How Lyme Disease Affected My Family

She has Lyme Disease. That's what he said. I'm trying to shake the sleep out of my head and understand what he is saying. She has Lyme Disease. He said it again. I started to cry.

Our daughter started complaining about leg pain and fatigue months ago. The symptoms were so vague and we are dealing with a teenager here after all. We thought she just didn't want to go to school. How could we have known something serious was building in her body? My daughter loves to invent mysterious illness that she's sure she must have. Sometimes a bruise is skin cancer while a bump has got to be a tumor. Most of this is in fun. It has turned into a game really. When she has a bump or bruise we make up things that it could be. Nothing serious has ever been wrong with her, so up until now this was funny. When she came to us complaining of leg and ankle pain we assumed she was blowing it out of proportion as usual. Classic boy calling wolf scenario, right? Wrong.

Then one morning she came to me with tears in her eyes. The pain in her legs and ankles was severe. This is when i got nervous. I immediately called her doctor. I explained the seemingly vague symptoms then she ordered blood work. She didn't tell me what she was tested for nor did I ask. Three days later I was sitting in bed with tears rolling down my cheeks as my husband was telling me that our daughter has an incurable disease. I really couldn't believe she had Lyme Disease. My daughter is not an outdoors person. She doesn't take hikes or play sports.

My first thoughts were that she would have a chronic illness causing fatigue and joint pain for the rest of her life. I was heartbroken. Then I felt guilty for not knowing that something serious was wrong with her. She had contracted this months before and I hadn't known it. But, how could I have known?

Without delay she began taking a 21-day regimen of antibiotics to arrest the disease. The pain continued. She was diligent about taking her pills believing she would finally get some relief from the pain. She finished the pills. The pain continued. I called her doctor to express my concern so she ordered more blood work. She now wanted to test for RA. Now I was panicking. Visions of my crippled daughter danced in my head. Was this the life she would have to look forward to at such a young age? I couldn't bear to think it.

Several tense days passed before I got he word…no RA. The weight that was lifted off of me was amazing. Now we know we are dealing only with the Lyme Disease. Our biggest problem is that even after her round of meds he is still having pain in her ankles on a daily basis. We are waiting consult with her doctor about how to proceed. In the meantime, I tell as many people as I can about our situation in hopes that I can meet other dealing with the same illness, which I have. I am constantly looking for answers on how to cure my daughter or learn to manage it if that is our only option.

She has Lyme Disease. That's what he said…