I n an all too familiar tale, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease after three years of mysterious symptoms and a lot of doctors who didn’t take me seriously. Like others who’ve been through this, I came out the other end with a new perspective on the human body, the U.S. healthcare system, and what it means to “be sick.”
Author Anthony Wallace
My initial onset of symptoms came just weeks before my high school graduation, when I was 18 years old. Today, at 25, I continue to endure evolving health issues, experiment with treatments, and attempt to navigate regular life along the way.
In spite of unpredictably fluctuating and occasionally debilitating bouts of (among other things) brain fog, fatigue, aches, and heart palpitations, I am living what I honestly feel to be a fulfilling life full of adventure and achievement.
I believe that being afflicted with chronic illness is an opportunity to, as the great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche says, “become who you are.” Here are some of the most personal and powerful lessons I’ve learned in my seven years of seeing the world through the lens of Lyme disease.
Empathy and Empowerment for Recovery Are Everywhere
Living with Lyme is a daunting challenge. There is no shortage of stories, art, and philosophical musings on this subject for inspiration and reassurance that you aren’t the only one. Nearly all of the most helpful bits of advice and guidance I’ve received in the course of my battle had nothing to do with Lyme disease whatsoever, but rather, the nature of struggle, endurance, and faith.
Faith Is Medicine
Recently, I listened to a podcast with Capt. Charlie Plumb, an American Navy pilot who was shot down in Vietnam and spent six torturous years in the famously brutal Hanoi Hilton POW camp. Despite unimaginable mental and physical abuse, the 500 or so Americans held at the camp turned out to do incredible things—becoming senators, CEOs, and various other influential figures….Join or login below to continue reading.
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