Welcome to the New LymeBrave

Next year will be ten years since LymeBrave was officially founded. Ten years of education, support, and awareness. Ten years of sharing our story and advocating alongside the Lyme disease community. It's hard to believe it's been ten years... But there are other numbers that feel just as profound. Next year will be 15 years since I was officially diagnosed with Lyme disease. Nearly 30 years since I first got sick, and all the many years in between of inexplicable symptoms and trying to navigate this "new normal"—scheduling my college classes so I could make sure I had time to rest and clear the brain fog, or cancelling weekend plans so I could recover from the work week by sleeping, or the many, many, many bags of Epsom salt I kept on-hand for the warm (never hot) baths that was the only answer to my aching muscles. When you have Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses—or any chronic illness, for that matter—you find the workaround, adjust your life so that you can function or even just get by. Eventually, you get so used to it, it becomes its own way of life, and you forget there was ever any other way. You should be proud of yourself for getting this far—even if it means being mindful of how many appointments you schedule in a day (not more than one) or how many chores you get done (sometimes the bare minimum). You're doing it. You're living—you are, even if it doesn't always feel like it. You're still here, and even if here looks a little different than you imagined, there's something here for you, too. When I was first diagnosed with Lyme and company in 2012, I didn't know if I was going to survive. To be honest, I was in so much physical and emotional pain, I didn't know if I wanted to. I shared my story on my blog, on my social media posts, because as a writer, it was the only way I knew to process the very real, very heavy emotions I was experiencing, and I wanted to educate and bring awareness to something that wasn't just affecting me but the hundreds of thousands of patients who were suffering silently. But then something began to happen... The more I connected with other Lyme patients, the more I recognized the power of this community and the less Lyme itself seemed to have a hold on me. As I wrote in my 2016 novel based on my experiences: You are more than this disease. It just took a little while to remember that. LymeBrave Foundation was born from the desire to take my own pain and turn it into purpose. I knew that I didn't want anyone to have to experience what I and so many others were fighting through, especially when it came to the mental and emotional aspects of having Lyme disease or chronic illness in general. Because I knew what it was like to feel isolated and alone. I knew what it was like to feel unseen and misunderstood. I knew what it was like to feel dismissed and denied. And I knew that we all have so much more to offer than what Lyme disease has taken from us. Over the last few years, I took a step back from LymeBrave to focus on my own health and well-being, knowing that I couldn't properly heal in the same place where I was sick. Over these years, I learned how to be there for others without losing myself in the process. I learned how to sit in the dark without being pulled into my own trauma from this disease. I learned how to recognize that I was a survivor, but that I didn't have to live my life as a survivor—that I could experience joy again, too. That I could be more than this disease. So now, nearly ten years later, we've come full circle. LymeBrave was never really gone, but we're here now as this new version with all of the lessons earned, all of the tools gained, and all of the belief that tomorrow will be better. It's become everything I wish I had when I was first diagnosed. We're still a small team made up of one of my best friends, who was with me through the worst of illness, and my dad, who a few years after I was diagnosed was bitten by a tick, had the classic bulls-eye rash, and became a Lyme patient himself. What we lack in size, we make up for in heart, and we'll continue to bring you all of the tools of support we can so you know there's hope for healing, too. We've completely redesigned our website (now mobile-friendly!) to match all we once envisioned LymeBrave could be, with updated support portals, extensive resources for navigating your daily life with Lyme, and ways in which you can be part of our mission. Having trouble with meals or taking care of your home while you're trying to heal? We have ideas and links in our Patient Portal to make it a little easier. Housebound from pain or anxiety or stuck in bed due to fatigue? (Yep, we've been there!) Try our brand-new Comfort Corner for when the days feel a little harder. Are you a caregiver to a loved one with Lyme? We're here for you, too, with a Caregiver Portal tailored just for you. LymeBrave has existed since 2017 as a space for Lyme patients and caregivers alike to know they're not alone, and now, we're enhancing that promise with more tools, more resources, and more support. Our mission is a simple one: We'll remind you to stay strong. We'll help you be brave. Susan Founder, LymeBrave Foundation PS: Stay tuned to our social media platforms, blog, and newsletter over the next few weeks as we highlight some of the updates and features here at LymeBrave!