Fighting Chronic Lyme Disease
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Chelsea and I'm battling Chronic Lyme Disease (as well as a few other health issues). Here's my story:
I've been sick since 2010. Symptoms started coming on slowly and gradually, so at first it didn't seem like anything serious, but it kept getting worse and affecting more and more of my body's systems. I found out in 2016 that I have Chronic Lyme Disease, as well as a co-infection called Babesia and it literally turned my world upside down. Symptoms that I struggle with daily include: moderate to severe muscle and joint pain (was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in the past), headaches, dizziness, tingling and ringing in ears, gastritis (bad stomach pain and irritated stomach lining), hot and cold flashes, vivid dreams and night sweats, cardio problems with irregular heartbeats and sudden drops in blood pressure, neurological issues including brain fog and difficulty focusing, insomnia, fatigue and more.
Since I have a high pain tolerance, I am still able to get up and teach (which I love) and homeschool my daughter (which I love even more), but that's pretty much it, and it's never easy. I don't have the energy or strength most days to clean, shop, cook, go to parties or do the most basic things. My life has changed. Dreams I've had (such as adopting children and growing our family) have had to be put on hold. Through treatment I'm praying and hopeful that I'll get my life back. Lyme patients do go into remission, but it can take a while and a lot of playing with treatments.
Treatments for Lyme disease include antibiotics (sometimes through injections and IVs), anti-parasites and supplements. We do everything we can to fight, including dietary changes and detox treatments. Often the treatments make you sicker because of herx reactions, where the dying bacteria releases toxins into the body. It's very hard to go through.
This disease is hard to diagnose, hard to treat and controversial because the medical world just haven't caught up yet to research. To see a Lyme specialist (LLMD) I need to go every other month to Redwood City, near San Francisco. The in between month I do phone consultations with my doc. Also LLMDs can't contract with insurance so everything is paid in cash. Fees, travel, tests and treatment often bring Lyme patients to bankruptcy . I need treatment. I'm getting sicker every day and finding it harder and harder to keep up with life. My hubby and I both work very hard but the costs of treatment have overwhelmed us. We've already received so much help from amazing and generous people. I was honored at a HOW dinner, where funds were raised and it was such a blessing. My pride hates to ask for help but I'm too sick not to. If The Lord leads you to give, know it will go straight into helping me get well. This goal amount won't cover full treatment but it will help me continue to see my LLMD and get treatment. Also, please keep us in prayer. Pray for healing and also for God to help us find a way to finance treatment on our own. Thanks so much for your love an support!
I've been sick since 2010. Symptoms started coming on slowly and gradually, so at first it didn't seem like anything serious, but it kept getting worse and affecting more and more of my body's systems. I found out in 2016 that I have Chronic Lyme Disease, as well as a co-infection called Babesia and it literally turned my world upside down. Symptoms that I struggle with daily include: moderate to severe muscle and joint pain (was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in the past), headaches, dizziness, tingling and ringing in ears, gastritis (bad stomach pain and irritated stomach lining), hot and cold flashes, vivid dreams and night sweats, cardio problems with irregular heartbeats and sudden drops in blood pressure, neurological issues including brain fog and difficulty focusing, insomnia, fatigue and more.
Since I have a high pain tolerance, I am still able to get up and teach (which I love) and homeschool my daughter (which I love even more), but that's pretty much it, and it's never easy. I don't have the energy or strength most days to clean, shop, cook, go to parties or do the most basic things. My life has changed. Dreams I've had (such as adopting children and growing our family) have had to be put on hold. Through treatment I'm praying and hopeful that I'll get my life back. Lyme patients do go into remission, but it can take a while and a lot of playing with treatments.
Treatments for Lyme disease include antibiotics (sometimes through injections and IVs), anti-parasites and supplements. We do everything we can to fight, including dietary changes and detox treatments. Often the treatments make you sicker because of herx reactions, where the dying bacteria releases toxins into the body. It's very hard to go through.
This disease is hard to diagnose, hard to treat and controversial because the medical world just haven't caught up yet to research. To see a Lyme specialist (LLMD) I need to go every other month to Redwood City, near San Francisco. The in between month I do phone consultations with my doc. Also LLMDs can't contract with insurance so everything is paid in cash. Fees, travel, tests and treatment often bring Lyme patients to bankruptcy . I need treatment. I'm getting sicker every day and finding it harder and harder to keep up with life. My hubby and I both work very hard but the costs of treatment have overwhelmed us. We've already received so much help from amazing and generous people. I was honored at a HOW dinner, where funds were raised and it was such a blessing. My pride hates to ask for help but I'm too sick not to. If The Lord leads you to give, know it will go straight into helping me get well. This goal amount won't cover full treatment but it will help me continue to see my LLMD and get treatment. Also, please keep us in prayer. Pray for healing and also for God to help us find a way to finance treatment on our own. Thanks so much for your love an support!
Organizer
Chelsea McDonald McCafferty
Organizer
Exeter, CA