Beth Degler's Lyme-literate counseling costs

Hello, my name is Jennifer Degler, and I'm raising funds for my sister-in-law Beth Degler (I call her my sister-in-heart). Four years ago, Beth's nightmare began in January 2020 with severe psychiatric symptoms due to brain inflammation caused by complications from undiagnosed Lyme disease.

Beth saw multiple doctors and counselors, tried many medications, and was even hospitalized several times as we struggled to figure out what was going on. What could cause such a talented, funny, kind, hardworking, and delightful woman to go from excellent health to unrelenting, crippling anxiety, cognitive decline, muscle weakness, fatigue, and suicidal despair in a matter of weeks? And why did her symptoms go away almost overnight in the fall of 2021, only to return 5 months later in March 2022 with no explanation?

We finally got an answer in May 2022 when an Amen Clinic SPECT scan of Beth's brain showed tremendous inflammation. This brain inflammation is causing her psychiatric and physical symptoms. Subsequent testing showed that her brain inflammation was due to complications from Lyme disease, and that Beth had had Lyme disease for a while.

Lyme disease is an illness caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, spread by blacklegged ticks. When it is caught early, a few weeks of an antibiotic usually eliminates it. Unfortunately, by the time Beth was correctly diagnosed, an initial 4 weeks of antibiotics in September 2022 didn't help. Since then, she has been under the care of several Lyme specialists, but has showed little improvement. What Beth has is called Late Stage Lyme Disease.

We had hoped intensive treatment with multiple antibiotics might help, but today, 1/26/24, after 6 months of antibiotics, her doctor recommended she stop the antibiotics because they just aren't working in her case. She has a neurology consultation in March, but quite frankly, no one seems to know what to do to help her.

Beth's husband and hero, Kevin, has worked tirelessly to find Beth treatment options. While we wait for new treatments to be developed, Beth needs to receive weekly counseling sessions from a Lyme-literate therapist. There are none in Kentucky, and typical counseling methods have not helped her manage her intrusive negative thoughts, social withdrawal, and a nervous system that's basically stuck in panic mode.

We have found her a New York therapist who specializes in helping late stage Lyme patients, and who herself has recovered from psychiatric symptoms due to Lyme disease. Her fee is $350 an hour, and she is not covered by Beth's insurance. Beth needs at a minimum weekly telehealth counseling sessions to help her cope with this debilitating condition.

Beth is still doing hair a few days a week, but her income barely covers her business expenses now due to necessary reduced hours.

Friends, could you help fund 12 months of this specialized Lyme-literate mental health counseling for my sister-in-heart Beth? This will cost about $19,000.

Any donations above $19,000 will go toward new medical treatment options, none of which are likely to be covered by insurance. We’ve exhausted any treatment options covered by insurance. We welcome information about possible alternative treatments.

Thank you for reading this request, and please pray for Beth's recovery.

Blessings,

Jennifer Degler

Lexington, KY