Yolanda: I Would Like to Apologize

Hello Bravo lovers!

I hope your year is off to a good start and that you are enjoying Season 5. 

I would like to apologize for my lousy participation in the blogging department at the moment. Although writing is usually my favorite thing to do, I unfortunately have lost the ability to do so in an intelligent matter at this time. Most of you know I have been battling Lyme disease for the past three years. I wasted the first year trying to get diagnosed and spent the next two trying to find a cure. I have gone from the conventional long-term antibiotics to about every holistic protocol there is to offer. Unfortunatly, I was only able to get to about a 60% recovery until I relapsed in early December and have not been able to find my way back.

Lyme Neuroborreliosis is a spirochete infection in the brain that can leave one with severe brain impairment and neurological issues. 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.

The most frustrating thing is that there is medical data on Lyme and spirochete infections going back all the way to 1908, but yet we still dont have proper diagnostic testing, a vaccine, or a cure for Lyme disease while we are living in the United States of America, the most extraordinary country in the world. Something doesn’t add up here, and I will made it my life mission to figure this out, because nobody desrves to suffer this way in 2015. Unfortunatly, I am of no use to anyone or anything at this moment while weathering the storm.

As tired and hopeless as I feel at times, I have an undeniable spirit that will continue to fight and travel the world until I have the proper answers. I keep reminding myself that I was given this task for a greater purpose, which keeps me driven and motivated to think outside the box to make a difference not only for myself but for all my fellow Lymies suffering some form of this debilitating disease that we know so little about. A lot of great medicines and ancient therapies are blocked by the FDA, so that's why I choose to travel and recognize the value of diverse points of view in medicine. I am a firm believer that God often uses our deepest pain as the launching pad of our greatest calling, so even though I have not found a cure, I have faith that I will.

I am blessed with the unwavering support of my husband, my children, and a handful of true friends, and I would like to thank you for all your sweet messages and support on social media. As a human being battling this everyday invisible disability, I ask you to join me in making a kind gesture to someone every day, because everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so your kindness goes a long way, and together we can make a real difference in someone's day.

Much love and a big hug,
xoxox
Yo