Susanna, Hopeful Fighter
“Ciao everyone, I’m Susanna, a 28-year-old from Rome, Italy. I fell ill in 2010, and I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and other co-infections in Germany in 2014. However, what I thought would be the solution turned into the beginning of a nightmare. My condition worsened. I developed respiratory problems and muscle hyperexcitability, among other issues. Lyme disease had affected my nervous system.
The doctors didn't know how to help me. I spent my entire adolescence shut up at home, studying alone, and pursuing hundreds of hobbies that I often lacked the energy for. I lost friends, years of schooling, and life experiences. But people were always saying, "You don't look sick!”
Sixteen years later, I have found specialists who take me seriously, and I am currently undergoing a new treatment plan. Despite my tests showing a lack of serum conversion — it seems that the Lyme infection is still active, even though it isn't anymore — and the fact that I still have most of the symptoms and am unable to lead a normal life, I am seeing small improvements. Of course, these improvements are not enough yet, and the fear that I won't recover and that all my hopes are in vain is always present. However, part of me can't help believing that I will get better and achieve some of my goals. For now, it'll do.
This isn't truly enough, of course, BUT it's one of the lessons you learn from this illness: to be content with the little things without ever giving up on dreaming big.”
Stories reflect the experiences and perspectives of the individuals featured and are not intended as medical advice.
