophiahi.com/


A PITCHER FULL OF AID

Thank you for taking the time to read Brenda's story.  It is my hope that you are moved by her struggle and are willing to offer encouragement in one or more of the following ways: 

1. Make a donation of any size:
a) By clicking on the GoFundMe "DONATE" button
b) At GivingFuel.com (recurring giving option) https://lymeaid4b.givingfuel.com/lymeaid4b
c) PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/lymeaid4b
d) By check - please contact me via social media or clicking on the green envelop icon next to "Stephen Scott"

2. Share the "Lyme Aid For Brenda Scott" campaign through your social media by clicking on any
     of the share buttons on this page.

3. Post a picture or video of you and a limeade on your social media (challenge your friends
     to do the same) and include the hashtag: #lymeaid4b

4. Leave a supportive comment on the campaign page.