My experience with Lyme disease

The mistake
My shamanic path means that I spend a lot of time in nature. Insect bites are part of my everyday life, but I have avoided ticks since I was a child. Until recently, Lyme disease was a harmless illness for me. I thought it always showed up immediately in the form of a round red spot when infected and could therefore be treated very well in the early stages with a two-week course of antibiotics. Now I know that this is not necessarily the case. Only around 50 percent of all Lyme disease sufferers react with the typical symptom of a circular red spot. The rest, like me, usually have no symptoms at all at the beginning, which can have fatal consequences. This is because Lyme disease that is not treated at an early stage can have serious consequences for a person's health.

My story
In spring 2022, I organized a sweat lodge as usual on Walpurgis Night. After the ceremony, I lay down in the cool grass and watched the clear starry sky. Idyllic, magical and powerful. It wasn't until two days later that I discovered a tick on the left side of my body. The insect was removed and everything seemed fine to me. No red rash, no discomfort. I felt really well!

Onset and course of the disease
Three months later, I started to show the first symptoms, which I didn't pay much attention to at first and which I was only able to associate with Lyme disease much later: I felt a little sluggish and exhausted. From one day to the next, my left cheek swelled up as if I had mumps (diagnosis: parotitis). Some time later, my back became so stiff that I had difficulty getting out of bed. This was the beginning of subsequent unbearable back pain in the thoracic spine. By then I had already consulted a doctor. The whole thing culminated in me suddenly waking up in the night with severe pain in the right side of my head. I knew something was wrong and saw in the mirror that I could no longer close my right eye and that the right side of my face was paralyzed. I thought I was having a stroke.

The diagnosis and conventional medical treatment
I won't keep you in suspense with the long version of the long hours in hospital, but I can tell you that it was only after a cross-stick in hospital and the subsequent laboratory tests on the spinal fluid that I was given a clear diagnosis of "neuroborreliosis with hemifacial paralysis". The paralysis was not the main problem for me at that time. My biggest fear was that the pain in my back would not go away. Painkillers only helped briefly and to a limited extent and I really reached my limits.
I was treated with antibiotics against the borrelia using conventional medicine. First intravenously for two weeks, then in tablet form for another four weeks. I was also given lots of painkillers and muscle relaxants. I responded to the treatment and after a good three weeks the pain became less. After six weeks I was able to stop taking the painkillers completely.

I now know that at least 30 percent of sufferers do not respond to antibiotic therapy or are sometimes treated inadequately or incorrectly.

My additional alternative approach has certainly had a major impact on my healing process:

Alternative treatment and therapy
I am fortunate to have great students who are holistic in many different areas. They gave me full support and I would like to thank them for that. On their recommendation, I started the following therapy immediately - while I was still in hospital - alongside conventional medicine:

• Wild teasel tincture
• Dandelion root tea to strengthen the liver
• Marshmallow root tea for the stomach
• Schüssler salts No. 6
• Eight weeks of diet during the cure (no alcohol, nicotine, low fat)
• Sufficient sleep (do not work)
• Zeolite: To remove waste products from the body. Very important! According to the literature, most of the pain is caused by dead borrelia with their toxins.
• Go to the sauna or take a hot bath at least every other day. Borrelia die at a temperature of 42° Celsius and above.
   

Four days after I started taking the card, my facial paralysis gradually regressed. After about 8 weeks it was barely visible.

I supported my healing process with speech therapy exercises to reduce the facial paralysis and I also went to an osteopath to support and activate the physical healing process. For my emotional health, I had conversations with my therapist. We looked at the issue behind the illness and resolved it. This work with her was also very important for my mental health. I was able to let go of my fears and get back into a positive, constructive mental state.

I don't know what ultimately led to my healing. I am convinced that it was a combination of everything. The psychological aspect and my positive mindset were definitely a big part of the healing process.

Preventing an infection with Lyme disease and interesting facts
Borrelia bacteria are very clever and sneaky bacteria. They "live" in the stomachs of ticks and the tick itself is only an intermediate host for them. This is why it is so important to ensure that the tick is neither stressed nor squeezed when it is removed, otherwise it will vomit (more on this below).
When ticks bite a new host, the Borrelia bacteria immediately begin to adapt to the immune system of the new host so that they cannot be recognized as harmful by the immune system when infected. They are effectively "stowaways". However, this adaptation takes some time, usually over 24 hours. This gives us the opportunity to remove the tick in good time before a possible infection. It is therefore particularly important that we check our entire body immediately after spending time in nature. If we remove the ticks in time, there is hardly any risk of contracting Lyme disease. Under 24 hours the risk is almost zero. From 48 hours, however, it is 100 percent - always assuming that the tick itself is infected with Borrelia.

There are various ways to remove the tick. The most important thing - as mentioned above - is not to squeeze or stress the tick, as otherwise the tick will vomit and transfer the stomach contents with the Borrelia bacteria to the host. In the case of infected ticks, this automatically means an infection with Lyme disease.

Ticks are removed correctly using fine forceps or tweezers. Grasp the head very carefully, as close to the skin as possible and just as firmly as necessary and pull the tick out evenly.
Caution: It is a misconception that you should "twist out" the tick when removing it! This also causes stress for the tick.

Another option, but one that involves the risk of cutting, is to remove the tick with a very sharp knife (razor blade). The body is cut off directly at the head. If the bite tool remains in the skin, it will fall off by itself after a few days - the bite alone is not the dangerous part.

So I can advise you: Always wear high heels and long pants when out in nature. Ticks live in tall grass and not on trees. This reduces the risk of being bitten. Sprays from well-known pharmacy and drugstore brands serve as a defense. Alternatively, rubbing the body with coconut oil can also help. However, if you are sweating profusely, you must ensure that it wears off just as quickly and that you have to repeat the application. The greatest risk of being bitten by ticks is in spring or early summer, as they are most active at temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees.

For me as a shaman, this illness was an initiation. Among other things, it showed me exactly where I was not being true to myself and where I needed to go. I also saw exactly the strengths and weaknesses of our healthcare system.
For me personally, the focus is on people. That's exactly where I've been trying to bring more attention ever since. My goal is to establish a center for holistic health that works in an interdisciplinary and holistic way. Only when everyone has the same goal in mind can something great be created.

Wolf Dieter Storl has published a great book on the subject of Lyme disease:
"Borreliose natürlich heilen".