In the Lymelight
Hi, I'm Mary. I'm 21 and I have Lyme Disease.
I don't know how it happened- I don't remember a tick bite or a rash- but I live in New Hampshire, which is Lyme Central, so odds are I was unwittingly infected in my own backyard. In the fall of 2015, I suddenly fell very ill. My mom and I thought it was the flu, but it didn't stop. At Christmas I was still sick; I hadn't been able to eat in weeks and I'd lost almost 110 pounds. I could barely stand up; I got nauseous at every smell, and noises and light made me want to pass out. We saw a doctor who prescribed anxiety medication, but it didn't help. After a few weeks, she said I must have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I accepted that diagnosis and tried to move on with my life. The symptoms fluctuated so that I sometimes felt fine for a week, and sometimes was as sick as a dog for a month. I got used to it.
Fast-forward to fall of 2017. I was accepted into college: my lifelong dream. I was going to learn all the things there were to know and become a teacher so I could pass it on to others. The first semester went pretty well, I made friends and got high grades. Then, a week into the spring semester, my symptoms flared. I had a high fever, headaches, rashes; I was trapped in the bathrooms for hours at a time by GI symptoms; my muscles would cramp and spasm; and after every episode, I was so tired that I would fall asleep on the floor. My grades plummetted. I was forced to withdraw from all of my courses. I'd hit rock bottom.
After this development, my mother insisted I see a new doctor. Fortunately for us, this one was very experienced with Lyme disease and was able to diagnose my condition immediately. Unfortunately, once a Lyme infection has lasted long enough, it becomes chronic and can no longer be eradicated with antibiotics. Treatment in the late stages requires a special diet, carefully balanced medication, and constant checkups. Patients have to remain in constant contact with their doctor, as the condition can change forms on a dime. It's particularly dangerous because it suppresses the immune system, so coinfections are common.
My symptoms are still here, and they get a little worse every day. Just yesterday I couldn't crawl out of bed in order to get a glass of water- I slept feverishly and dreamed that I was swimming in a lake of fire. I woke up and tried to concentrate on something that didn't hurt, but couldn't find anything. Every bone, every muscle, every organ was aching, stabbing, or prickling. There was no escape. It hurt to breathe. This happens to me at least twice a week.
Sadly for sufferers like myself, there is only one doctor in the state of New Hampshire who treats chronic Lyme disease and also accepts state medical insurance. Since Lyme is very common here, he's constantly booking 6 months out. This means that the infection will get worse while I wait for my turn to get better. If I want to recover, I will need to start treatment in the meantime with another doctor and come up with the funds myself.
Obviously, I want to beat this thing. Chronic Lyme slowly gets worse until the host dies of fever or starves to death. I have hopes and dreams and determination: I'm not gonna let this thing kill me! But nevertheless, the battle is expensive. I would like your help to raise the money to fight on. With your help, I can pay the doctors' fees, purchase medication, and afford gasoline to travel to the proper specialists. Thank you so much for your consideration; every cent means another moment that I can fight back. Even if you cannot afford to donate, please offer a prayer for me. We can do this!
-Mary