TOUCHED BY LYME: Lyme made her "a shell of the woman I used to be"
“Real Housewife” Yolanda Foster has opened up to her fans even more about her experience with Lyme disease.
Yolanda Foster, a season three cast member of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and wife of Grammy Award-winning music producer David Foster, continues to publicly share the story of her struggle with Lyme disease.
Apparently she is undergoing special treatment in Florida. This week she posted the following message to fans on her Facebook page:
Hi from crispy Florida……… just a little note to let you know I am okay, even though I am very home sick I somehow feel I am in the right place to get well. I have never been away from my husband and children this long but I keep reminding myself that I had become the shell of the woman I used to be and could not participate in their lives the way I used to. I literally stared at the ceiling for 6 months, not being able to read and write anything of substance. Watching t.v was too much stimulation. The Lyme had so severely attacked my brain function that I often asked David if he thought I would ever be normal again.
Thank god for the incredible strength and loyalty with which my husband and children guided me through those dark days. Even though I am impatient and my progress does not seem to go fast enough, I know I am getting better and I do for sure see the light at the end of the tunnel. I now feel its my duty to share my health journey with the world because so many people out there go undiagnosed and live a miserable life fighting this silent killer. I am not strong enough to really go into details at this point but I promise I will as soon as my brain comes back and allows me to be that woman that use to be able to juggle 10 things at once.
Anyway my friends, please enjoy your health………… it sounds so cliche but trust me, when it gets taken away from you those words take on a whole new meaning. No matter how much money you have, no matter who you know………healthy is the greatest gift in life! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the support of my family and friends. I read all of your messages and feel the love!! Thank you.
Lots of love and a big hug! xoxoxo Yo
Fans can follow Yolanda here on Facebook and Twitter.
TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s VP for Education and Outreach. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.
Spoken like a true Lymie! Thank you for helping spread awareness. I am so sorry that you have are suffering.
Wouldn’t to be…. a life saver…. if all of us in the situation described above (or worse) could afford to fly wherever is necessary and receive the high quality treatment required for this kind of illness and receive it for as long as it takes… to bad most of us get NO treatment (unless you count the verbal abuse and accusations from doctors a treatment) except for possible drugs that do more damage than good. Sorry about the bitterness (I really am – before a decade of chronic Lyme disease I was a very different – strong – positive – upbeat person) but I am speaking TRUTH. That the stuff most people don’t want to hear.
Yolanda,
Not only am I a fan of yours, but I too suffer with Neurological Lyme. It’s been many years and although I’m on antibiotics I feel as if I’m sometimes going backwards. My children are younger and they worry all the time. I wish I could be more of a mother as they are amazing and I would die to protect them. Could you tell me about your treatment or the doctor you are seeing? I would have never known you had Lyme as you carry yourself so well on the show.. You have a natural beauty inside and out and I wish you well and keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless
Karen Yarter
I hope when you are better, that you will use your celebrity to enlist Broadway, and other actors to raise awareness and funds. Mara Williams, author of Dirty Needle and nurse is trying to raise funds for the first national comprehensive lyme treatment center – kind of like the equivalent to Cancer Centers of America. If I’m not mistaken I think I might know the FL clinic you speak of. Sadly, most lyme patients can only dream of having that due to cost and denials by insurance. I hope you can start a national fund raiser for the victims of lyme that desperately needhelp. A Suffolk County official’s draft of a lyme bill he penned, put a 40% suicide rate in the chronic patient. I have met many that were hanging on by a thread to life. Where is that found in ANY disease?!! You can save lives with your platform. Praying for you, and praying when well, you’ll be a spokesman and fund raiser. Godspeed in your recovery.
Thank you, Yolanda for sharing your story and battling so bravely. I am battling a chronic neurological disorder. Your strength and positive outlook is inspirational and comforting. I was always, like you, very, very healthy. This adjustment has been very hard and each day I pray for strength to remain positive. Bless you on your journey. You will be in my prayers.
Lisa Lazarczyk
Thank you Yolanda! You are a true fighter and advocate for Lymies! I pray that God will bless you through your treatment and that you will be feeling back to normal very soon. I’m with you in this terrible fight…the pain, confusion, fear, worry, anxiety, depression and more. Try really hard to stay positive and continue to have hope. Lyme is a long battle, but if it be God’s Will then you will be completely healed. He is using our Lyme for a purpose and His Kingdom will receive Glory through His use of us. Just hang on, stay strong, keep the prayers flowing, and find comfort in your treatment. I pray you are home soon with your hubby and kids. God bless you, darling! Sincerely yours, Sydni
I’m glad to read that you are doing better and have returned home. What can you share with us about your treatment? I’ve had neurological problems for 5 years now and while the symptoms are much diminished they are still with me. Perhaps you can help others who are suffering by getting the word out and taking a stand.
All the best
Lisa in New York City
April, although I understand the frustration, please stop judging Yolanda.
Yolanda has, and still suffers greatly from this hideous disease! It’s amazing that she’s speaking out at all, especially knowing she will be ridiculed herself (doubt she would care much). This woman is wanting to be a voice for all of us, and Yolanda cares very deeply about the impact her words have on fellow Lyme sufferers.
Yes, she has more money than most but that doesn’t make her suffering any less, or necessarily make her treatment more effective…some, with all the treatment in the world available to them are losing the battle. We ALL need to speak up every chance we get, every moment we are not to sick to do so! ALL of us!
For those that cannot afford treatment at this time, let’s be glad Yolanda is paving the way, for us, our children, and for all that will suffer from this horrible disease in the future.
Yolanda is brave. Until we each do our part to make our affliction known in any and every way we can, let’s not criticize this woman.
Please support Yolanda as she’s being a voice for many. If per chance Yolanda cannot continue with the reality show she is on, let’s support every effort she makes to help get the word out about Lyme!
Even us with untold unspeakable pain from Lyme have at least five minutes of relief in our days to write one letter that would help. If we are not able to, then someone we know will do it for us if asked!