My Story

Looking back, I always felt fatigued…as a teenager and even more so as an adult. Not knowing any different, I thought I was fine. After the birth of our second child in 2010, the bottom fell out of my health. By the time he was 6 months old, I felt like I had a case of flu that never went away. After a month or two with no improvement, my husband kindly insisted I go to my family doctor. The doctor told me that I was just tired because I had two young kids. “My baby just started sleeping through the night,” I said, “but I’m lying awake in pain.” I listed an ever-growing number of symptoms to him: fatigue, flu-like aches, throbbing joint pain, muscle soreness, migraines, nausea, and insomnia. He ran bloodwork and said the only thing out of the ordinary was low Vitamin D. He gave me a prescription and said to come back in a month if I didn’t feel better. In a month, I was back. He shrugged and said that he’d diagnose me with Rheumatoid Arthritis (because of the severe joint pain) except I was too young to have RA and didn’t have any crippling in my hands. “So,” he said, “I’m going to diagnose you with Fibromyalgia.” I asked what I could do about it, and he said nothing.

Three more months went by and I was barely functional. I was only getting out of bed because I had an infant and a 4-year-old who needed me. I remember one evening laying on our living room rug that was scattered with toys so the boys could play around me. Our baby had just begun sitting up and I was laying behind him in case he toppled over; I was so fatigued and in so much pain that I couldn’t bear sitting up. That was how my husband found us when he got home from work; I felt like a failure as he helped me to bed and took over caring for the boys.

We became desperate. My husband googled symptoms and doctors trying to find someone who could help me. He stumbled across a local Functional MD’s website and he gave their office a call. We had no knowledge or experience with Functional Medicine at that point. He described to a woman on staff what was going on and she told him that they felt confident they could help me. The Functional MD immediately put me on an elimination diet and ran more specific labs. Within the first week of this nutritional cleanse my symptoms reduced: my migraines disappeared and my fatigue and pain lessened. I discovered that gluten, dairy, and sugar are my nemeses; my body just cannot handle them. While it was difficult to make dramatic changes to the way I ate, I was happy to find something that relieved my pain and gave me more energy. My Functional MD taught me about caring for my body as a whole, getting to the root of health issues, and using supplements to support it. The nutritionist on her staff was kind and enthusiastic about food and the healing that it had brought her. She guided me through the elimination diet and cheered me on as I discovered how food could heal me, too. Her love and wonder for the healing power of nutrition is ultimately what inspired me to start a career helping people heal with food. My experience with this practice was life changing. I felt in control of my health for the first time. I began to understand what was hurting my body, and what could heal it instead. In the back of my mind, I wondered why—at 30—my body was suddenly intolerant of several food groups. But with no answers to that question, I was just thankful I felt better.

For about 5 years, I felt good. Not 100%, but so much better that I thought my life and health was back to normal. We wanted another child. After no success trying to get pregnant a third time, we decided to adopt. A daughter joined our family in 2013 and I felt content and blessed. In spite of my past struggles, we were a family of five and I was living my biggest dream of being a mother. I became a volunteer staff member at my church as a women’s ministry leader. I felt joy in leading and serving a community of women that I loved.

In Fall of 2015, fatigue and joint pain started to creep back in. I was terrified that my previous pain was coming back even though I was still eating cleanly. In May 2016, I asked my Functional MD to run some more tests, and we decided that an autoimmune disease panel would be a good next step.

