Falmouth, ME
Infected: October, 2014
Diagnosed: October, 2017
“I always remain thankful, positive, and full of hope for the future. I tell others, do not give up and keep searching until you find a knowledgeable provider you connect with, especially one who has experienced Lyme.”
– Marc L.
More than ten years ago, my health started gradually deteriorating. I knew something was wrong. After visiting my primary care physician and other doctors and specialists, I was eventually told that all my blood work was fine, and they could not find a problem. Yet I was feeling quite lousy every day, and it wasn’t due to stress, as several of the practitioners I visited implied.
In the summer of 2019, the daily chronic headaches and migraines started. I had rarely had headaches before and had never had a single migraine. One day, I went into the grocery store at lunchtime and felt as though I was going to pass out after one minute inside. My head felt as though it was buzzing. I rushed out of the store, closed my eyes for a while in my parked vehicle, and then drove straight home. We called my doctor, who eventually ordered head scans, body scans, and several other tests. The scans were thankfully clean, and again, I was told, “We cannot find anything.”
Headaches, severe light, sound, and smell sensitivities, fatigue, sleep issues, gut problems, achy joints, and the inability to concentrate made daily functioning difficult. I was not able to do my work well. I was denied accommodations to work from home by my employer (right before the COVID-19 fiasco turned this into a normality), which was OK because working became an impossible task.
A couple of years later, after further visits with specialists due to extensive research on my part, I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease and co-infections by a naturopath. At least I finally had an official answer with medical evidence. The last five plus years, I have been treated by doctors from literally all over the country. I have easily spent more than $100,000 of our own money on doctor visits, tests, supplements, many drugs, and other therapies, to have some home treatment. (As we know, insurance does not really cover Lyme disease treatment or many of these doctors, but that is a story for another time.)
After little reduction of symptoms in the last few years, my osteopathic doctor recently referred me to a local eye care practice. Dr. K’s practice is not only for general eye care, but also contains his Acquired Brain Injury Clinic. After his testing, he officially diagnosed me with Acquired Brain Injury. Dr. K clearly laid out this diagnosis based on my history and testing. I have had multiple concussions (too many to definitively count) in my life, including a few in the last five years, which they believe is what put my head and body over the edge. The timing lined up perfectly. I had too much brain inflammation from my Lyme and concussions.
There was some relief when we were given this diagnosis. I have been given an action plan which includes daily and weekly eye exercises, special filter glasses to wear every day, prism glasses, and more. I finally now have some real hope that this health journey, which has educated me in ways I never imagined (and opened up rabbit holes I never knew existed), is heading toward an improvement in my health.
I take several supplements and have tried hundreds. My body is quite sensitive, and I need to be careful, as many of these have thrown me for a loop. I now regularly need to take electrolytes to stay hydrated.
Since I had to end my long engineering career, it seemed like the perfect time to start my true passion: writing children’s books (I write as ML Bruin). When our grandson was born, I was handed the inspiration for the first series.
Being an author fits well with my uncomfortable Lyme symptoms. I can work for fifteen minutes a day or two hours. I control my own environment, as I can keep the noise level to a minimum and the lights down. I make my schedule. My wife can record my thoughts and take care of many things that come up. My daughter started and handles all my social media. I am now able to feel like a productive member of society again.
I continue to receive regular treatment from a Lyme doctor, an osteopathic doctor, an acupuncturist, and a physical therapist. I have seen a slight reduction in some of my symptoms. I have tried and continue to use many wellness modalities—infrared saunas, controlled breathing, cold exposure, lymph massage, and tai-chi are among those included in my daily regimen, along with regular workouts. I have just started PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments and am hopeful this will help my health improve, after hearing from clinic patients with similar issues that I have.
I am blessed to have a supportive wife and family who have had to endure much frustration, scheduling issues, getting me to appointments, and many other challenges over the past several years. I always remain thankful, positive, and full of hope for the future. I tell others, do not give up and keep searching until you find a knowledgeable provider you connect with, especially one who has experienced Lyme.