Loving Marti Through Chronic Lyme

My mother has been suffering from Lyme Disease for many years now. She has gone into remission and come back out of it leaving her in a very debilitated state. She left Michigan years ago to pursue a dream of living in Colorado, which she achieved. It was until she received a phone call from her mothers doctor telling her that she was needing more assistance from her children. It was at this point that Marti put her dreams on hold to come back to Michigan to care for her mother. In the years that she spent keeping her mother in her home and out of a group home, she slowly began to slip out of remission of Lyme disease due to the stress of being a full-time caregiver.

Our mother needs the help of her community. 

Since the disease has come back full on and much more aggressive, she has been left exhausted and unable to work since 2013. We are attempting to file for disability, but if you have ever known someone who has tried to undertake this venture, then you know it is a long long road.  We have been told by her lawyer that the earliest we will get a hearing is 12-16 months! That is a long time to go without having any income or support. 

We are blessed that she is on medicaid and has a small allotment of food stamps each month. But these assistances are not nearly enough for a person to sustain a stable life and most importantly, heal.

We have done the math on what she will need as far as living costs and treatment costs for the Lyme Disease and this is how we came up with our goal of $35,000. All the donations will be going to keeping Marti in her home and restoring her to her true goal of remisson from Lyme Disease. Your donations will be contributing to these crucial areas where she needs the most support:

*Treatments of Lyme Disease which includes: Acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, and iv injection therapy, medical tests and other procedures.
*Transportation costs for daily life and appointments
*Rent of her apartment and utilities
*Medical bills old and new
*Prescription medication and supplements


We asked our mom to write her story for you to read, because we believe that her story is one so so worth sharing. She is a huge advocate for the sufferers of Lyme Disease. Her voice and her story speaks for all those suffering from Lyme Disease who are slipping through the cracks of the system unnoticed and unrecognized. 

It took Marti a couple of weeks to put this letter together for all of you, so please take the time to get to know this courageous woman you are wishing to help. We are grateful to have her in our lives and grateful to all of you for taking the time to read and support Marti to her remission of Lyme.

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My name is Marjorie Lynn Addis Goforth. You all know me as Marti Addis or Marti Goforth. I live in Holly, Michigan where I was born to Wm. P and Barbara Addis on November 28, 1961. My siblings are Duane, Kathy, Jim, Suzanne and Bob. My two adult Children are Andrew and Brynn, along with my daughter-in-law Kylene Goforth. I give so much thanks also to my friend Penny, whom I consider family because of her incredible force and friendship, along with many Silent Angels along the way that have guided and loved me.

I have Chronic Lyme Disease, along with four Co-Infections. My first misdiagnosis of Lyme disease started with my first infectious 'Tick bite' September of '08. It was here that my life changed forever. By the Grace of God, my Niece Shelley contacted my son Andrew to let him know I was doing very badly. Quickly a trip to Colorado was arranged where Andrew and Kylene were living. Six months after the Tick Bite, I could barely walk, talk, think, or navigate myself yet I was on my way to Colorado to see a Doctor. Andrew and Kylene set up an appointment to see this Naturopathic Doctor that gave me a five hour evaluation and asked me if I trusted her. I said I did and she detoxed me off all of the medicine my Michigan Neurologist put me on when he diagnosed me with Polymyalgia Polymyositis, even though my PC stated I tested negative for both but the symptoms rendered true. That day I was tested and diagnosed with Lyme disease. It changed me forever. My world has never been the same, I think, feel, react, choose and see life differently now...not by choice.

 I flew back to Michigan a new, better, healed, mindful soul in remission. I went to my Neurologist who had advised me to go to Colorado by saying 'The Mountains will do you good'. I advised him, “My Doctor diagnosed me with Lyme Disease and I am off all of those medications you put me on and now I am taking these Natural, Chinese and Homeopathic medications and Herbs and I am set up with an Acupuncturist and Chiropractor to continue my treatments that are making me feel better, and I need a release to go back to work.” My Neurologist said “No, get your release from your PC, this is not Lyme Disease”, and walked out, threw my chart on the receptionist desk and walked away. Well, that was truly the beginning of my healing from that day. I went back to work two months later and was so grateful and thankful to every single person that supported, loved, and stood by me. I had no idea the sickness not only of myself with Lyme Disease, but with and within the Medical System, the Government, the CDC and the IDSA. This was just my beginning, I had no idea what was going to hit me four years from then.
 