A couple of weeks later, I was sitting on the floor of my best friend’s playroom. It was a Friday morning and our toddlers were playing as I waited for my Functional MD’s call. I knew it was coming because I had called on Wednesday (and again that morning) asking if my lab results were available yet. Finally her office called to say that the only thing that showed up on my lab work was a single marker for Lyme disease. ONE MARKER. I was not surprised by a positive result for an autoimmune disease—it runs in my family—but I knew nothing about Lyme. My Functional MD referred me to two other doctors in Houston to confirm that I did in fact have Lyme. She wasn’t sure. She encouraged me to educate myself, and the information I found was confusing and the personal testimonies horrifying. Lyme is caused by a bacterial infection transmitted by a tick (or other insect); it’s commonly identified by a bull’s eye pattern rash and accompanied by flu-like symptoms. I definitely had flu-like symptoms, but I did not remember ever having a rash. Also, I don’t spend a lot of time in nature—you could call me “indoorsy.” My family never went hiking or camping growing up. At the time, I had two friends who were medical practitioners who both told me that Lyme disease was really rare and that it wasn’t likely that I had it. It made no sense to me that I had Lyme disease, and I read that Lyme mimics lots of other diseases (it’s sometimes referred to as the “Great Imitator”). So if I didn’t have Lyme, what did I have?

I was referred to a Rheumatologist and a Lyme Literate Internal Medicine doctor. I got into see the Rheumatologist first. She looked at my bloodwork and balked as I told her that we thought I may have Lyme disease. While looking at my bloodwork (with one Lyme marker), she said that it was impossible for me to have Lyme disease unless I had been hiking in the Rocky Mountains every year. I told her that I had never been to the Rocky Mountains before. “People don’t get Lyme disease in Texas,” she responded. She said she thought it was much more likely that I had Lupus or another autoimmune disease; she did more bloodwork and sent me for full body x-rays at the hospital. At the follow-up, she frowned at my clear x-rays and said that it wasn’t Lupus or anything else that she tested for—but she was sure it wasn’t Lyme. She wrapped up the appointment by offering me pain medication, and she said I could come back in 6 months if I still had symptoms. She shared an office with an Infectious Disease doctor. I asked if she would refer me to him since I had read online that Lyme is considered an infectious disease, but she said that patients have to have 3 or more markers for Lyme before he would see them. Besides, I didn’t have Lyme, she reminded me.

In July 2016, I saw the Internal Medicine MD. My husband didn’t go with me because with the information we had been given, we really considered this appointment’s purpose to confirm that I did NOT have Lyme. After an exam, she sat down with me in her office and had me describe all my symptoms and history. She looked at me and said, “I’m convinced that you have Lyme disease, and I think you’ve have it for at least 15 years.” While I was relieved to find a doctor who seemed to understand what was happening to me, my brain exploded with this new information. FIFTEEN YEARS!?

In August 2016, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. A Western Blot blood test showed one positive antibody marker for Lyme Borrelia as well as postive for Epstein Barr Virus. Lyme rarely arrives alone; people with Lyme usually have a cocktail of Borrelia strains, co-infections, and underlying viruses like EBV. And everyone has their own custom cocktail, which makes hard to treat. I felt like I had won the worst lottery ever. My Internal Medicine doctor immediately started me on a heavy regiment of antibiotics. I hit rock bottom and was sicker than ever before. With disappointment and sadness, I stepped down from the women’s ministry position at church that I’d held for 2 1/2 years. Unfortunately, after 15 months, my doctor looked at me and said, “I don’t know why you’re not getting better. There’s nothing more I can do for you.” I felt devastated and alone with no idea where to turn for help. I finally had a diagnosis and a treatment, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. I know this doctor wanted to help me, but we had completed the protocol that she thought would be most effective, and I didn’t feel any better. In fact, I felt worst. I was again almost bedridden with fatigue and pain, but I knew my kids needed me to be at least functional. They were now 11, 7, and 5 years old. I remember limping across their school’s campus to walk our daughter to Kindergarten; my joints weren’t visibly swollen but they felt like they were on fire. I was in agony—breathing took effort. I’d drop them off at school and then spent the day in bed until it was time to pick them up. I wanted my life back, but medically speaking things looked hopeless.

