I met a new Lyme friend yesterday and she told me a story that brought me to tears. I am amazed by the outstanding acts in friendship. We will call my new Lyme friend Sarah. She was travelling many states away to come for Lyme treatment. She had a friend volunteer to help her travel and get through the Lyme doctor appointments and therapies. Sarah began to have a terrible herx on the plane on the way here, so her friend boldly asked the pilots to make an emergency landing. Sarah’s friend then, with the help from the pilots, rented a car and drove them the remainder 10 hours here – straight. Out of love.
I had a small army of the most wonderful friends anyone could ask for that sacrificially kept my family running when I was too sick to drive and function. Between our parents and this small army, my kids got to school, birthday parties, dance class, we got groceries delivered, beds got made, football was still played in the backyard and dinners were brought to our door. I even had a sweet lady from our church drop off a box of wholesome and lighthearted DVDs for me to watch and another who brought a bag of games and puzzles for my kids.
Someone else said to me yesterday “these Lyme supporters are super heroes.”
I totally agree. Super heroes. None of them would claim it, none of them realize that normal people don’t take off work and do hard things for others. We are all too selfish by nature and find the hard stuff, well, hard. We have our own lives and can’t be bothered to stop our busyness to unload someone’s dishwasher or clean their toilets or drive them 10 hours to a doctor.
I salute and pay homage to the superhero caretakers out there in the Lyme community that are the backbone and ground zero where healing actually begins. Without someone to believe you and prop you up, healing cannot be completed.
I thank my small army again and again and declare my health a byproduct of their sacrifice and loving actions to do whatever it took to keep my family afloat. I owe my healing to my small army of kind, humble servants who served completely and at times to their own family’s expense.
I honor all you caretakers who have the painstaking job of helplessly watching a loved one suffer. I thank you for perseverance and tenacity and the boldness it takes to walk beside a chronic Lyme patient.
We couldn’t do it without you and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to you Sarah’s friend who silently just shrugged her shoulders at the unlimited sacrifice she made to get Sarah here – You are amazing. I just might have to make you a tinfoil crown and sash to wear around. You are changing lives. You are making a difference. You are a rockstar.
If you are a caretaker and still feel lost, don’t worry. Just listen. Respond with the gifts and time you have to give. That is one of the reasons I wrote this book on Support in Lyme. Its a tricky business. Not only am a Lyme recovered with many who blessed me, I am the caretaker and advocate for my two kids with Lyme also. I get it.
May God continue to strengthen you and give you wisdom and guidance in how to serve well.
Blessings
Janice Fairbairn – The Lyme Evangelist
softcover book – http://www.amazon.com/author/janicefairbairn
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