When did your journey with Lyme begin?
It is believed that my journey with Lyme began when I was very young, though we are not for certain when, as none of the tick bites I contracted gave me a rash. However, in my late middle school years, random, rotating symptoms began filing my days and taking me away from feeling like the healthy child I had been for years. With symptoms piling up on one another, my body finally collapsed the summer of my sophomore year, of which ultimately stemmed from the Lyme going untreated for some many years prior.
Was there a turning point in your journey?
I wouldn’t say there was necessarily a point in my journey with Lyme that I can pinpoint and say that I began getting “better.” All of the treatments and protocols I have done to heal have had their place, and without each and every one of them, I do not think that I would have made the progress that I have. My journey has always been one step forward, and two steps backwards, however, though progress is extremely slow, it is there.
What are some of your favorite tools for healing?
My all time, favorite tool for healing is real food. Because the Lyme settled in my GI tract and damaged my small nerves, issues stemming from my gut have been a problem since day one. This caused me to start tweaking my diet even before I hit my “brick wall,” and is what has ultimately taken me to now follow an Autoimmune-Paleo/Ketogenic diet to not only keep certain symptoms in control, but also heal my body from the inside out.
What’s one thing you wish others knew about living with Lyme Disease?
One thing that I wish others understood about living with Lyme is that healing is a process, and not something that simply happens overnight. In knowing this, individuals, whether friends or family, are able to encourage and strengthen one another on a daily basis. While there may be many ups and downs, it is genuine support and care that can truly mean the most to those living with Lyme.
What’s one thing you wish you could tell individuals who have just been diagnosed?
To an individual recently diagnosed with Lyme, remember to stay strong and be your own advocate. Throughout the years of my illness, there have been many incidences where doctors have shot me down, told me I was a liar, that my illness was all in my head, and that there was simply nothing they could do for me. Of course, my family and I have never believed this to be the case, and have had to persistently stand up for ourselves, despite how doctors may treat us.
What’s been your biggest obstacle in your healing journey?
A large obstacle in my healing journey has been figuring out how to do all in my power to heal my body. This has lead me to research about the human body, science, food, and everything else that affects me on a daily basis. While it may seem overwhelming at first, I believe that getting to know one’s body from the inside out is one of the greatest ways to aid in finding true health once more.
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