NEWS: "I have lost ability to read, write or even watch TV"
Yolanda Foster, of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” fame, has garnered a lot of press this week about her recent relapse of Lyme disease symptoms.
Foster, who has been using social media to share information about her three-year battle with Lyme disease, said on her Bravo blog:
“I have lost the ability to read, write, or even watch TV, because I can’t process information or any stimulation for that matter. It feels like someone came in and confiscated my brain and tied my hands behind my back to just watch and see life go by without me participating in it.” (Click here to read the rest of her blog.)
That started a title wave of media coverage of her story. Here are a few examples.
I am so sorry to hear she has this debilitating illness. There are sooooo very many of us that do and can not get our stories out. When a celebrity gets something they are heard and followed by the media. What is this? I mean, the everyday people need to be heard as well. It is kind of sad in a way that we can’t be heard. It is awful she has this and I am sorry she does and don’t get me wrong about what I said but really? Why does it only happen when a celebrity gets this?
It is awful she has this and going through what she is. Does the media ever look at others who have this? Not usually. Why?
When celeb reties speak, people listen. Bless Yolanda for high-lighting this serious disease for all of us who live with it every day. It is very real and very life-changing.
I am there with you Yolanda. I don’t know who you are but i just found this blog entry from the Lyme Assoc. of Alberta. I just want you to know that i too am struggling with no brain and absolutely no energy. My battle has been far longer than yours and I am much older. but i know the lonliness and isolation of this illness. I am glad you have family around you. I do not. Every day is an endless battle and i have long since given up treatments. You are not alone and neither am i. We all deserve a medal because we are all each others’ heroes.I don’t know much about blogs but I’ll try to find yours and keep tabs. thank you for sharing your story and for your intention to help people with this illness.
So very sorry to hear about Yolanda’s relapse. This is a rather plaintiff plea, since she is in the spotlight and has immense media coverage: Would she/her docs consent to her being retested for Lyme/Coinfections – by the most-proven labs and using the most reliable methods/tests (CDC approved or not), and also include testing using the CDC-approved protocol?
Aiming here for a positive test in a “chronic Lyme” patient – whose results would be known by possibly millions of people, thereby further disparaging remarks by “The Others” (IDSA).
Dearest Yolanda, you have no reason to apologize!!!! You are such a gracious, beautiful woman! I too have Lyme Disease and have been dealing with the loss of self and pains every where since 2008. I have been to so many doctors. I did find one that treats lyme patients and have been going to him for 4 years. I feel I have hit a plateau and have not been improving or getting any worse. Unfortunately he does not take insurance and each appointment is $200.00. We can’t afford that so now I see no one. I pray you are successful in finding the treatment you need and can help the Lyme community as well! I believe in you!!! Hang in there and God Bless you for all you do for us Lymies!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely, Robin Neary
Maybe research ABX again.
Yolanda, I am so, so, so, very sorry for your relapse. I noticed you took antibiotics (ABX) for, I think, 90 days, or something like that. Not giving medical advice, just telling you my experience. I was on ABX for 6 months before I started to really go into remission. I learned to do my own IV push. It was really easy once I got the hang of it. I’d come teach you if that were possible. That way I did not need anybody’s help. Push in the morning, push at night, just my routine, like brushing my teeth. You probably know this already, digestive enzymes (Enzymedica, Digest Plus, others, carb, protein, repair) 4 vegie capsules with each meal, probiotics at night, and Ursodiol (to clean the liver from all the dead microbes and sludge) morning and night. It gave me back about 5 years of my life. I felt great, exercised, gained lots of muscle. Then I could no longer afford treatment. I would do it all over again just for that 5 years. If I had the money I would go back on ABX, do oxygen treatment of some type, hyperbaric, ozone, IVs, etc. Vit C IVs, super nutrition and so on. I pray for you, and really want to see you succeed and be very well. You are such an amazing person. Thank you so much your great effort to make others Lyme aware. God bless and keep His arms wrapped around you.
Sounds SO much like my own dark journey with Lyme. It took away all my favorite things: reading, music (thus dancing), and travel. Wondering how she manages to read and learn lines for her work, since my memory has definitely been messed up majorly, too. Bless all us Lymees!
Yolanda,i think of you as our harriet tubman, finding your way to freedom i know you will come back for the rest who are waiting. I and so many others wish you good things on your journey, it is a harder road than i could ever have imagined. As someome else on the forum said, we are each others heros.
Best of the best to you and your family in the battle against a complex disease.
Ther is a bible phrase something to the effect -when you are weak then am i strong.
I hope that you are lifted by our surging concern for you on the road to recovery.
I believe you will find the dream that currently eludes and time will again be our friend.
Blessing to you and your loved ones and i hope gabriel himself has a plan for your health.
Peace and joy to you.
I can sympathise as I have the same wretched illness, I’ve recently returned from St George Clinic in Germany and am feeling quite a bit better thankfully, especially mentally. Nothing I tried before that worked at all, so I’m very hopeful and praying there’ll be no relapses for me.
Dear Yolanda,
I just want to thank you for being an inspiration to all the people to have Lyme disease or any disease really. You show people to stay strong and carry on even though it is tough. My mother and I both have Lyme disease and it’s been such a struggle. We’ve both had the picc line and been on tons of treatment for years now. The doctors never really know what’s wrong with you and it is very hard to carry on daily routines sometimes. So seeing you on house wife’s of Beverly hills it’s truly an inspiration and I really want to thank you because I know what you go through at times and for people to judge is wrong. So like I said thank you for everything you do and being the person you are!
Yolanda, I have been following your heart breaking battle with Lyme Disease and know the frustration and isolation you are going through. After a number of years of ongoing illness, my husband was finally diagnosed with LD in 2000. Next came the hard part – finding a doctor who would treat him. We live in Victoria, B.C. and most physicians said there was no LD here. By a stroke of luck we found one progressive doctor who was very Lyme literate and was actually treating people with long term antibiotics. He began treating my husband’s co-infection first but by the time my husband was ready to proceed onto the treatment for the Lyme Borrelia the BC Medical association had forced this “rebel” doctor into early retirement. So we found ourselves back at square 1 with no doctor. Our search took us to Rosarita Mexico, south of San Diego, to Sanoviv, a medical clinic on the coast run by an American biochemist named Dr. Wentz. This facility was heaven on earth for us. My husband was assessed, given treatment from both Western medicine and holistic modalities. They treated him with antibiotics and other therapies, while at the same time focusing on a major detox regime. . . . raw foods, detoxing therapies. You even wear their toxin free clothing when you are there. Long story short – after a few stays there he is now living a normal life.
Yolanda, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and neurological issues that came on rather suddenly (almost immediately) 8 years ago. I’m 30 now, never anything health problems–and my husband and mother have both wondered if I have Lyme. I haven’t ever been tested, so I won’t claim that I do. I did not ever get a diagnosis for my condition. But THIS is what I wanted to tell you… You may want to try an ADHD medication for the debilitating fatigue, and lack of focus. I too have trouble reading, finding words, focusing, have extreme light sensitivity, dizziness, extreme brain fog, etc. The ADHD meds are the only way I can get out of bed and be lively and on most days now I am pretty good. It comes and goes. Zinc has helped a lot, and raw (uncooked) garlic helps as well. I do feel like those two things suppress my symptoms. Best of luck to you.
Yolanda Hadid story on New York Post reveals that all those fancy clinics around the world CANNOT cure chronic Lyme disease. So..we have to go “alternative”