Broke(n) with Lyme

Having a serious illness is tough in itself. Having a serious illness that isn't covered under health insurance when you've struggled with just getting by financially your entire life adds another element that will have you drowning at times.

First, Why isn't Lyme Disease covered under health insurance?
I will try to put this in layman's terms the best I can. Lyme Disease is an extremely controversial disease. It's a battle between the sufferers of this illness vs the medical community. Western medicine tells us that persistent late stage lyme disease does not exist. It tells us that symptoms of Lyme Disease will be present within the first two weeks of being bit by a tick. Then an infectious disease specialist will give you a round of antibiotics, and you will never have to think twice about this disease.
Unfortunately, this is not true for all of us. It is possible for the bacteria to go dormant in your body. It can hide and manifest itself into any system or organ in your body. Therefore symptoms go unnoticed and do not become apparent for months or even years down the line. So where do we go from there? One of the tests used to determine lyme, called the Western Blot test, is not reliable. If you don't have the right amount of positive bands according to the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) guidelines, you will not be treated. We get a plethora of scary symptoms out of no where, and our typical infectious disease doctors, and primary care doctors are still not giving us the treatment we deserve. In medical school these doctors are taught by world renowned professors. They are taught what lyme disease is from their textbook stand point. If these doctors were to treat someone who isn't CDC positive, they face getting their license revoked or suspended.
In disgust and disappointment, lyme patients are forced to seek treatment else where. The next step is usually going to a lyme disease specialist, know as a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD). These doctors don't take insurance for the fear of losing their medical license as well. As you are able to infer, this causes huge financial distress.

This brings me to the famous psychotherapeutic question, how does that make you feel?
Infuriated. 
Growing up, my family and I didn't have a lot of money. We were considered a lower-middle class family in a nice suburban part of Long Island, New York. My parents are very hard working, and sacrificed everything for me, from the day I was born to now. However, having to struggle financially made aspects of my childhood into young adulthood difficult. There were no college fund, no extravagant presents spontaneously during the year, and there was certainly no new car waiting for me in the driveway when I turned eighteen. I was fine with that. To be honest, I enjoyed working my way from the bottom and earning everything I have. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Now, I cannot say I feel the same way anymore. It's one thing to have to work to earn your way through life, but what happens when you're too sick to work? There's no self earned paycheck waiting for me at the end of the week to pay for my medications needed to stop this illness.
It's a very vicious cycle, one in which those without money must remain ill due to the simple fact of not being as financially fortunate as others. Is it my fault that my family isn't wealthy? Why am I being punished for not being a member of the upper class? How many other people will have to go through this as well?

Sometimes I wish I were diagnosed with a different disease. Appointments with LLMD's run anywhere from $250-$900 per appointment. Now think of how often someone that's sick needs to see or talk to their doctor, at least every six weeks to two months right? That amounts to about $3,600 per year. Explain to me how a twenty year old student like myself is supposed to afford that. It's near impossible! That's not even including supplements, vitamins, certain medications, and any other alternative treatment your doctor finds necessary to heal.
It seems you have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to get better. As stated before, Lyme Disease is a rich mans illness. I know stories of people losing their belongings, and even their homes over this. No one deserves to be sick and homeless. It's devastating, it wears your skin thin and robs you of all your money, your pride, and everything you have earned.

As much as this illness affects me directly, it hurts my heart that much more to know that many others are in the same boat as me. Sick or healthy, we need to come together to work towards a common goal of being treated as equals in the medical community. Through sharing this piece of my writing, I am striving for everyone to be well informed and aware to the truth of this illness. I hope for fairness and brighter tomorrows.

-Dani