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My Lyme Journey
By Karen Gloyer
It was December of 2011, and I had yet another sinus infection. This time, the doctor decided to put me on steroids to help with the infection. The steroids, unfortunately, led to my not sleeping for several days. After two nights of limited sleep, I ended up going on a shopping spree at an outlet mall.
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I was unable to go back to work as a military recruiter because I was still very “wired.” I went from that elevated feeling to one of depression in a matter of weeks. The doctors thought that I was depressed, so in April, I was admitted to a local hospital. I ended up staying in the hospital for two and a half weeks. During that time, the doctors were trying everything in the book to help me feel better. Meanwhile, my blood pressure was sky high, I was gaining a ton of weight, not sleeping, and losing my ability to read and write. I had to have other patients help me order my meals, and I was sensitive to light and sound. I could not watch television or relax. After the two and a half weeks passed, they sent me home to my parents’ house. I was no longer able to take care of my townhouse or my two dogs by myself. I had also forgotten how to take a shower, so my mom had to coach me. I went from being a high functioning, independent career woman to being a patient with the functionality of a 3 year old in a matter of weeks. What was wrong with me? I had two Master’s degrees. How could this be happening?
For the next year and a half, I operated in a daze, unable to read. My mom tried to read Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog to me, as well as the Berenstein Bears. I was not getting any better, but suddenly my counselor had an idea. It would not be inexpensive, since it was not covered by insurance, but she had heard Dr. Robert Hedaya, a functional medicine doctor, speak at a conference in D.C., and thought he might be the person who could finally help me. My parents made an appointment for me to see him as soon as possible. I went through a lot of testing before Dr. Hedaya discovered that I had Lyme Disease and Babesia. I continued to see him on a weekly basis, but I was also referred to Dr. Kenneth Singleton, LLMD.
During my recovery period, I decided that I did not want others to suffer from this disease the way that I had. The doctors believe that I was bitten by a tick when I lived in Connecticut in 1999. I wanted to help alert others to the dangers of Lyme Disease. One morning, I woke up after having a dream. In the dream, I was writing a children’s book about a little girl and her dog who find a tick on a hike. This dream would lead to my book, Nick, the No Good, Icky Tick.
By Karen Gloyer
It was December of 2011, and I had yet another sinus infection. This time, the doctor decided to put me on steroids to help with the infection. The steroids, unfortunately, led to my not sleeping for several days. After two nights of limited sleep, I ended up going on a shopping spree at an outlet mall.
]
I was unable to go back to work as a military recruiter because I was still very “wired.” I went from that elevated feeling to one of depression in a matter of weeks. The doctors thought that I was depressed, so in April, I was admitted to a local hospital. I ended up staying in the hospital for two and a half weeks. During that time, the doctors were trying everything in the book to help me feel better. Meanwhile, my blood pressure was sky high, I was gaining a ton of weight, not sleeping, and losing my ability to read and write. I had to have other patients help me order my meals, and I was sensitive to light and sound. I could not watch television or relax. After the two and a half weeks passed, they sent me home to my parents’ house. I was no longer able to take care of my townhouse or my two dogs by myself. I had also forgotten how to take a shower, so my mom had to coach me. I went from being a high functioning, independent career woman to being a patient with the functionality of a 3 year old in a matter of weeks. What was wrong with me? I had two Master’s degrees. How could this be happening?
For the next year and a half, I operated in a daze, unable to read. My mom tried to read Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog to me, as well as the Berenstein Bears. I was not getting any better, but suddenly my counselor had an idea. It would not be inexpensive, since it was not covered by insurance, but she had heard Dr. Robert Hedaya, a functional medicine doctor, speak at a conference in D.C., and thought he might be the person who could finally help me. My parents made an appointment for me to see him as soon as possible. I went through a lot of testing before Dr. Hedaya discovered that I had Lyme Disease and Babesia. I continued to see him on a weekly basis, but I was also referred to Dr. Kenneth Singleton, LLMD.
During my recovery period, I decided that I did not want others to suffer from this disease the way that I had. The doctors believe that I was bitten by a tick when I lived in Connecticut in 1999. I wanted to help alert others to the dangers of Lyme Disease. One morning, I woke up after having a dream. In the dream, I was writing a children’s book about a little girl and her dog who find a tick on a hike. This dream would lead to my book, Nick, the No Good, Icky Tick.
