When most people think of Lyme disease, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a big, fat tick (immediately followed by manic itching).
What’s harder to wrap your head around is the idea that after the tick gets pulled off (and the itching stops), a diagnosis of Lyme disease can mark the beginning of a very long, very painful journey.
Cindy Baldwin of Ottowa understands this better than most. The 41-year-old Canadian began experiencing a range of mystery symptoms when she was four years old—at the time, she and her siblings lived on a farm and their mother would regularly pull ticks off of them. Over the years she dealt with pain and migraines, rashes and fatigue. At first doctors thought she just had food allergies or growing pains, but as Cindy grew into adulthood the symptoms persisted and worsened. The ongoing cycle of illness combined with a lack of answers led to anxiety and depression.
It might have stayed that way if her sister hadn’t been watching a TV program about Lyme disease—the symptoms on the show sounded just like Cindy’s. Soon after, Cindy had the diagnosis that had evaded her for so long. The diagnosis was only the end of the beginning, though—the next step was finding a treatment.
Cindy soon discovered that treatment for Lyme disease is as unique as the individual. In her case, she was diagnosed by a doctor who was actually a chronic Lyme disease patient herself, so Cindy wanted to follow the complex treatment course her doctor recommended. Here’s the catch: Cindy’s doctor operates in the United States, and the cost of the treatment—along with the travel back and forth across the border and accommodations when she’s away from home—is almost prohibitively expense. And since she’s unable to work because of her condition, Cindy has finally admitted she needs help—something that wasn’t easy for her because she was afraid of how people might judge her. But she feels it’s worth it; Lyme disease has already taken so much from her, and she’s ready to start taking it back.
