MY STORY
Sue Massie, CNHP
suemassie45@aol.com
May 1999 I was 42 yrs old and I thought my life was over. Married with six children, yours, mine and ours, my fairy tale of the "Brady Bunch" was about to end. I was suffering with intermittent symptoms that seemed to come-and-go for years but never put the pieces together, as to what was happening in my body.
July 1996 we visited a local state park and the next day I saw a black dot in the middle of my right hand which was followed by seeing little black dots crawling up my right leg. Upon closer examination I realized these were ticks. I called my doctor and his reply was "if you get a bull's eye rash, call me, otherwise, don't worry." I never developed any kind of rash but the next day I awoke with excruciating big toe pain to the point I could not walk on it. Saw four doctors, including podiatrists and was told that I sprained it, broke it, that I had gout (I eat fruits, veggies and weigh 125 lbs.!)
Symptoms that I had over the years increased in intensity and approximately once per month. These included allergies, asthma, headaches, neck stiffness, ringing in the ears, blurry vision (I wore glasses), yeast infections, etc. My husband since we met in 1992 suffered with depression, mood swings, migraines, 'buggy eyes', rib pain, chest compression, racing heart and fatigue. His racing heart episodes (240 beats/minute when 72 is normal) would come out of nowhere and grew in intensity to the point he would stop breathing. I would call 911, rush him to the hospital and the doctors said "stress." He did not smoke, drink and was physically fit, no heart complications at all.
My children all seemed to have frequent colds, ear infections, mood swings, 'growing pains', impetigo (at least that was what the medical Drs. told me; Lyme rash), sleeping difficulties, learning disabilities, etc. They ended up on special education called a "504 plan" due to concentration/learning difficulties, behavioral problems, etc. All have Lyme disease, and today are doing great.
We saw a plethora of doctors, specialists, cardiologists, including Yale University to no avail. Finally a neighbor in 1998, whom I did not know, stopped over and said she heard how sick we all were and suggested Lyme disease. I thought she was crazy because my dad was supposedly the first case here in Monmouth County, NJ back in 1980, I never suspected myself infected. I received a phone call at midnight asking me to come see him because they didn't know what was wrong with him and that he wasn't going to make it through the night. My neighbor that told us about Lyme, was on 8 years of IV antibiotics, had a rib taken out, 5 angioplasties and a long list of problems. I listened because I had no other options.
I called her Lyme-literate doctor and we saw him right away. My husband's Lyme test (Western Blot) came out negative but this doctor was wise and treated him with antibiotics anyway, diagnosing him clinically. It was suggested to me that I possibly could have Lyme as well (since it is sexually transmitted), but I was in that big river....de-Nile. (denial), which I now kid, is the first symptom of Lyme. Six months later I was a few blocks from my house and didn't have a clue as to where I was; I was lost. I thought I had brain cancer. I gave in and was tested for Lyme as well and came back negative; Western Blot again. I had only band #41, which is the tail of the spirochete (Lyme is a spirochete) and the CDC states that one must have 5 or more positive bands in this blood test. My doctor knew better because he asked "why would the tail of the spirochete for Lyme be in your blood?" Good question.
I started antibiotics and felt worse at first but learned about herxheimer reactions (the pathogen dies, releases toxins and your body has to process these and dispose of them causing a 'flu-like' condition). I did almost all antibiotics known to man orally along with other prescriptions for CO-infections (what else these dirty little ticks spit into someone, i.e., Babesia, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma, Bartonella, etc., in which I was positive for all). I also did antidepressants and was seeing a psychiatrist. While being treated I had intermittent bouts of paralysis in my arms, legs and swallowing. By May 1999 I went limp and fell to the floor and was paralyzed from the neck down. I did 4+ years of prescription drugs and one day I felt like I was poisoned. I could not put one more prescription drug in my mouth. I started taking vitamins, learned about detoxing the body and for once I could stop antibiotics and not have the symptoms return.
I am not advocating prescriptions and am not against them. I feel every individual has to weigh out the pros and cons of the four choices and then make the right decision for themselves.
The four choices are:
1. Find a LLMD, Lyme-literate doctor and get on antibiotics, prescription
drugs.
2. Find a holistic healthcare person (like myself) and do natural protocols.
3. Find a LLMD and work with holistic/natural.
4. Do nothing at all.
I shared my information via the Internet with thousands and received tremendous feedback. I started attending school for holistic health and am finishing my degree as a Naturopathic doctor.
My story was published by Allergy Research Group in October 2003, in which I will always be grateful; not for fame but because it helped tremendously educate the world that Lyme disease is real and it is a huge epidemic.
I have now worked with over 16,000 people and have found many families with Lyme, not just one or two individuals here and there. It is said by various medical doctors that Lyme disease can be sexually transmitted, can be gestational (passed from mother to unborn infant) and has been found in tears although it is basically a blood-born disease.
I have dedicated my life to God, my family and then to others educating those that want the help. We are all responsible for our own health.
Blessings-
Sue Massie, CNHP
suemassie45@aol.com