Lyme disease

I'm a local woman, a stay at home mama, and a newly diagnosed Lyme fighter. After years of struggling with chronic health issues I have found my answer - late stage Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. In it's early stages, it can be treated with antibiotics, however it often goes undetected for years, leaving the treatment options limited, lengthy, and costly. Due to it's unique function and 300+ symptoms, it mimics numerous other diseases. It isn't until late stage and attacking the central nervous system that many are lead to an accurate diagnosis, like myself.

Now that I know what I am facing it eases a lot of the unknown anxiety, but it comes with new concerns. Mainly financial and access to medical support. Lyme is not a diagnosis doctors widely accept. Testing in Canada is highly inaccurate and those who seek testing from laboratories out of the country - again, like myself - are usually discredited by MD's. There are few physicians that are knowledgable in Lyme or Lyme literate. This leaves patients seeking private care from naturopaths or out of country practices. Highly costly.

Since my diagnosis of late stage Lyme disease just over a month ago, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of people in the community that seem to be in the same situation I am in. Misdiagnosed for years, only to find out they have Lyme disease. The lack of care for this illness is mind blowing. It is devastating families, having a chronically ill loved one without access to disability, paying thousands of dollars towards many different treatment avenues.

My husband and I had just purchased our first home weeks before we found out. Our finances had been pushed to the limits. Then we were stuck with nearly $800 just to cover my diagnostic tests! That isn't even treatment! And though this blows my mind it is completely normal. Lyme patients do not qualify for CPP like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients do. So here we are, a young family with a toddler, trying to factor in the $1500+ monthly expenses to try and get me healthy on the salary of my husband. This disease has left me unable to work. We have set up a go fund me to try and relieve some stress.

I was just hoping to shed some light on the Lyme pandemic that is affecting our region. If more people know then maybe changes can take place. If more people know the symptoms maybe they won't suffer as long. This disease has opened my eyes greatly. The only way things can change is with knowledge, if I can help spread some awareness about this chronic illness then I would be happy!

Cayman MacPhee