After a year and a half of searching for answers JL was diagnosed in January 2009 with Lyme Disease and two co-infections, Bartonella and Babesia, both carried by ticks. He has been dealing with his illness since the summer of 2007 and has seen over nine doctors in Canada ranging from neurologists to endocrinologists, traditional Chinese medicine doctors to naturopaths and western MD’s.

Debilitating symptoms such as extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, numbness in hands and arms, facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy), burning/swollen throat, blurry, burning eyes, inability to focus/blurry eyes, sensitivity to light, confusion, memory loss, dizziness, disorientation, loss of personality/sense of self, drooling, arthritis, chronic allergies, chronic sinus infections, numb hand & arm, tremors, twitching, muscle spasms/contractions, difficulty sleeping and getting up, head pressure/ache, anxiety, lack of motivation, depression, weight loss, tingling nose/tongue/cheek, stiff painful neck, altered sense of smell, painful joints, low body temperature, night sweats, and muscle pain/weakness have made it impossible for him to hold a job, socialize or even carry out simple daily activities.

In order to treat the illness JL needs as much support as possible. Treatment involves going to the States as the current political issues surrounding Lyme Disease mean he is unable to obtain treatment in Canada.

Not being able to work makes financing treatment impossible. With no support from the Canadian health care system, JL has to make trips to Seattle for doctor appointments in addition to phone appointments. This amounts to thousands of dollars as he continues along in the treatment process.