Out of the Darkness to Find my Purpose Helping Others Heal

by Jessica Devine

I have often been questioned about my obsession with helping people and why I am constantly trying to come up with other ideas that might help the Lyme community.  Many don’t understand why I am like this.

I accept any interview on TV if asked, create doctor education letters to help patients stand up to dismissive doctors, make YouTube videos to educate about Lyme and co-infections, find ways to save people money in their treatments, find people doctors, donate to organizations that help patients, find people disability attorneys, teach people how to apply for disability, maintain a Lyme-literate therapist list, openly share about my journey and what helped me in case it helps someone else, and lastly, I run 10+ support groups and a website to support people and help them find resources they can trust. Our website has over 500 posts to educate and empower a suffering community left behind by the traditional medical field.  It is the largest directory in existence.  It helps me help more people because I have all the information organized to help them. In other words, I will do practically anything if I feel that it could help someone who is suffering and looking for answers in the confusing world of Lyme disease.

A Little More About Me

I’m sure you might understand all of the above better if you read my story of becoming sick, seeing over 30 doctors, and then being diagnosed with Lyme disease. BUT here is something I don’t share very often because it’s very personal to me: During my hardest parts of treatment–PICC lines, 3 IVs a day, nurse visits every week, and experiencing my worst symptoms, I was also faced with having family members diagnosed with Lyme disease. I, the sick person, had to take charge and help them.  I was the one who understood this disease, how to treat, how to detox, etc. But I was sick and devastated.  I could not show that, though. I had to believe I could heal so they would believe it too.

A Critical Piece of the Puzzle

Another thing I am passionate about is mold. I had high levels of mycotoxins when my doctor did mold testing on me.  We had to get rid of most of our belongings and then use EC3 products to save the rest and help with coping in general.  The 3rd-party lab testing that proves their products work is how I originally found out about Micro Balance Health Products.  It’s amazing when using them, because I can tell the difference. I love the candles, laundry additive, and their EC3 Mold Spray.  The products were essential when I was facing our mold issue. Having mold issues can hold many Lyme patients back from recovering so addressing is of utmost importance.  More on this topic later.

My Purpose Today

I am determined to make a difference and to help in ANY and ALL ways I can think of.  I care because I understand. I am determined to make Lyme patients’ lives easier because I am one. I will be the change.  I will keep finding ways to help, because I am lost if I don’t. It is truly my purpose now. SOOO if I look like a crazy advocate that is online too much, talks about Lyme too much, it is simply how I cope with having this disease all around me.  Two years ago, more of my family members were diagnosed.  Now a baby in my family as well.  I was traumatized by another diagnosis close to me.  Mold exposure was a huge part of how they ended up realizing their health issues were more complicated than any of us realized. Now I am also dedicated to helping these family members heal.

The Genesis of Rise Above Lyme and More

I remember how alone I felt when I was really sick. I also experienced that many Lyme groups I found had bad information that misled suffering patients.  I saw groups allow people to join, because they cared more about how many members they had, rather than the quality of the group.  I recall mean people in the groups that made others feel worse, and the leaders of the group allowing it. I recall being targeted by spammers selling some miracle product or clinic, and health coaches targeting me as if they could treat my disease without a doctor. I was determined to be different and to start a group that was different to assure my members that they would be protected.  I wanted to create an environment that would represent exactly what I wished I had found at my sickest.  I wanted compassion, kindness, accurate information, and solutions. I would also make sure no one was targeted by those that saw this suffering community as dollar signs. People are vulnerable and desperate, and these wallet monsters know it. I would make sure they didn’t get in my groups. I named it RISE ABOVE LYME, because one of my TV interviews was titled that exactly and it just stuck.

Here is that interview:

Further, that wording–Rise Above Lyme–resonates with me. It is the essence of who I was and still am.  I am someone that believes we all have the ability to rise above the worst situations.  We may not always know how we will, but half the battle is that determination and belief that we will.

Out of the Darkness

To truly understand the darkness of what this disease can do to someone, I made a list of what I used to live with.  It has also become my way of knowing that I was healing over the years. Now, instead of just the symptoms, my list has a . . . GONE or note of marked progress at the end of each entry.

Here is my list:

EXTREME migratory body pain . . . GONE

Head pressure at back of skull . . . GONE

Electrical ice pick stabbing pain in head . . . GONE

Jaw pressure . . . GONE

Brain swelling . . . GONE

Vertigo . . . GONE

Inability to walk at times . . . GONE

Insomnia. . . GONE

Tremors. . . GONE

Nausea. . . GONE

Bladder issues. . . GONE

General flu like feeling daily. . . GONE

Ear ringing. . . GONE

Sound and light sensitivity. . . GONE

Visual disturbances. . . GONE

102-degree fever lasting over 3 months . . . GONE

Shocking nerve pain *stabbing. . . GONE

Seizures. . . GONE

Memory problems, severe and scary. . . GONE

Fatigue that requires long naps daily to function . . . GONE* unless I overdo it

Random sweating . . . GONE

POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a condition that causes heart rate to increase and blood pressure to drop when standing upright) . . . COMPLETELY MANAGED

Anxiety. . . GONE

Depression. . . GONE

Suicidal ideation. . . GONE

Anemia every 6 months. . . GONE

Endocrine problems *multiple . . . now just managing thyroid

Emotional trauma (medical PTSD) . . . THERAPY HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY, and I still work on this every week. I have made great progress and am dramatically different in this area.

