A Twist of Lyme: Battling a Disease That "Doesn't Exist"

In A Twist of Lyme, the author, Andrea shares her own personal experience & the nightmare of a disease caused by a tick bite that she was unaware of.She shares her very real experience of living with Chronic Lyme Disease. The daunting questions of not understanding what was going on along with the countless doctors and their misdiagnoses all the whileShe knew something wasn't right, there was was something wrong, but what? This caused ongoing frustration, Andrea had no idea that she was sick, extremely sick to be exact.In A Twist of a Lyme Andrea reflects of the earlier years of her life before becoming sick. The woman who loved to travel, was diverse in several languages & she was especially fond of Sweden.so much that she lived there for quite some time.Another interesting feature that Andrea proceeds to share is the invisible illness that is the reality of Chronic Lyme disease and her treatment & how each affected her life. In A Twist of Lyme, Andrea shares her own twist of the reality of how Chronic Lyme Disease changed her life . The personal details of how she had her parents take care of her, stay the night due to the amount of help she actually needed. The isolation of not being able to get out of bed to enjoy simple family activities, treatment often intensifies the feeling of isolation. .The symptoms of Chronic Lyme Disease is quite an intensive list. A few of the effects of the disease itself and or treatment include: vomiting, nausea, headaches, insomnia, weight gain or weight loss, Lyme rage, an uncontrollable anger, panic attacks, anxiety, pain that is unexplainable, and being bedridden, seizures, the list can go on and on.The sunshine Andrea eventually sees on the other side of the rainbow is when a adorable beautiful dark haired little girl whom she adopts comes into her life.When reading this chapter of the book, As a mother myself, I imagine Andrea being giddy & having a happiness unlike any other and smiling ear to ear with the joy of being a mother.Andrea wrote about needing her parents help as she was still receiving treatment battling this disease.On a lighter note I was impressed that Andrea maintained her business (Natural non-toxic products)During the entire time she was dealing with being seriously ill. From reading this book it was clear that Andrea's livelihood was her personal business & the joy of her precious little girl. Andrea looked onto those brighter days that awaited her , it was the only thing that kept her going. I was excited for this book as it was actually a story of someone with chronic Lyme disease and how it affected their life personally. To be honest I could not wait for the release. The moment it was available, I bought it.Andrea's story is very encouraging, it shows the reality & gives you a different perspective, especially when you yourself have Lyme disease. Lyme Disease affects each patient uniquely & is different for everyone.Andrea's book "A Twist Of Lyme" sits on a table in the waiting room of my doctor.I am so glad it's there !!I would hope that someone would see "A Twist Of Lyme" and purchase it. I know that it also will give them encouragement and hopeThere is light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm on page 115, or 39% in, and here's where I stop. I was diagnosed with Lyme this past April, along with CIRS (mold illness), leaky gut, and just recently, Fibromyalgia. First the pills: 400 per week. Ok, I believe it. I was on 385 per week until I got so fed up with it, I emailed doctor, and said, this is too much, I'm not sure you're aware of how many meds and supplements I'm on. Guess what? She wasn't! She decreased them dramatically, and i was a happier patient for it. Nothing was said about questioning 400 pills a week by Ms. Caesar. You get better results, and better treatment by the doctor if there is a dialogue. Now, the IV treatment cost: $32,000 per IV treatment!? Ridiculous! No explanation of how she paid for it, and why such an expensive "treatment?" Wouldn't you question that!? If you're sane, yes! This Dr. Jemseck sounds like a money grubbing quack! His angry diatribe in the forward didn't help. Am I angry that Lyme isnt on the top of everyone's mind as one of the worst and most prolific diseases ever!? Yes! But, I'm not a professional writing a forward where millions can see, in an insane tone. And the Lyme Rage for an hour!? You should count yourself lucky, Ms. Caesar, that it isnt longer. That's the most prolific thing that makes me question her. I have it for days, sometimes weeks. And sometimes I have suicidal or homicidal thoughts for that period. How many Lyme patients only experience it for an hour? I would love to have it for an hour! I've had Lyme disease for 14 years, and CIRS for 16, but did not know it. I can't read any further. I'm getting Lyme Rage by the ridiculousness of her accounts. If I was there with her at the time of each entry, and knew I had Lyme, I would want to shake her. This is a nonsensical account, of what's supposed to be a true story. Who adopts a baby and has multiple dogs as a Lyme patient? Really stupid idea. Mini may have been a bright spot, but babies and dogs require SO much care that I could never handle with my illnesses. Another thing that bothered me is the constant talk of her past. She had a good one! One that most people never have the opportunity to have! Focus on that, and then see if you can whine about a diagnosis of Lyme. God gave you a good life. Don't throw it away by whining about your diagnosis. You're helping no one by your downtrodden attitude in this book. Be an advocate, not a whiner.

I love that this book is real. It's a real story. It's an honest story. Andrea does an amazing job of exposing how brutal Lyme is, and how over time, it can rob its victims of an ordinary life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing this book. Your honesty connected with me in such a way that lifted a weight from my shoulders. Anyone who has Lyme, has had Lyme, or knows someone who has Lyme should absolutely read this book. Lyme is real, it is merciless, and it is life altering.As a mother who was diagnosed with Lyme shortly after the birth of my twins, I felt like every step of my own journey was re exposed by reading this book. It brought back some pretty tough memories and made me deal with the reality that my own life has been permanently altered. What a relief to hear someone talk openly and honestly about the effects of Lyme. Lyme literally shut down my life - I was unable to work, unable to care for my family, and unable to even take care of myself. Life totally changed - permanent paralysis in my face, memory loss, Lyme rage, vision loss, just to name a few. This virus is real and it is awful. But, we find the good - find out who our true friends are, make new connections, find the good in what we have. You are strong Andrea, and you are doing hard things. I can only imagine how difficult it was to put your story out there, but thank you for doing it.

Not all Lyme battles are created equal but suffering is a common thread and another is the length of time it takes to get a diagnosis. There is a Lyme sufferer in my family and so I read the whole book with interest and sympathy. The whole account is told as it is and should be a cautionary tale to those who wander in the woods and/or have an undiagnosed condition - check for ticks and check for Lyme Disease.

Not clearly written..................it is her story of her life but not really helpful to me.