Dear Lyme,
You don’t know me, but I met you about two years ago. You were hanging out with my brother. I didn’t know it then, but you were slowly bringing him down, draining the light from his eyes. That’s what you do isn’t it? You find the best people on earth, and then you take.
You see, Lyme, I don’t appreciate that.
My brother was vibrant and kind and now he’s frail and frustrated. He’s still himself (sort of), but you’ve changed him somehow. You’ve made him forget how much I love him, how much his whole family loves him, how much he loves himself. You’ve made him feel worthless. You’ve told him he’s a burden, and that this new version of himself is a lesser version, a broken prototype that needs to be discontinued and discarded like trash.
But that isn’t the truth, is it?
We both know my brother is only alive today because he’s stronger than you. He’s braver than you. He’s bigger than you. And no matter how much you try to break him down, he’s always going to be more powerful than you.
Sincerely,
Austi
During Lyme Awareness Month, we’re publishing #LymeLetters written by those affected by Lyme Disease. Be sure to check out the rest of the letters here and to follow us @LymeNow on Facebook and Instagram.
