Donation protected
If you know Abigail Gryzik, you know she is one of the most caring, compassionate, generous & helpful individuals on this Earth. If you have ever had the privilege of being in the presence of Abby, you have felt the light & love that she radiates. This beautiful woman has supported & saved me countless times. She is more than a friend; she is my soul sister. I could go on and on about how much this powerful human means to me because of how much she has changed my life the past 2.5 years; but it’s not just me. Her whole existence has been about caring for others; family, friends, strangers. Her energy has been all about giving to this world. It comes so naturally.
Life has thrown her such an enormous test this past year, when being told she has Lyme Disease. I have witnessed her brave, struggle, and grow through such an incredibly difficult time. With little explanation/answers from doctors, she has been living in such a state of unknown and uncertainty. Just recently she was forced to get rid of her bed, couch, dressers, clothes and more because traces of mold were found. This significantly affects the healing process, and caused her to have a swollen face and burning jaw.
Even with this additional complication, since moving back to Boulder, I have seen Life back in Abby. If you know her, you know her heart beats with the wind, her feet sink into the soil, her soul sings in the mountains. But as you can imagine, with medical bills climbing, and the expenses of living in Boulder (a place that brings her so much joy) the stress is weighing heavy. No one can explain it all better than Abby herself (her own words of this experience are below.)
Abby has given and cared for this world and so many of us. Now it is time to care for her. Please help by donating whatever you can to help her pay for her countless doctor visits, medications & supplements, ER visits, new furniture and her ability to stay near the mountains where she thrives. Let us bring out the contagious smile, we love in her so dearly.
Thank you!
Abby - "Last October, my health took a sudden, unexpected turn.
It started with insomnia and relapsing fevers. Shooting pains built in my legs. Within weeks, pains trickled up my spine, moving their way to my arms, stomach - and ultimately - my brain. A few months later, I moved back into my parent’s house for support. My head felt like it was swelling, everything burned, and my face became numb to the point where it was hard to speak. A walk around the block felt like a marathon. Countless doctors, labs, and multiple ER visits later, I received the news: Lyme disease with multiple co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichiosis, Tick Borne Relapsing Fever) and mold illness. From the strange illnesses I’ve had throughout my life, I could have had this for over 20 years.
After four months in Illinois, I began to realize I didn’t have access to the doctors or environment my body needed that was back in Colorado. I wanted to give my body the best chance to heal. So a few months ago, I moved back to the mountains, put everything into storage, and found a temporary place to live.
Much of this journey is learning to surrender to the twists and turns. To let go of who I was, and what I thought defined me. But the mental and physical changes can be terrifying.
My hair is falling out by the clumps. Random muscles spasm and parts of my body go numb uncontrollably. Sometimes I’ll get in the car and forget where I’m going from the brain fog. Shooting pains in my arms, legs, and jaw wake me up at night. The chest heaviness can make it hard to breathe. Basically, my body feels like it’s constantly in fight or flight.
Over time, I’ve developed sensitivities to chemicals, foods, and EMF (phones, Wi-Fi, and radiation). Being in nature helps. But sharing my poetry, stories, photography, and everything that makes me feel alive can be physically painful to do now. It’s difficult to stay connected to friends and loved ones. I fight through it sometimes, but this disease has isolated me in ways I never could have imagined.
Thankfully, I’ve found doctors who are helping me unpack the Lyme, co-infections, and mold illness. I’m slowly building a team here that can help me heal. But with every day that passes, I’m realizing I don’t know how I’ll be able to afford this.
Unfortunately, our healthcare system fails those living with Lyme disease. There is no one cure or known treatment. Many end up traveling across the US or overseas for treatment because of how debilitating, and even fatal, it can be. Almost 99% of experienced Lyme literate doctors are not covered by insurance and can cost more than $500 an hour, with initial consults in the thousands. Seeing them 1 or more times a month, paying for 15 different monthly supplements & medications (that aren’t covered either), quickly adds up to more than $1,500 a month out of pocket. This doesn’t include lab work, therapy for the depression, or recommended treatments like acupuncture, ozone, or infrared sauna. The financial burden alone is heavy to carry and can feel extremely defeating.
Over the past few months, I’ve muscled my way through like usual. I haven’t wanted to admit - not even to myself - that I am struggling.
These grounding mountains, my team of healers, and the love I feel from those around me are slowly reminding me of my passion for life, again. In these times, support is everything.
I dream of long morning hikes or running the trails again. I’ll eat without hesitation, and won’t have to time medications every hour. I hope to spread awareness & empower others through their own healing journeys and Lyme — an illness that is so misunderstood, poorly researched, and unsupported.
