TOUCHED BY LYME: Former "Sopranos" actress to speak at Los Angeles Lymewalk
Lyme disease almost wiped out Tracey Silver's acting career before it really got started. However, after three tough years of treatment, she improved enough to land a recurring role on the popular TV show "The Sopranos." She'll speak about the ups and downs of her own Lyme experience, as well as the critical need for more Lyme research, at the LA Lymewalk October 3.
You might say 1997 was a golden time for Tracey Silver. She studied at New York’s prestigious Actor’s Studio during the week, worked as an international flight attendant on weekends, and had a great man in her life. As she looked forward to launching an exciting career in the theater, each day bubbled forth with health, vitality and grand expectations.
Then, on July 4 of that year, she took a holiday excursion to Lake Minnewaska, a recreational area two hours outside of New York City. A tick bit her on the leg.
“I guess I’d vaguely heard of Lyme disease before,” Tracy recalls. “But I knew nothing about it.” She pulled off the tick and went on. A month later, she developed a bull’s-eye rash, but didn’t know to be concerned about that, either.
Not until weeks later, with the last year of her Master’s of Fine Arts program underway, did she finally realize how profoundly that lack of knowledge would affect her life. She became horribly sick with Lyme disease, which almost forced her to drop the program. However, with very understanding teachers and some medical care, she managed to limp through to the finish line, obtaining her degree in 1998.
“But then, I was out of commission for three years,” Tracy says. Too impaired to care for herself at all, she moved to Florida, where her sister could minister to her. She underwent Lyme treatment—including a stint of IV antibiotics—and slowly her health improved.
Eventually, she got well enough to take up acting again, married that good man (they’re still together) and started dividing her time between New York and California. In 2006, she landed a recurring role in the HBO TV series “The Sopranos.” After her time on the TV show ended, she pursued other theater projects, and life continued along pretty well for a while. Until she relapsed in 2009.
This time, she didn’t mess around. She went right to a Lyme specialist, did six months of IV antibiotics and other treatments, and again pulled out of the slump. She’s been back on her feet since April, working as a flight attendant, taking acting jobs when she gets them, and writing a play about Lyme disease.
She’s also co-leading this weekend’s Los Angeles Lymewalk, which will take place Sunday, Oct. 3, at Palisades Park in Santa Monica.
“The public needs to know about Lyme disease,” Tracy says. “If I’d known more back in 1997, I would have gone for treatment immediately.”
At the LA Lymewalk, Tracy will speak to the group about her experiences, about the need for more Lyme awareness, and the urgent need for more Lyme research. “It’s the ‘first annual’ LA Lymewalk,” she says “I hope every year it will get bigger and bigger—so we can help put an end to this horrible and life-altering disease.”
Contact blogger Dorothy Kupcha Leland at dleland@lymedisease.org.
Dear Dorothy and Tracy,
Hi there! Thank you so much for sharing your story. I too, have a very similar one to tell. I am also an actor singer and dancer, or I was until about 3 yrs ago. I am hispanic and have been living here in Chicago land area for about 6 yrs now. Just last year I was diagnosed with lyme Disease. It took, in my opinioon, forever to get to this diagnosis, because doctors dont know how to recognize it.
My story goes like this, I was working as a dancer and singer in
Cancun and the mayan Riviera, I would also teach aerobics and do MC's for fashion shows to make ends meat. That is where i met my hussband, we got married and I came to live here ion the states. Don't remeber if I saw the bulls eye rash in 2004 0r 2005 but i remember seing it and doing nothing about it… I didn't know. I was ignorant. Fast forward to 2007 were I was showing the typical signs of LD, headaches, joint pain, fatigue and fevers! Then on 2008 afer I caught a very bad flu and was put on cortisone is that I started to become very sick, moistly neuroliogical. Well finally July of last year I was diagnosed by an LLMD. Because I had just moved in to the states and was getting my name out there I didnt have time to actually be working full time. It is going to be so much harder for me once I finally come out of this. Bummer, right?
Well anyway, thank you once again for sharing your story and for speaking in public about this.. we need our stories told.
Peace and love to you both
sincerely
Ira
similar story here. child got sick, misdiagnosed, got really really sick, found LLMD through other Lyme moms. Child is getting better, but not sure if "cure" or "remission" because treatment was delayed.
More awareness is desperately needed. Had I known last year what I know now, my child would not have had to suffer debilitating pain and lose a year of her life. We don't know if there will be any sequelae.
Instead of giving her doxycycline when she was first sick, her doctors sent her to psych counseling, which did nothing except lose the early treatment window.
Ignorance of this infection causes harm.
Found a tick in my leg (gorged) in 1975. Started having monthly bouts of flu w/severe PMS. Each month, it took longer for the flu to heal until finally it was constant. Hard to tell what was worse: the disease or the mistreatment for being a hypochondriac. Got diagnosed 5 years ago, but cannot find treatment. I just suffer. Pain, stiffness, headaches, weakness, peripheral neuropathy. Basically, my adult life is over: I never lived it. Just a lot of abuse and suffering. And cancer. Expect to be living on streets soon. Not able to work. No help. Have had several spells of 1-2 years straight where I lived on one meal a week. STILL can't get taken seriously.
I am going to e-mail Dorothy and hope here in Beverly hills she can guide me to what Tracy took and where she went. I myself living in Southern CA beverly hills and 5 yrs nobody found this disease and had a rash and was totally close mind to my condition many infectious dr's from UCLA to Cedars I have a doctor in the valley but want to know more about Antibotics and holistic treatment I am sure she got: I am in the Entertainment Industry myself and my friend actors could not believe the care I got: may dr from Cedars I spent many passover dinners with and never cross there mind.
I am a 48yr old women very youthful and my life is on hold and been sick for 5 yrs. Nobody could believe CA could have Lyme.
I am very much a supporter and know about CALDA and meet many supporters.
my name is out there but want to know where Tracy went for care, if some see's the comment, please e-mail me I am in my 3rd stage after 5 yrs and have over 30 signs of lyme. please help.
I am getting my immune system up but need more info on what is the right care
thank you
Robin
i got bit in 2002,had a lyme test shorly after because i had numb and ting in my left foot,i went to many doctors and each test for lyme came neg,in 2006 i seen a nero who found five lesions on my right side of brain,because my lyme test were all neg he treated me for ms,with tysabry an iv ms drug after the third infusion i got brain inflamation and had to go right to the er for iv steriods for five days when i came home i no longer could climb staires or lift my legs the steriods spread my lyme all over my body,last year i found a lyme doctor who sent my blood to igenex labs,calif it came back positive for lyme and cdc positive im in a wheelchair now thanks to the steriods!!!!!!!!!!!
Tracey Silver, you are really the inspiration for those who are suffering with such type of diseases. And they will get the strength to fight with it.