Since her health problems began in 2006, Ashley has sought answers from many healthcare providers who have diagnosed her with a wide variety of conditions but not given her any real answers. She struggles knowing where to turn. Physicians have performed many tests and tried many treatment therapies, but this has made Ashley feel more like a lab rat than a human cared for by her healthcare providers. As she saw no improvement in her symptoms and after she felt it was insinuated that her pain was largely psychological, she sought treatment for chronic Lyme disease at Jemsek Specialty Clinic, despite the fact that blood tests showed she was not infected with the causative bacterial agent. She feels that the practitioners there offer her and her family greater hope for the future, despite medical research that does not support their treatment plan.
As a nursing student, I was struck by her story and felt compelled to help however I could. I want to combine the compassion and sense of hope provided at that clinic with all the latest care that medical research supports to create a plan of care to better her day-to-day reality. This blog addresses the challenges she faces every day, even when the name of her diagnosis changes.
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