(Episode 60) Wake up to Lyme - With Laura Harris

Jumping Through Hoops with Hannah Charlotte

Wake Up to Lyme - Laura Harris (42) was recently diagnosed with Late Stage Chronic Lyme Disease (Lyme Neuroborreliosis - meaning it has hosted itself in the brain). Laura has three other tick-borne infections, named Bartonella, Babesiosis (cousin of Malaria), and Mycoplasma Pneumonia. Heartbreakingly, she has also passed these infections congenitally to her two children, Joshua (now 20 years old) and Elisha (now 14 years old). They have both been tested and were diagnosed in the last couple of years, following her own diagnosis and having learnt about the childhood symptoms, they had both been suffering with. Laura was first bitten by a tick about 30 years ago, on a Guide camp, in the New Forest, Hampshire, and then again about 18 years ago in the Alver Valley, Hampshire. Both are prevalent areas for Lyme Disease, in England. Both times Laura removed the ticks and doesn't remember having a bulls-eye rash, which is also the case for a third of people bitten. On the whole, she has lived a blessed and beautiful life, with her two children, travelling, dancing and doing a career, that she loved for over 20 years, supporting people with addictions and becoming a Counselling Psychotherapist, but she has had the challenge alongside, of getting through the terrible bouts of unexplained illness, the best she could and then carrying on again, when able. Until a car crash 10 years ago, that stopped her body being able to keep it at bay any longer she deteriorated rapidly. Laura knew in her core and intuition that she had it, especially after listening to Yolanda Hadid's audio book "Believe Me-My Battle with the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease". It led her to research and fight the system to get private testing and now private treatment for her and her children also. It is a message of hope however, as she is determined to beat this! And also raise awareness with prevention and help those that already have Lyme and undiagnosed/misdiagnosed, or are aware but don't know where to turn next. Follow Laura's journey on instagram at @laura.vs.lyme Links: www.lymediseaseuk.com www.caudwelllyme.com www.botanicprotect.co.uk www.rcgp.org.uk/learning/online-learning/ole/lyme-disease.aspx www.lymediseaseuk.com/awareness-schools-children www.elearning.rcgp.org.uk