For a while, I was paralyzed with fear and grief. I breathed short prayers through the pain. “Help me” and “What do I do?” were on constant repeat in my head while I laid in bed. I had already encountered medical professionals that thought it was absurd that I had a Lyme diagnosis. The two doctors I’d found who understood what was happening to me were at a loss for how to help me feel better. I got angry. Angry with Lyme. Angry with the medical system that was failing me. Honestly, I was angry that I had a beautiful family and a wonderful life but was too sick to enjoy it. I wasn’t just suffering physically.

Eventually, my despair and desperation became resolve. I refused to accept that I couldn’t get better—my stubbornness finally had a positive purpose. And I knew God must have a purpose for my pain. He lit a fire inside of me. I wanted to participate in life again: play with my kids, go out with my husband, travel, enjoy hobbies, and explore a career in nutrition. Antibiotics had not worked for me (even though I read that they worked for others). My LL Internal Medicine doctor suggested that they were ineffective because I had chronic Lyme: the bacteria had spread throughout my body over the years and was now hiding in tissue, so antibiotics were not effective like they could have been with an acute infection. Holistic options seemed like the way to go for me.

I threw myself into research, looking for people’s stories on holistic treatment options and their results. I didn’t know one other person with Lyme when I was diagnosed, so I joined Facebooks groups for people with tick-borne illnesses. I would find a bit of information about a treatment, which would lead me to a holistic practitioner (or vice versa). I followed these rabbit trails, and some of these practitioners and treatments helped me feel better and moved me one or two steps towards healing. While I was exploring these treatments, I was also implementing and maintaining new daily lifestyle habits that supported my body’s healing. I have been eating an anti-inflammatory diet since 2011. The elimination diet had shown me that I feel best when I avoid inflammatory foods. To this day, an anti-inflammatory diet is the best pain-reliever I have found. I started learning about detox, and how important my lymphatic system is for flushing out toxins that stress my body (including Lyme and other bacteria that were being killed off from my treatments). Over time, I exchanged the cleaning supplies and beauty products I used for non-toxic alternatives. I had my house inspected and remediated for mold. I learned about heavy metals and parasites. I concentrated on these things one at a time and felt the difference in my body. I was sleeping better at night and not spending time in my bed during the day. With consistency, I was able to enjoy my life again. Looking back, I see how God was guiding me through every step of my journey.

In October of 2021, my mom who struggled with autoimmune disease most of my life passed away. It was understandably a difficult time and meant a lot of changes for our family. The grief and stress was hard on my body. I started to feel fatigued again and my low thyroid symptoms returned. I gained weight, was really sensitive to cold, lost a lot of hair, and my dry skin got even dryer. I had been able to control my hypothyroidism with compounded medication for the past 15 years; I was even able to decrease it consistently over the years to a very small amount as my body healed through nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. I knew the symptoms though and they were back with a fury. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in July of 2022. My current Functional MD suggested the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to reset and discover what foods were currently causing inflammation for me. I already had a strategy of lifestyle habits that I knew took care of my body so it could heal, and I dug deeper adjusting it to what my body needed now that I am in my 40’s. I also incorporated HIIT and strength training into my regular routine to help balance my hormones and build strength. With these tools in my toolbox, my symptoms mostly resolved.

In May of 2024, my doctor confirmed that I am now in Lyme remission. I don’t have any joint pain, body aches, or migraines; my days aren’t limited by fatigue. I have the energy to travel, go to all my kids’ activities, and exercise. I sleep well at night. I have the energy to enjoy the life that I have. I still eat clean, anti-inflammatory foods, prioritize detox, sleep, & rest, manage stress, and focus on my spiritual health because that is the foundation that I’ve built my health on.

Health is not a linear journey, especially when it comes to Lyme disease. It’s a roller coaster with ups and downs and twists and turns. That’s why having a lifestyle plan has made such a big difference for me. No matter what challenges life throws at me, I have a lifestyle that supports me in a way that is truly unique to me. I know how to take care of my body to promote healing and maintain energy. I can help you do the same. My experience gives me empathy and an understanding that makes me an ideal partner to walk through your own battle with Lyme disease. Together we can co-create a healthy lifestyle foundation for you!