We are in unchartered territory people. At the creation of social media, I don’t think anyone realized the widespread variety of uses that would come out of it. Its original intention to feed our insatiable desire to see what everyone else is doing and pretend we have the most desired life -to “stay connected” with long lost friends, post photos of family reunions, etc.
But to track solutions to chronic illness?
I would have never guessed in a million years upon getting sick that the groups I would come to rely on would be camped out on Facebook.
You know the same Facebook that makes me cringe when I see one too many encouraging phrases with a photos of a kittens. Or one more vacation photo from exotic places we can’t afford to go to. Or someone trying to get me to buy in their home based buisness, or details of some high school classmate’s mundane life. That Facebook.
I have a love hate relationship with Facebook – maybe we all do. Before I got sick I would silently stalk and then get too much and go on sabatical for the time waster it is.
Now it functions for me on a whole new level. It is an information stream of current treatment protocols, feedback on detox regiments, articles about nutrition and health, posts of new doctors and pockets of encouragement.
When you are hit with an “unknown” and “unpopular” chronic disease where else can you go for healing and help if its not to traditional doctors? I remember getting the shock of my life after my Lyme diagnosis, from the pits of near death-“there aren’t any doctors who specialize in this here. The closest MD who knows about Lyme is 7 hours away in Missouri.” What? Why?
For something that is becoming so widespread why are there so little doctors who know about and who treat it?
And just for the record, there were doctors in my state who specialize in Lyme but they are flying under the radar. Why? Because insurance won’t cover them and there is a great deal of social pressure to ignore Lyme. Again, I say why? Hmm, I think that may be a different rant for another day.
So, back to Facebook. There are new Lyme Facebook groups that pop up each week. Its a growing epidemic of people trying to figure out how to get well from the masses of us who have because they can’t find a doctor or can’t afford a doctor. It smacks of communist Russia or border closed Cuba – doesn’t it?
How is it possible in one of the greatest technological medically advanced countries in the world that people have to use Facebook to figure out how to get well? Why are people leaving the United States of America to get treatment in other parts of the world? Why are the best doctors who are fixing Lyme “unknown” themselves and swimming upstream? Why are they being met with resistance within their peers, within the insurance industry and in the media?
There are too many of us that have spent their life savings and more to get well and fight for health and life and rely heavily on Facebook to spread the good news. There is quality information in social media – just check your facts and do the research.
Now I spend my time in Facebook Lyme groups, commenting on healing methods that have worked. Blogging each week with help and encouragement and posting on where – Facebook. I type out prayers of support in Facebook comment windows. Cry and laugh and celebrate with Facebook friends I have never met and probably never will – only that we share a common bond – Lyme disease and a need to know.
I’ll shout it over and over again on Facebook, tweet in on Twitter and blog it here – You can heal from Lyme disease. You can live again. You will conquer this beast. That is the social media message of the century that I want all of you to know. Three of us in our house have done it without antibiotics and by the grace of God alone, we haven’t had to sell the farm. It is possible – in fact with Him, all things are possible.
Spread the good news people. There is hope. There is hope, even on Facebook.
Blessings and healing,
Janice Fairbairn
softcover book – http://www.amazon.com/author/janicefairbairn
eBook – http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/JustLivingLikeThisWithLyme
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/justlivinglikethiswithLYME
Blog – https://justlivinglikethiswithlyme.com/my-blog/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/janicewithlyme
Pintrest – http://www.pinterest.com/jpfairbairn/just-living-like-this-with-lyme/
Caution: Use common sense when trolling social media for information. Healing Lyme disease is a delicate monster and without some sort of doctor to “keep track” of your protocols and monitor your health it could be dangerous. But I know finding that kind of doctor is difficult. Look into Nurse Practitioners, Nutritionists, Accupuncturists, Chiropractors and other types of support doctors in your area that can navigate this with you. But the research is all on you. Use social media wisely and check and double check everything you do. Neurotoxicity is TOO DANGEROUS to go this alone.
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