Keep in mind I suffered for years before treatment.  Mostly because 30 different doctors dismissed me and didn’t take me seriously.

This list is a pretty amazing reminder. These symptoms were my daily life and ARE the daily life for millions across the world. Watch this video as it became the most watched because it helped patients explain it to their loved ones and finally feel understood.  It is an emotional video for me. In fact, I have not been able to watch it myself after I sat down to have it recorded.

Dedicated to the loved ones of a Lyme patient:

I have been to hell and back. I feel the things I chose moved me forward. I regret nothing in what I chose or didn’t choose. I followed my instincts. I am not saying my way is the way.  I am not saying this will heal you. I am not saying other methods are better or worse.  I am simply an open book and if sharing what I did helps you, then I’m not going to be quiet about it.  I cannot discount any step I took because it was a part of my journey.

Am I in perfect health? NO.  Do I have bad days? YES, occasionally.  But …..

I have a life now.

I am a mother again.

I am a wife again.

I am a daughter again.

I am a sister again.

I am a friend to many.

I do things in the world again.

I laugh a lot.

I am drastically better.

I choose things that bring joy.

I protect myself.

A poem I wrote about my past and present:

I USED TO

I used to bathe in a bathing suit laying down with door open so family could make sure I was ok.

Now I sing in the shower. Doors locked.

I used to need my parents to take my little boy to the bus stop at the end of our driveway.

Now I can drive him.

I used to not see my children for a few days because I couldn’t leave the bed.

Now I see them everyday and take care of them.

I used to need my mom to make me food.

Now I make meals for my entire family and bake.

I used to need my children to have emergency instructions when something happened to me.

Now they joke with me and I help them.

I used to spend several nights away from home so that my children didn’t witness my symptoms.

Now I always sleep at home.

I used to do IVs 3 times a day.

Now I just take some supplements and herbals.

I used to need a wheelchair if we went somewhere that involved walking.

Now I do the treadmill.

I used to cry and have tremors at bedtime.

Now I adjust my pillow and fall asleep peacefully.

I used to be dismissed by doctors.

Now I stand up to them or fire them.

I used to make my husband lay next to me when I was scared and in pain.

Now he lays next to me to talk and laugh.

I used to need a walker to get to the kitchen without falling.

Now I can walk briskly.

I used to not go anywhere because of symptoms.

Now I can go out without reservations.

I used to avoid too much light or sound.

Now I don’t even think about it.

I used to have 24-hour intense pain.

Now I have pain free days.

I used to have seizures everyday .

Now I don’t even think about them.

I used to be angry and scared everyday.

Now I laugh and declare my love often.

I used to want to give up.

Now I am grateful I didn’t.

I used to do a lot of things.  Part of how I find gratitude is based on this list. Reminding ourselves of any and all improvements like these above puts things in perspective.  I can then be thankful even if I have issues.  Having a list like this also shows you that you can get better, even if you can’t say these yet.

What I Had to Do to Heal

Have I changed? For sure I have. I am extremely strong, and I know it. Hell, I had to be strong enough to treat my own child during my own battle. I had to be strong to set an example.

I know who I am without a doubt.  I have Lyme disease,  Rocky mountain spotted fever,  Babesia, Bartonella, Erhlichia, TBRF and several more.  I was bedridden with the worst symptoms a human should ever have to experience. I assure you I was severe. Here is what I had to do to heal:

1. I found a Lyme literate Naturopathic doctor who understood these diseases and was trained in how to treat them correctly.

2. 18 months of IV antibiotics (plus 6 months oral).

3. I took supplements and herbals throughout treatment and still take things.  I felt the most improvements in my health and symptom relief with their use.

4. Went to an all-natural protocol as soon as I was stable.

5. I removed root canals and heavy metals.

6. I addressed MOLD. I must mention here that with the help of my doctor’s guidance and EC3 products I was able to overcome this obstacle.  Mold in our environment holds many chronic Lyme patients back from having the ability to heal.  I still use the EC3 products today because they work.

EC3 Products were essential to my process of getting out of mold so that I could heal. Read about it here alongside a discount.

7. I addressed parasites.

8. I addressed reactivated viruses.

9. Gut health was also a focus throughout.

10. I consistently address immune system, detox and inflammation. Super important

11. I added PEMF, infrared photon mat. It’s my favorite device and I still use every other day.

12. I added gentle exercise.

13. I fixed bowel regularity, as you can’t detox properly without it.

14. I established regular therapy sessions. 

15. I let go of false friendships early on. I held on to the people that stood by me and let the rest go. I let go of anyone who judged me or didn’t believe me.

16. I do not stay with dismissive doctors. They get fired.  I will not let them dismiss me ever again.

17. I did advocacy work throughout to give me purpose and to fight back.

18. I did not and do not engage in negativity and avoid it at all costs.

19. I am always seeking peace and joy wherever I can.

All of these things contributed to my healing and improving symptoms for me. Each thing I did moved me forward in some way.  I regret nothing.

Hold on to hope because you can RISE ABOVE ❤️

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