On the 31st August 2015, what remains one of the most special days of my life, I gave birth to my gorgeous daughter Lily Ann. This is normally a magical time for all parents, but my joy was cut short as four days after she was born the entire right side of my body went numb and I was rushed to hospital but was given no explanation as to the cause.

By December 2015 I started having severe nerve pains in my wrist, which then travelled through all my joints and muscles. By April 2016 my legs were numb and I experienced facial palsy on numerous occasions. The fatigue was so debilitating that I could not get up to look after my daughter during the time of her life when she needed me the most. By August 2016 I had stopped driving, because I was experiencing worrying symptoms such as memory loss and blurred vision. We now know this was the point where the bacteria had invaded my brain and crossed the blood brain barrier.

After months of testing and not getting results coupled with my severe deterioration of my condition I went to a laboratory in Germany in September 2016 that specialises in “tick borne” infections. Testing in the UK and Ireland is not sensitive or adequate enough to pick up the disease that had plagued me over a year. The tests in Germany confirmed that I had Lyme Disease with numerous bacterial co-infections.

As Lyme Disease and co-infections are parasites, living in my body and feeding from it, the fatigue I suffer is totally debilitating and the pain is unbearable. This has left me housebound.

Now 2 years on from when it all started and almost a year on medication, I am not making the improvement that I would have hoped. I have no quality of life. It has become vital for me to see a Lyme literate doctor in the USA, who has the experience in treating patients from all over the world.

Because of the politics and lack of knowledge of this very serious disease, people are forced to seek treatment elsewhere. Chronic Lyme Disease is not recognised in the UK or Ireland. It is not supported financially in any way and patients have to pay privately for all their treatment.

For anyone who knows me, knows that I was a fit active person who loved exercising, was bubbly and excited about life. Without this treatment things will continue to get worse with the consequence of permanent damage, especially to my brain. This is my only chance to get my life back! I need to get better, not only for myself, but especially for my daughter who is just 2 years old.

My wishes are simple:

Not be in pain 24 hours a day.

To have a normal sleep.

To be able to stand up and walk

To be able to do basic things without having to sit or lie down.

To have my independence back.

To be able to simply enjoy time with my family and my daughter and live my life!

I am most definitely a FIGHTER but I cannot do this on my own.

If you are willing to support my treatment and recovery, please donate whatever amount you can.