It's an awfully arduous task to attempt to explain what it is like living with Lyme & the Co-infections that often accompany it. This disease touches every single space that a life can occupy ~ physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. This is a brief starting point on the subject, but I'm hoping it will shed some light over to those who may be struggling to understand someone in their life with LD... even if just a little bit.
I know that it can be challenging for the people in our lives to understand what it is like to live with this illness. It can be hard to hear the person who's words and appearance may not line up. So perhaps it's better said in a voice of someone who has known a more recognized form of illness, and yet has had intimate witness of the pain caused by LD. It needs to be said that I am in no way trying to diminish the hardship that is experienced in those with other illnesses, but instead bring a bit of illumination to the suffering that I know.
This is a quote from a lyme forum thread regarding a health clinic that I was briefly considering. I was grateful that this woman was willing to take the time to write the following:
"My post is in response to Envita Medical Center - I have personal experience of being cured of advanced breast cancer that spread throughout my body. I was cured in January of 2010 and because I live in the area, have continued to do maintenance over the last few years. So, I have met many, many people over the last few years with lyme and cancer...
The lyme patients, to me, seemed on the surface to be in worse shape than us cancer patients. They seemed to have suffered so much more in terms of loosing jobs, relationships, support of family and friends. The cancer patients have the support of their family, friends and community that the lyme patients don't have in many cases because people don't understand how much they suffer... Lyme is horrible. I've met lyme patients that considered taking their lives over the years as a result of their suffering with lyme. It has to be one of the cruelest, misunderstood diseases."
What she has perceived, I have experienced. Since the infections in my body gained the upper hand, I have faced many losses. In the past six years I have lost the job that I loved, friends, family and almost my self.
If someone you love has Lyme, and you want to be there for them, the greatest gifts you can give them are compassion, a willingness to try to understand what they are going through, some practical help and as much knowledge about Lyme Disease that you are able to take in.
I will, in the future, write about some more concrete ways to help. This may seem incredibly self serving, and yes, of course I would love the people in my life to be there for me in these ways. But I also know that there are many who are beyond edge of themselves with this illness and who need support. So with love and compassion in my heart, I write this for all of us.
I know that it can be challenging for the people in our lives to understand what it is like to live with this illness. It can be hard to hear the person who's words and appearance may not line up. So perhaps it's better said in a voice of someone who has known a more recognized form of illness, and yet has had intimate witness of the pain caused by LD. It needs to be said that I am in no way trying to diminish the hardship that is experienced in those with other illnesses, but instead bring a bit of illumination to the suffering that I know.
This is a quote from a lyme forum thread regarding a health clinic that I was briefly considering. I was grateful that this woman was willing to take the time to write the following:
"My post is in response to Envita Medical Center - I have personal experience of being cured of advanced breast cancer that spread throughout my body. I was cured in January of 2010 and because I live in the area, have continued to do maintenance over the last few years. So, I have met many, many people over the last few years with lyme and cancer...
The lyme patients, to me, seemed on the surface to be in worse shape than us cancer patients. They seemed to have suffered so much more in terms of loosing jobs, relationships, support of family and friends. The cancer patients have the support of their family, friends and community that the lyme patients don't have in many cases because people don't understand how much they suffer... Lyme is horrible. I've met lyme patients that considered taking their lives over the years as a result of their suffering with lyme. It has to be one of the cruelest, misunderstood diseases."
What she has perceived, I have experienced. Since the infections in my body gained the upper hand, I have faced many losses. In the past six years I have lost the job that I loved, friends, family and almost my self.
If someone you love has Lyme, and you want to be there for them, the greatest gifts you can give them are compassion, a willingness to try to understand what they are going through, some practical help and as much knowledge about Lyme Disease that you are able to take in.
I will, in the future, write about some more concrete ways to help. This may seem incredibly self serving, and yes, of course I would love the people in my life to be there for me in these ways. But I also know that there are many who are beyond edge of themselves with this illness and who need support. So with love and compassion in my heart, I write this for all of us.