I traveled to Bali, Indonesia to see my kids Brynn, Andrew and Kylene. An utmost grateful gift from my friend Cheryl, traveling with my friend Penny. It was there I began showing symptoms once more, but had not one clue of Lyme disease again. I broke out in a rash and began experiencing exhaustion, fever and gastric pain. With a treatment and some medication, these symptoms were relieved temporarily.

A month later, the symptoms came back with a vengeance. I sought medical care. I was referred to a Gastroenterologist.  I was given medications, blood tests, x-ray, ultrasound's, endo and Colonoscopy during a year. There were many symptoms of severe pain and  nausea that did not clear up with this medication that landed me into the afterhours clinic or the ER for severe dehydration, fever, nausea, UTI's, and then the anxiety and depression soon became symptoms as the daily severe pain became crippling. I was also my Mother's caretaker at this trying time of decreased health.

After having to go on Family Medical Leave of Absence for my Mother more than myself, I had to quit work as the FMLA had exhausted. If I quit, then I could be rehired when I became healthy again. The insurance soon stopped and my Doctor, bless her heart kept me on and treated me for my symptoms only, no further testing. Unfortunately one of the medications for my depression made me so sick, I could not get out of bed to take proper care of my Mother. The adverse effects hit my brain, causing Buzzing, Ringing, Sound Sensitivity and Confusion. The Depression and Anxiety increased causing me to be hospitalized.

Once I was able to get Medicaid, my Doctor scheduled testing and I moved onto a new PC, whom listened and grasped my symptoms, he tested me for a specific Lyme disease called North Star Lyme STARI. A severely aggressive Lyme disease that attacks the entire Gastric tract. This was progress as I found out I can no longer eat beef, pork, lamb or any food with added hormones. Now my whole diet has had to shift and I have to read or ask questions as to what I am going to eat or drink, before anything goes into my body. I have to carry an EpiPen and Benadryl for Anaphylaxis (anaphylactic shock) from these proteins that give these co-infections and Parasites strength and cause my stomach to swell grossly.

I have not be able to work since the end of 2013 as my fatigue is debilitating.  Lyme disease has rendered me unstable. I have physical and mental fatigue, limited stamina, many cognitive issues (slurred speech, dropping things, anxiety, depression, brain fog, light and hearing sensitivity) insomnia, Herxing, parasitic die off, irritability, inability to carry on conversation too long, lack of focus and embarrassment. It is such a stretch for me to share so much of this process with so many people, but I feel people need to know the truth of what Lyme disease is truly capable of doing to people’s lives as well as the lives of those who love the ones infected.

I am a Daughter, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin and Friend. I love everyone. I love dogs and cats. I love all animals. I am Lyme Warrior, Lyme Advocate, A Lymie to my Lyme Tribe and I will forever educate everyone about Lyme Disease, the Silent Sufferer. I speak out about Tick Checks, Removing Ticks, taking the Tick in for testing and checking your family friends and Animals.

I want my physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, loving and kind self-back. I want to walk, hike and lay in a field and roll over and over.  I want to see my Mother more, I want to write, daydream and laugh. . I want to be healthy and I want to be out with my friends again. I want to hop on my bike, go swimming, go fishing, and make plans other than how I am going to get through the day.

I am thankful to my adult children for creating this campaign and supporting me with much needed financial, travel, emotional and physical help I am so very blessed grateful and thankful. To be loved this much, to help me this much is the greatest of all. I will never forget this,  

For the next 16 months any gifts will help sustain myself and lighten and lift the load for myself and many others. These gifts will ease my heavy thoughts, my heavy heart, non-stop worry. It will be a huge relief for my kids and close friends whom all are helping me to alleviate this heavy burden on a daily and weekly basis. I will never forget this, I pray I will become strong enough again to Pay it Forward, help others as I am being helped. I am learning to receive as I am more comfortable on the giving end for sure. This is a new lesson for me. Thank you again for your support