It's a small world

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears
It's a world of hopes and a world of fears....

A few months after Heather was diagnosed with Lyme, we both realized how little is known about Lyme Disease and we decided to share Heather's story.  We made up business cards with our blog URL and the back of the cards have facts about Lyme. In the event that we share her story with a stranger, we provide a card so they can maybe help someone else understand the importance of early detection and treatment.  It's not like we walk up to people and say "Heather has Lyme, have a business card."  That would be awkward.

Heather doesn't let Lyme define her. She is living with Lyme.   She still has some lingering complications from Lyme, but Lyme is not the first thing that Heather wants people to know about her.  Heather would rather talk about her family and friends, love of music, the beach, and politics (come on, she is from the DC area - we talk politics), 

As a bartender on the Outer Banks, Heather has many clients that chat up about the beach, where they are from, etc.  A common question to Heather is where is she from. When she mentions that she recently moved down here from NYC, they are puzzled and want to know who, what, where, when, and WHY.  

Heather then mentions since she was 4 years old, she spent several weeks a summer at the beach house.  If they keep probing, they ask why the decision  to move from the big city to a quaint beach town.  Then, Heather may tell them that she is recovering from Lyme disease and she needed time to heal, work, and relax.  In my mind that means live at beach.    

This summer she has met several people that had severe cases of Lyme and recovered.  They were honest about how life altering their journey was.  Some went undiagnosed for years, some had neurological problems like Heather, some were lucky to see the bulls eye rash and get a quick treatment without experiencing the chronic effects Lyme Disease can have.  

The common thread in these stories was a shared compassion and understanding for what Heather is going through and a complete understanding of how life altering Lyme Disease can be.  They also offered realistic hope to Heather.  They told her that it takes time, but they are winning and beating the disease. 

That damn deer tick is small and Heather is now a member of the "small world"  of people living with Lyme Disease. 

Below are the words to Disney's "It's a Small World" - bet you can't read the lyrics without singing along!  

Also, scroll down to bottom to see images of that awful deer tick.  Crazy how small the tick is.  It's a wonder people notice it on their body.

It's a world of laughter, a world of tears
It's a world of hopes and a world of fears
There's so much that we share that it's time we're aware

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide

It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world