Jeri W's Story
Hi, my name is Jeri and I live in Northwest Indiana. I am not sure when I became
infected with Lyme the first time, or how many times I have been infected, but
I do know this disease is in Indiana.
I too had the flu-like symptoms in nice weather and thought it had to be a
little strange for this time of year, but blew it off as a virus of some
sort.
Some days I could barely move my legs but again thought wow I have
really been working these muscles too hard. After a few days of taking it easy,
no more pain. Then headaches that were so severe I couldn't stand to be in
the sun. My ears hurt and were plugged, so I was sent to a specialist. He said
everything looked normal and could not explain the ringing and plugged up
feeling that was knocking me off balance.
Then my abdomen started to really
hurt and again an Internist could only find that something was causing alot
of stress in the intestines and colon. That was after I spent 5 days in a
hospital for testing and Demerol for pain. I was sent home with little green
capsules to help relieve the stressing inside.
My husband had read an article on Lyme and thought we should both be tested.
While I was in the hospital the test came back. He was neg. and I was pos. At
least that explained the stress inside. We started Doxy, then Amoxy, then
Ceftin. And the biggy: 8 weeks of IV Rocephin. Now we're on Doxy again
because the ins. co said that that is all the medical science that has been published
says to treat Lyme. According to this research,taking more
IV antibiotics is not going to help.
OKAY show me a doc on my
review board and then I can be treated longer. I really am tired of Lyme
ignorance in our world.
When I first was diagnosed I went to my local Board of Health and was told
it did not exist here. My jaw dropped. Here I am standing there with my cane
in my hand to help me walk, and was tempted to use it as a club to inform the
women I had Lyme and have never left the county.
But my better judgement was
with me so I educated her and gave her some fact sheets and brochures that
everyone had been so kind to send me.We are now working together to educate
our community on prevention and awareness.
Good thing I didn't use a club
huh? Anyway, since then I have gotten a Proclamation from the Mayor's office
for Lyme prevention/Education and Awareness month in my city, and that is a
start! That's all I can manage for now. Thank You
We can do it together!
Jerilynn Wright
Indiana, USA
A Proud Daughter Writes About Her Mom's Struggle With Lyme
In my eyes a hero is a normal person but their actions are phenomenal.
Everyone thinks of a hero as being a celebrity. People look at talents and
judge opinions. But a person's character and personality is what makes up a
person, not their skills and talents. My hero is someone who makes me who I
am, battles with everyday hardships, and has inspired everyone around her.
My mom is my hero. She has taught me right from wrong and that honesty is
the best and only policy. She has made me the person I am today because of
her great upbringing. My hero is stubborn and even though I feel she has
pushed me too hard at times, I am thankful because I know she wouldn't have
done so had she not loved me so much. We are so much alike, but yet, very
different.
I like to call her my mini-me because she's shorter than I am and
we look a lot alike. She has made me realize that no matter how bad life
gets you still have to have hope and faith.
She battles with Lyme Disease everyday. But yet she still has some energy to
do her motherly duties. Her philosophy is, if she can educate one person and
save them from this terrible disease, it's worth the pain she endures daily
with her Lyme.
She has written every newspaper in Northwest Indiana. It is hard to see
your hero hooked up to an IV everynight and wonder what it must be like to
walk a mile in her shoes. Although her biggest hardship takes her strength,
I believe she is the strongest woman in the world. Even though this disease
steals her memory, she always remembers how to make me smile after a bad day.
I wake everyday and pray they will find a cure because my hero deserves it.
She has inspired so many people, especially myself. Her heart maybe heavy but
she still gives so much of herself to others when they are in need. She has
given so much hope to other Lyme victims. Instead of sitting in the back
seat, she wants to drive the car.
In other words, instead of waiting for
someone to stand up and make the world realize that there is a problem with
tick-borne diseases, she's out there waving her arms and getting their
attention. She speaks with so much compassion it's hard to tell her no. My
hero writes me poems and inspires me to be all I can, and not to ever settle
for second best.
She has always encouraged me to go out and grab the world.
I will not fail her, and hope that someday I will be somebody's hero.
I look up to my hero everyday. She is my everything. She's a normal person
but her actions speak volumes of her character. Your hero should be a person
who you look up to for their actions, not talents. A hero can be anybody, but
not just anybody can be a hero.
Jacki Wright (Daughter of Jeri Wright)
The Lyme Disease Quilt Page
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