Life has an entirely new meaning. Everything is uncertain. It could take months, or years, to see massive improvements or put this into remission. But I’m learning to trust in the darkness. That even when it looks impossible and I can’t see a way, there is light here, too. That healing is possible because love is.””
Life has thrown her such an enormous test this past year, when being told she has Lyme Disease. I have witnessed her brave, struggle, and grow through such an incredibly difficult time. With little explanation/answers from doctors, she has been living in such a state of unknown and uncertainty. Just recently she was forced to get rid of her bed, couch, dressers, clothes and more because traces of mold were found. This significantly affects the healing process, and caused her to have a swollen face and burning jaw.
Even with this additional complication, since moving back to Boulder, I have seen Life back in Abby. If you know her, you know her heart beats with the wind, her feet sink into the soil, her soul sings in the mountains. But as you can imagine, with medical bills climbing, and the expenses of living in Boulder (a place that brings her so much joy) the stress is weighing heavy. No one can explain it all better than Abby herself (her own words of this experience are below.)
Abby has given and cared for this world and so many of us. Now it is time to care for her. Please help by donating whatever you can to help her pay for her countless doctor visits, medications & supplements, ER visits, new furniture and her ability to stay near the mountains where she thrives. Let us bring out the contagious smile, we love in her so dearly.
Thank you!
Abby - "Last October, my health took a sudden, unexpected turn.
It started with insomnia and relapsing fevers. Shooting pains built in my legs. Within weeks, pains trickled up my spine, moving their way to my arms, stomach - and ultimately - my brain. A few months later, I moved back into my parent’s house for support. My head felt like it was swelling, everything burned, and my face became numb to the point where it was hard to speak. A walk around the block felt like a marathon. Countless doctors, labs, and multiple ER visits later, I received the news: Lyme disease with multiple co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichiosis, Tick Borne Relapsing Fever) and mold illness. From the strange illnesses I’ve had throughout my life, I could have had this for over 20 years.
After four months in Illinois, I began to realize I didn’t have access to the doctors or environment my body needed that was back in Colorado. I wanted to give my body the best chance to heal. So a few months ago, I moved back to the mountains, put everything into storage, and found a temporary place to live.
Much of this journey is learning to surrender to the twists and turns. To let go of who I was, and what I thought defined me. But the mental and physical changes can be terrifying.
My hair is falling out by the clumps. Random muscles spasm and parts of my body go numb uncontrollably. Sometimes I’ll get in the car and forget where I’m going from the brain fog. Shooting pains in my arms, legs, and jaw wake me up at night. The chest heaviness can make it hard to breathe. Basically, my body feels like it’s constantly in fight or flight.
Over time, I’ve developed sensitivities to chemicals, foods, and EMF (phones, Wi-Fi, and radiation). Being in nature helps. But sharing my poetry, stories, photography, and everything that makes me feel alive can be physically painful to do now. It’s difficult to stay connected to friends and loved ones. I fight through it sometimes, but this disease has isolated me in ways I never could have imagined.
Thankfully, I’ve found doctors who are helping me unpack the Lyme, co-infections, and mold illness. I’m slowly building a team here that can help me heal. But with every day that passes, I’m realizing I don’t know how I’ll be able to afford this.
Unfortunately, our healthcare system fails those living with Lyme disease. There is no one cure or known treatment. Many end up traveling across the US or overseas for treatment because of how debilitating, and even fatal, it can be. Almost 99% of experienced Lyme literate doctors are not covered by insurance and can cost more than $500 an hour, with initial consults in the thousands. Seeing them 1 or more times a month, paying for 15 different monthly supplements & medications (that aren’t covered either), quickly adds up to more than $1,500 a month out of pocket. This doesn’t include lab work, therapy for the depression, or recommended treatments like acupuncture, ozone, or infrared sauna. The financial burden alone is heavy to carry and can feel extremely defeating.
Over the past few months, I’ve muscled my way through like usual. I haven’t wanted to admit - not even to myself - that I am struggling.
These grounding mountains, my team of healers, and the love I feel from those around me are slowly reminding me of my passion for life, again. In these times, support is everything.
I dream of long morning hikes or running the trails again. I’ll eat without hesitation, and won’t have to time medications every hour. I hope to spread awareness & empower others through their own healing journeys and Lyme — an illness that is so misunderstood, poorly researched, and unsupported.
Life has an entirely new meaning. Everything is uncertain. It could take months, or years, to see massive improvements or put this into remission. But I’m learning to trust in the darkness. That even when it looks impossible and I can’t see a way, there is light here, too. That healing is possible because love is.””
Organizer and beneficiary
Taylor Welborn
Organizer
Boulder, CO
Abby Gryzik
Beneficiary