Amy Down shares her story of recovery from Tick Borne Disease.
At the end of 2010 I was bitten by a large number of grass ticks at North Head on Sydney?s Northern Beaches, and my life was never the same again.
This encounter with these tiny creatures gave me a bacterial infection, one that the government says doesn?t exist here. I went from being a healthy, energetic working mum of two, to barely being able to get out of bed for weeks at a time. I was experiencing debilitating symptoms of fatigue, muscle pain, brain fog, tinnitus, insomnia, and IBS to name but some of them. I didn?t know it at the time, but I had contracted Lyme?s Disease.
Slowly but surely, I lost the ability to continue working in my job in corporate communications. I got very sick, and was exhausted and in immense pain at the end of each day. I went from 4 days a week, to three, to two, to two half-days, until finally I could work no longer, and had to give up the job I loved altogether.
Eventually I wasn?t able to function at a normal level at home. Unable to even look after my kids, and with my husband working full time, I had to get a nanny to help with the kids, make meals, and do housework.
But worst of all, because there was so little awareness and education out there, many people and most doctors didn?t believe I was sick. I was told it was in my head. I was imagining it. I was just a tired mum with depression.
The reason it was such an uphill battle was because at the time I was bitten there was no proper education, reliable testing, or available medical treatment in Australia for Lyme?s Disease ? known in this country as Tick Borne Disease (TBD).
Finally, after numerous doctors, hospital visits and fruitless procedures and tests, I found a Lyme-literate doctor who helped diagnose me with TBD. However, it was just the beginning of a long and difficult road to recovery from this complex illness. The lack of early intervention and treatment had compromised my immune system, and I knew it would take more than medication to make me well again.
To support me on my journey back to health, I educated myself as much as possible, taking numerous health and nutrition courses. In doing so I developed a deep understanding of how a comprehensive health and wellness practice ? including nutrition, detoxing, supplementation, hormone balancing, dealing with stress, exercise and mindfulness ? can help the body heal from chronic illness. And all my hard work has paid off, as I am now feeling healthy and well and much more like my old vibrant self.
The positive and lasting effects of a health plan, including detoxing, were so life changing for me that I became a fully qualified health coach and EFT practitioner, and I now dedicate my life to sharing what I?ve learned so others can benefit from my experience.
I am so grateful that I took the path of self-healing, and in doing so discovered my life?s purpose – to raise awareness and help sufferers of Lyme?s Disease. It inspired me to start Mummy Mojo, where I have been able to take all my experience and learnings to help women achieve their best health or recover from chronic illness.
I am always looking for opportunities to raise awareness of this debilitating illness, sharing my story at every opportunity. Justin Beiber?s recent Lyme?s diagnosis has shone a new spotlight on the disease, and last week I appeared on Channel 9?s Today Show along with Dr Mualla McManus from the Karl McManus Foundation, to continue the quest to get Lyme?s Disease officially recognised in this country and help ease the suffering of so many Australians.
You can watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_HWwRoz8wI
It has been such a difficult journey for me, but it doesn?t have to be for others. The silver lining is that I have developed a masterful knowledge of detoxing which I have used to create a series of programs that really help women achieve their best health and get their mojo back when they are feeling depleted and run down.
My most popular program is the 30 Day Detox, a holistic group detox that is designed specifically with busy mums in mind. The next round kicks off on 17th February, and is just what you need if you want to start feeling more energetic, more focused and more fabulous!