Tina Garcia in Mexico - November 2005
This was a beautiful afternoon in the little town of Tlaquepaque near Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I had traveled over the Mexican border before, but this trip to the magnificent city of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco exceeded my expectations. It had been my husband's wish to take me to his hometown to meet his brothers who still live there. Each time we tried to save the money to go, something would happen to interfere with our plans. It took several years, but finally in November of 2005, we refinanced our home and used the money to make his dream come true.
I had been working on L.E.A.P. since June of 2005, even though I was still ill with Lyme symptoms. I was apprehensive about making the journey to Mexico and having to do a lot of walking, because walking was and still is quite painful for me. The vacation turned out to be a wonderful experience, however, and taught me a very valuable lesson about my life.....
As chronic Lyme disease patients, we all suffer from the effects of this terrible infection. Living with pain and cognitive dysfunction on a daily basis changed me as a person. I became timid and many times felt insecure about my abilities and surroundings due to my compromised perceptions. The constant pain dragged me down and took its toll. I stopped noticing the sun shining, blue skies, flowers, birds singing and the beauty of our backyard. Time spent with my family became a real chore for me, because I couldn't follow conversations and having family over with everyone talking and moving about became very chaotic. I actually got to the point where I couldn't handle it and didn't look forward to it anymore. I wasn't able to talk or play with my grandsons as I had before. I had no strength for them and not much patience. Of course, my family noticed how impatient I had become. When my daughter asked me questions about various subjects, I could only answer her with "I don't know." Really, I couldn't remember and didn't know the answers to much of anything. It was very frustrating to her, because I had always been able to respond.
At the beginning of 2005, while undergoing antibiotic treatment for Lyme and Erlichia infections, I experienced severe Jarrisch-Herxheimer reactions. I recall sitting in the chair in my living room, legs shaking and painful all over, when my Heavenly Father whispered to me that I should start a non-profit to help patients pay for their treatment. I shook my head and told him I couldn't do that, because I didn't have the experience and I was way too sick to be able to accomplish such a task. He persisted, though, by repeating to me several times the need for me to do what He asked. It took me a while, but when I finally realized that His request was a golden opportunity to serve other people, I agreed to form the organization. Once I agreed and stepped up to the plate to swing the bat, He took over for me and has been guiding me ever since. L.E.A.P. Arizona is God's work, and I am grateful to be an instrument in His hands and a part of Lyme Education Awareness Program.
...So, it was with great trepidation that I packed my suitcase and boarded the plane with my husband. I don't speak Spanish, so I envisioned spending ten days with everyone else talking while I just sat there not being able to comprehend anything. It was such a wonderful surprise when I met all the family members who welcomed me with open arms and extended themselves to help me understand the language. I took a very deep breath in Mexico, a breath that I had not taken for many, many months. I saw people taking time each day to enjoy each other and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. I studied people walking down the street at all hours of the day and night, people outside of their homes taking time to relax with others.
I saw all that I had been missing during this most recent bout of Lyme disease. I realized how sour and bitter this illness had made me by having to beg for treatment, being rejected by physicians, by hiding inside myself, by despising the compromised person I had become, by alienating myself from my family because they just couldn't understand and accept that I wasn't the same anymore. And then I realized that I held the power to turn that bitterness into a positive force in my life.
I saw HOPE for the first time in months.
I saw LIFE for the first time, too.
I proved to myself that I could SMILE despite the pain.
I LEARNED some Spanish while I was there.
I became DETERMINED to take time to enjoy life a little bit each day.
I learned to STOP and look at the sky again.
I SMELLED the flowers.
I DANCED on a boat ride.
I did NOTHING but eat a pineapple and wiggle my toes in the hot sand.
I INHALED and EXHALED deeply.
I DECIDED I could do a little each day to try to make some positive changes for
my fellow Lyme disease patients.
So, when you look at the photo of me in
front of the restaurant in Tlaquepaque, I hope you can see more than just a
vacationer standing there. I hope you can see a fellow Lyme disease
patient who learned a valuable lesson about her life while in Mexico. I
will continue to fight for our rights as Lyme patients as much as I am able, and
I will also continue to ask you for small donations to our
Patient Donation Fund,
so that together we can help each other.
L.E.A.P. currently has three
patients hoping that they can receive some financial assistance. My
greatest desire is to help these patients pay for their treatment. I
cannot do it alone; I need your help. All I ask is that each Lyme patient
make a small $5.00 donation to our
Patient Donation Fund,
so L.E.A.P. can begin to fulfill its Vision of helping people get their
treatment. Just think, if every Lyme patient made a $5.00 donation,
L.E.A.P. could have enough to get started with this desperately-needed program.
I am respectfully asking each person who reads this message to please step outside of yourself and open your heart to help others. Certainly, you would want others to give to you; will you do the same? L.E.A.P. Arizona is a non-profit, public charity. ALL the donations that go into our Patient Donation Fund are used to pay medical bills and provide necessities of life for Lyme disease patients. This is what Lyme Education Awareness Program is all about. I hope my message will touch your heart to help you catch L.E.A.P.'s Vision of helping others. Thank you for taking the time to read about the valuable lesson I learned and thank you for donating to help your fellow Lyme disease patients.
With Appreciation and Best Wishes,
Tina J. Garcia