Ever since Bryce was a little girl, facing pains became normal for her. People must go through this pain every day, right? However, a few years ago, her life took a turn for the worst.
Her pain increased, her immune system practically shut down, and she became bedridden.
After many frustrating visits with different doctors and transferring from ER to ER, she was diagnosed with Late Stage Lyme.
After her diagnosis, she and her family were able to find some answers as to why Bryce's health had gone so far downhill; but the battle had only just begun.
The cause of Lyme disease is often stigmatized by a little tick and a “bullseye” rash at the site of a bite, a signal to the disease. However, many patients diagnosed with Lyme disease don’t know when or where they could have contracted it. They may not know whether or not they had been bitten or seen a rash. If caught early enough, the disease is simple to treat, but because there are so many symptoms signaling the disease and that makes it harder to spot. Often, those who have the disease may not realize they have it until it is too late. It becomes known as late stage Lyme, or Chronic Lyme Disease.
Lyme disease is misunderstood and it is probably the single most undiagnosed disease. 300k new patients every year are diagnosed with Lyme. Experts suspect the true number to be quadruple that rate. The one test that is available is not a reliable one. However, every case varies in its severity and symptoms. “Lyme disease probably affects someone you love and they don’t even know it because their doctor hasn’t thought to check for it, or they did and ran the wrong test (standard tests are about 40% sensitive).” Karla saw about ten doctors in one year alone until she realized she had to educate herself and to ask for the right bloodwork from her doctor.
Doctors specializing in Lyme are not too common, and they do not come cheap. Insurance does not cover the bills involving chronic Lyme and regular doctor visits will leave you with more questions than answers.
John Caudwell, a Lyme advocate from the UK talks about the disease:
Lyme destroys people for life. People can become bedridden or stuck in a wheelchair for life. The thing about Lyme is that it shows itself in so many different ways (ex. Panic attacks, hearing loss, anxiety, chronic pain, illness) and doctors don’t know how to treat it. They have no comprehension of the severity.
How do you treat Lyme if it is not diagnosed early? It is a big and messy battle. Powerful antibiotics, parasite killers are prescribed trying to fight off the “debris” of bacteria that Lyme causes.
Lyme causes hair loss, chapped lips, severe weight loss, flaky skin, lack of appetite, “brain fog”, chronic pain, dizziness, depression, anxiety, muscle loss. Lyme can cause a variety of other illnesses such as MS or symptoms of MS, fibromyalgia, Bartonella and other illnesses.
Bryce spent over a year hardly able to move or walk as she battled with the bugs inside of her body. However, she recovered enough through the spring to be able to enjoy the outdoors of summer. Things were finally starting to get better.
Her battle with Chronic Lyme is not over. With progress being so frustratingly slow, every day is a fight toward recovery. Her progress has taken a step backward since midsummer, but her hopes are still high.
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” -Thomas Paine
To support Bryce and other people facing Lyme disease, you can donate to the Lymelight Foundation to help families like hers be able to afford treatment.
