Robin

"I was a very active person. I took care of my own home, mowed my own lawn, and raised two children. I worked full-time, waitressed three nights a week and had endless energy. That all slowly disappeared until I ended up being bedridden for three years.

My name is Robin. I am 56 years old and have had Lyme Disease for 11 years. I was diagnosed in August of 2008. Everything in my body hurt. I had to be helped into bed. I went to my doctor and was tested for Lyme Disease. When my doctor called with the results he said, 'I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is we know what is wrong with you. The bad news is it's Lyme Disease.'

I had days where I never even went to the bathroom. I went to many doctors trying to find something to make me better. John's Hopkins told me that it was all in my head that I was depressed and I needed to go home and exercise.

I lost my jobs. I lost my home. I lost my sense of self. The person I am today is not the person I had been. I still cry for the 'old' me. I have missed so many family functions. I have lost friends. I have lost memories. I face an unpredictable future, never knowing when I will be able to 'function' and when I will be in bed again."

I do have good days, too, though. And I get strength from being part of the Voices Against Lyme Disease CT group. I know that their work is so important and I am happy to be able to assist them in educating the public about preventing this debilitating disease. - Robin

Today Robin is an active board member and volunteer for VALD.

This is not a one-off, not an isolated situation. Every year between 300,000 and 400,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease, 25% of whom are children between 5 and 14.

Robin

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