Growing Deeper Roots: My Story of Invisible Illness

As I mentioned a few times now, I participated with in the 6th Annual Loudon Lyme Disease Races! The event, including a 1K, 5K, 10K and virtual race, was this Sunday and it was packed! I had a small team, just my best friend Kate and my mom. I thought it was fitting that these two women were the ones that walked the 5K with me as they've been the ones walking through this whole journey with me. (Corny, I know.) In addition to offering the races and awards, the event had a raffle, a silent auction, and several booths for bug-preventing products, advocacy groups, and other companies and organizations relevant to Lyme disease.  Big thank you to all who contributed to my fundraising efforts including Emily Levy, Anna Zastrow, Ally Venable, Kate Vannoy, Michelle Venable, and Molly Igoe! You all continue to be a great source of support for me and all of us fighting this terrible illness.  I hope to get a bigger group next year with better planning and more time to prepare....

The Maryland General Assembly passed it's first Lyme Disease bill during 2016's legislative session. I was lucky enough to have an internship in an office in the MGA this semester and spoke with the sponsor of the bill, who is also my Frederick County district representative. Delegate Kathy Afzali represents District 4 of Maryland and sponsored the Lyme Disease - Laboratory Test - Required Notice Act, which requires health care providers to provide notice of potential inaccuracies in diagnostic tests. The goal of this patient-driven act is to ensure that patients are receiving accurate information about the tests used to diagnose Lyme disease, hopefully significantly decreasing the number of misdiagnoses.  Today, only a month after the MGA Sine Die, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has signed this Lyme Disease - Laboratory Test - Required Notice Act into law.  Taking affect in October, this law will require health care providers to provide the following disclosure to...

People throughout Virginia and parts of Maryland are gearing up for one of the biggest Lyme fundraising and morale building events of the year. The Loudon County Lyme Race is expected to draw a crowd of nearly 2,000 activists, patients, caretakers, and runners.  Last year, the race raised a net of $50,000. This year, Gotschi, event founder and  owner of Sterling-based DryHome Roofing and Siding has a  goal to write the National Capital Lyme Disease Association a $75,000 check. The event includes a 10K, 5K and 1K family walk/fun run, and new this year—a virtual race, in which participants who cannot make it on race day can log their scores and still make donations. Gotschi started the Lyme run in 2010 after watching his wife battle the illness for years before she was properly diagnosed.  Like Botschi, 70% of the participants have been directly affected by Lyme disease. The Loudoun Lyme Run will take place at the Brambleton Town Center, at 22855 Bram...

Today is May 1st. While some people at my liberal arts college might be excited for their nudity-ridden May Day traditions, that is not the focus of my excitement today. Today is the first day of Lyme Disease Awareness Month! For the next 31 days, communities brought together by this terrible disease will work tirelessly to bring awareness, education, funds, and advocacy to this important issue. These patients and activists work year round but this month is the time for everyone else to join them. I will be continuing using my social media platform and this blog to spread awareness all month long. I will also be participating in a 5K for Lyme Nat Cap on May 15th. Across the country, there will be many many other events for you or your allies to partake in. Fighting chronic Lyme can be isolating and devastating but we are not alone in this fight! I hope we can all come together this May to move forward, closer to a world without Lyme! Events to look forward to: ...