15 Things to Consider When Living With a Port
In the fourth installment of our port series, I’ll share my personal tips, essential considerations, and a few complications to watch out for when living with a port. First: a few personal tips from me Second: port access is different depending on your location In our previous blog, I broke down feeling empowered by knowing […]
What is an Implanted Port? A Closer Look
Over the last ten years, I’ve had three PICCs, an implanted port, and numerous peripheral IVs for various infusion therapies. One of the critical areas that allowed for more freedom in my day-to-day life of living with vascular access was transitioning from a PICC to an implanted chest port. Like me, many patients needing long-term […]
Emily’s Care Team Tips
As we explored building up a care team last month, I wanted to take this opportunity to dive into a few of the treatment plans, therapies, and healing modalities that put my chronic illness stemming from Tick Borne Illness in full remission in 2022. I wanted to share these tips with you in case it aids you […]
An Open Letter to The Doctor Who Ignored My Illness
Dear Doctor, I do not want you to feel singled out by this letter. I am actually hoping you learn something from it and one less person will have to go through the torture I went through just to receive a diagnosis. You were only one of seven doctors who told me I did not have […]
A Multicultural Love Story With a Taste of Lyme
Here’s a story that will throw you through a cultural loop. My mother was born Irish Catholic and my father is an Ashkenazi Jew. I grew up in Rhode Island, USA, knowing that I was in some way Jewish, but I never celebrated that fact until I was given the gift of Birthright when I […]
It’s Never Too Early to Test For Lyme Disease & Co-infections
While working nights at the clinic, there would be moments when my mind would go blank in the middle of a sentence. I began struggling to remember words as simple as “scissors.” I thought I was just adjusting to working overnights. My parents noticed I would space out in the middle of conversations, and most days, I walked around like a zombie. I became so tired that if I wasn’t at work I would be sleeping. I was irritable and depressed but still, I chalked it up to working overnight.
What Should You Do When You Get a Tick Bite?
Image by Lancaster General Health We talked to Dan Wolff – The Tick Man and creator of TickEase – to learn more about what makes ticks “tick” and what you should do when you get a tick bite. We want everyone to understand that the best thing you can do to protect yourself is prevention and education, but […]
Spoonie Stories: Autoimmune Diseases & Lyme
Hi, my name is Erika and I am 24 years old and I have been ill all of my life. Symptoms of autoimmune diseases (Perthes Disease, a hip disease, and Vitaligo -a skin pigment disorder) started at an extremely young age, causing problems learning in school and socializing. Then I came down with Lyme Disease […]
Spoonie Stories: Traditional Medicine vs Naturopathic Medicine
My name is Kelli and I have Lyme disease. Finding the diagnosis wasn’t easy and it wasn’t until I saw a Lyme Literate Naturopath Doctor (LL ND) that I found out. She ordered a series of expensive private lab tests not recognized by the CDC in diagnosing Lyme that came back Lyme positive.
10 Things To Know When Someone In Your Life Has Lyme
Someone you know is sick with Lyme disease. It could be a friend, a family member, a significant other, or just an acquaintance. Whoever it is, you’ve got some questions. Or maybe you don’t, but you want a better idea of what the heck is going on. This entry will hopefully offer some explanation, and […]