What's today? Plus, a challenge for you all.

The first of May

as well as......

National Day of Prayer
Loyalty Day

International Worker's Day

Law Day

Mother Goose Day (huh?!)

Save a Rhino Day

But we can't forget, May 1st marks the first day of Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

If you don't know my story, check it out here.

Long story short, I have been battling Lyme Disease for almost 2 and a half years, but was undiagnosed for about 13 years.

Crazy, I know?!

This is why Lyme Disease Awareness Month is so important to me.

Because of this nasty disease, my life has been on somewhat of a "hold" the past couple years.

I've endured a lot of pain, struggle, financial strain and setbacks.

My family and friends have unfortunately been affected by this as well.

This disease is often over looked. It is often not taken seriously. 

The truth is, this disease is only spreading more and affecting many, many lives.

When something takes a hold of such a vast amount of people, we can no longer ignore it, but embrace it so that we can fix it.
 It is chronic. It's not going to go away if we just sit around, twiddling our thumbs. It's not going to patiently wait for us to turn the corner, but it's taking people captive each and everyday.

Clearly, I'm passionate about this.
I don't mean to be morbid or depressing. It's nothing to be scared of, if we are actually doing something about it. But if we aren't, we should definitely be frightened by its effects. 

I've experienced it. I've seen the struggle it has created on loved ones. I've seen people's lives been taken because of it. 

We need awareness, desperately.

So will you join with me in opening the eyes of others to the damage this disease can cause?

Will you join with me in demanding more research?

Will you join with me in taking a stand for insurance coverage?

If so, change your social media pictures to Lyme Disease Awareness.

Wear your lime green out in public. 

If someone is experiencing anything like what I've been through (my story & other experiences), speak up and suggest that they research about Lyme Disease. It could change their lives for the better!

If you work in the medical field, research and speak up to others in your field. Have conversations!

Help someone who may be facing financial strain because of this disease on sites like gofundme.

Be a listening ear and be open to learning more (read about my plea for understanding here). 

Here are some pictures that you could display on your social media (or you can google your own :)

Thanks for joining me in spreading the word!
It is greatly appreciated by the Lyme community.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month

Well today is the last day of May...the last day of Lyme Disease Awareness Month. This month has been so overwhelming in so many ways, but one stands out to me above the rest. I have felt so thankful for the huge amount of support I have received for my Lyme Disease fundraiser. In April, I had thought that I wanted to do something for Lyme Disease Awareness month. I thought about designing shirts and selling them to help raise awareness and medical expenses. I talked it over with my parents and they agreed that it was a good idea. So we dove on in. We decided to order 50 shirts and probably only sell about 35. Boy, were we wrong! It is the last day of May and we have already turned in our third order! Still in shock, we have sold over 200 shirts. It is has been so amazing how people have stepped up to help us. Strangers from out of state have even joined in. I have always known that God has been the sole provider of everything I've had, but this month He has magnified that truth. Ever since I was a child, I have always worried about money. So after my Lyme diagnosis when I found out the extreme expenses for treatment, I immediately began to worry about money. I know I shouldn't have, but I did. In the Bible, Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Man, God has definitely taught me that this past month. It's sad that it has taken me 22 years to truly see that God provides me everything, but if this is what had to happen to prove to me that truth, I'm glad it happened. I will forever be thankful for all the support and love I have received this month. God truly is good and always will be. Although Lyme Disease Awareness month is coming to an end, I hope the awareness doesn't stop now. Shirts will continue to be sold, benefits will continue to happen, and sadly, more people will experience Lyme first hand. With more and more awareness of this debilitating disease, we will be getting one step closer to more reliable lab tests, insurance coverage, and acceptance. Before I end this blog entry, I want to talk about a few facts of Lyme Disease._ ~Lyme Disease is a multi-system disease that affects many organs. ~Lyme Disease is cyclical, can lie dormant, and awakened by stress. ~Lyme Disease can be chronic if not treated shortly after being infected. ~Ticks not only can carry Lyme Disease, but carry many other coinfections such as Babesia, Bartonella and others. You must be able to treat all infections in order to be cured or put into remission. ~When treated for Lyme, antibiotics make you feel worse in the beginning because the bacteria dies off and releases toxins, this is called a "herx". If you have any questions, feel free to ask me! Be blessed today :)