Linnea Liporace
Before I was born, my mother had Lyme disease and didn’t know it, but gave it to me while God was making me in her tummy. When I was a baby, I was sick a lot with ear infections, colds and something named Bronchiolitis. My parents just thought all that was normal. My mom had a lot of health problems that doctors couldn’t figure out until we moved from one state to another for Dad’s job. Then she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and so was my Dad. Just to be careful, my parents also had me checked and I have Lyme disease too. It’s been hard to get to sleep at night and I’m tired most days. For the last while, I can’t seem to concentrate well with my school work, but I get it done. There are times when my heart races for no reason and my stomach hurts sometimes. Headaches and neck pain are daily for me. Also, I have in the last while, had problems with anxiousness, but I don’t know why. During the school day my hands cramp often and I need to rub them to help the cramping stop. My shoulders hurt and my eyes get tired easily during the school day. If I am around a group of people for awhile, then I come down with a cold, because my immune system isn’t functioning right. One test of my immune function came up as ZERO when I was tested. I have been tested for Lupus a couple of times and was positive, but it can be a part of Lyme disease. I’ve also been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. I get very tired after playing for a little while. As for school, I stay home and do school through A Beka Academy, because I would not be able to keep up the pace at a regular school. I need to be in a quiet place to think and I work at a slower speed than other students, but so far my grades are great. We do DVD home-schooling and A Beka Academy sends report cards back to us. I have tested CDC IgM positive for Lyme disease in 2002 and again in 2005. Because of insurance problems, I wasn’t treated for Lyme in 2005 or after. Also, we’re still trying to find a pediatrician who will follow orders from my Infectious Disease Doctor.