How has Lyme Disease affected your life? What inspires you?
Today makes 14 years living with Lyme. It’s taken so much away from me and my daughter. When I 1st became sick, she was just a little girl in elementary school. Being a single parent, it stole a whole lot from her too. I have to say, I don’t feel optimistic or positive about things. I’ve had a very difficult 14 years, especially the past 6. I have a few close friends who have supported me and although they cannot say they fully understand what it is like to live with Lyme, they have definitely shown me they care. I’ve been told by a few LLMD’s (including the infectious disease specialist who diagnosed me) they don’t really have any other options to suggest to try. These are devastating and depressing words to hear. It’s true you “mourn” for the loss of the life you used to have. Because I cannot work and live off SSDI, I’ve struggled financially, emotionally and mentally beside the obvious physical limitations. I wish there was more funding and research, and more awareness for this disease. It’s the invisible disease in which people suffer from in silence.