Emily Holwick, host of Inside Family Medicine, interviews the retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Nicole Malachowski, the first female Thunderbirds pilot, who shares her inspiring and harrowing story of battling a debilitating tick-borne illness. In this episode, Colonel Malachowski discusses the challenges she faced in her long journey to diagnosis, her experiences with the healthcare system, and the importance of patient advocacy. She emphasizes the need for better education on tick-borne diseases among physicians and highlights her current advocacy work, including her role on a National Academies of Science Committee. Nicole also underscores the vital role of family physicians and the importance of a strong patient-doctor relationship.