About My Guest:
My battle with Lyme Disease was easily the most difficult experience of my life. A journey that lasted almost 3 years, that included more than 15 doctors, several incorrect diagnoses, and countless days where I wanted to give up. One of the worst parts of my illness, besides my symptoms, was my loss of identity. I am a singer/songwriter. I love my job and everything that comes with it. The traveling, the writing, the performances, and especially interacting with audience members. So much of my life was wrapped up in my job. When I got sick, all of it was taken away. Are you still a writer when you haven’t written anything in years? Are you still a singer if you never sing? I was scared that my illness would take away what made me unique, and what made me proud of myself.
Key Takeaways:
“If you are listening to this. You are my HERO because you haven’t given up.”
- “You are NOT crazy”
- Finding a community of people who understand Lyme is HUGE!
- The Garcia Protocol-Chelation and ozone therapy helped save my life
- I don’t know if I believe in God, but I do believe in chelation!”-Jesse Ruben
- Generation Lyme is a community of young people battling Lyme disease.https://www.instagram.com/generation_lyme/?hl=en
- So many people at treatment had positive attitudes, but that wasn’t me. “This sucks, I hate this, my life is over.”
- I hated going to bed because I knew I was going to wake up worse.
- “Lyme takes everything about your life that makes you happy, and takes it away from you.”-Jesse Ruben
- Besides all the physical aspects, the mental aspect is so hard to deal with.
- “Treating people for depression while battling Lyme disease is like washing the dishes as the house burns down.”-Jesse Ruben
- Loss of identity
- The fear of coming out of remission is IMMENSE and can last for years.
- You can’t participate in your own life.
- “The Sucky-Pit of Lyme”-Jessica Donaldson
- The chaos of Lyme disease creates lasting PTSD.
- “This is just a disease that a shit ton of people have.”-Jesse Ruben
- “Lyme patients are finding ways to heal; because they HAVE too.”
- Educating medical professionals will be a big part of
- Because you are so isolated because your family and friends think you are crazy.
- It is hard to advocate for yourself when you are being told your symptoms are all in your head by medical professionals.
- Carrying around upset, guilt, frustrations
- Jesse Ruben wrote “You are not alone anymore” to describe his experience battling Lyme disease.
- It feels like you’ll never be cured.
- When each day is worse than before.
- I know what it feels like, so you’re not alone anymore.
- Years of your life get taken.
- When everyone who cares is helpless.
- I know how it is when it (Lyme) doesn’t make sense.
- Forgive the people in your life who “don’t get it.” Who say things like “You might need to just move on with life.”
- So many patients are years into treatment and still saying “Something is WRONG”
- Life doesn’t go back to the way it was before. The illness changes the trajectory of your life.
Resources Mentioned:
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv4SpCgsFGA
Contact My Guest:
Thank you to this week’s sponsors:
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Envita.com medical Integrative medicine specializing in chronic Lyme and many other chronic conditions and co-infections.
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