Advocating for Yourself and Your Health, No Matter What

Christmas can be a magical time of year for some. But five years ago, Christmas was the beginning of a long and frustrating health battle that nearly cost me my life. Until that day, I would have considered myself to be a happy, healthy person. Outside of the occasional cold or broken bone, I was in good health my entire life.

But that Christmas Eve five years ago, my happy, healthy life came to a screeching halt that left me physically and emotionally debilitated. What followed was years of searching for answers and having nearly every doctor I saw send me away as fast as he could, telling me there was nothing wrong with me. 

My Story

Christmas Eve, I was rough-housing with my brother’s dog. I unthinkingly put my hand in his mouth and in his excitement, he clamped down. It was a bad bite, but I didn’t think much of it because the dog didn’t do it viciously. I cleaned the wound and went back to the celebrations.

What followed was a five-year living nightmare for me.

A few weeks went by and my finger had swollen to the point it was nearly unusable. I had become septic. My doctor put me on a heavy dose of antibiotics. The infection cleared up and for six or seven months I was fine — until I wasn’t.

My symptoms were piling up. I contracted conjunctivitis and had double ear infections, horrible brain fog, and strep throat. My physical appearance began to change. My face swelled beneath my eyes and mouth. I got weird rashes and had stomach issues. I could no longer eat, exercise, or work without pain and symptoms. My life fell apart.

I returned to my doctor, then many more healthcare professionals for over four years. They all told me the same things: Either my body was reacting to the antibiotics, or even worse, there was nothing wrong with me at all.

Needless to say, I felt ignored, frustrated, lost, and unsure where to turn. All along, I felt like I had parasites. I told one of the doctors that I could feel something moving inside my body, inside my head. He basically told me I was crazy.

Bu I knew my body. I didn’t look right. I didn’t feel right. I was not acting myself. I felt like something was eating inside me.

My Setbacks

To say that throughout this long ordeal I had setbacks would be an understatement. 

• I couldn’t eat a meal without my nose running.
• I couldn’t eat without pain.
• I couldn’t sleep.
• I couldn’t work.
• I suffered emotional, financial, and personal ruin.
• I was unable to exercise.
• I went from 165 lbs. to 128 lbs.

Besides all this, the antibiotics I was on for over 300 days destroyed my stomach flora. I had to get a stoma after they tested my blood. The damage was significant. But after 2 ½ months on the proper parasite-eliminating products, my symptoms improved dramatically.

My Road to Recovery

I decided that, along with searching and searching for a doctor who believed me and took me seriously, I would try to find one who knew how to treat what I suspected I had.

I began my own antiparasitic diet, eating large quantities of carrots, pomegranate seeds, and raw garlic. I coupled that with parasite cleanses. I actually began to see some improvement after that. But I knew that was only the tip of the iceberg, that I was only scratching the surface of what was going on inside of me.

That’s when my luck began to change. I found a wonderful doctor from Senegal at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Tropical Disease Clinic who helped me. He not only listened to me, he did what I had wanted all along — he tested my blood.

The previous healthcare professionals searched my stool a few times when I told them I knew I had parasites, but the stool samples were clean. I told them that the parasites were inside my body. They had stopped listening. 

The MUHC doctor soon had my results. I had a parasite that isn’t often seen in the United States, but is rather prevalent in developing countries. He told me I had roundworm nematodes. 

I began taking herbal supplements that are found to eliminate parasites. Right away I saw some huge differences. My brain fog all but disappeared. The swelling in my face reduced significantly over the next several months. I began to feel like myself again.

Now, I am ready to reinvent myself and find a way to care for others the way the MUHC healthcare practitioners have cared for me. To help with this, I am launching a personal fundraising campaign through the MUHC Foundation to purchase equipment and fund research that will ensure no one else goes through what I did.

My Advice to Others

1. Try anti-parasitic cleanses and clean eating

For someone going through a similar experience, my first advice is to parasite cleanse. Look for natural antiparasitics to cleanse your body of parasites. You may also consider participating in a lunar cycle cleanse. And also cut off their favorite food source. Parasites love sugar. Clean eating played a big part in my healing journey, and starting to feel more myself.

2. Keep a log

Along with this, keep a log of your symptoms and any self-treatment. Keep track of what works, what doesn't, and if there is any pattern to your symptoms. This will help you better listen to your body and see small improvements along the way. 

3. Find a qualified healthcare practitioner who listens

Find a healthcare practitioner who has the expertise and knowledge to address your particular situation, whether it's parasites, Lyme disease, toxicity in the body, etc. Having a healthcare professional that listened to my unique situation and went through all the different processes to help me get better made all the difference.

4. Advocate for yourself

The best advice I can give to others in this situation is to advocate for yourself. You know your body. Have strength and conviction and don't give up, no matter what you are told by others. Even though it may take five years, like it did with me, keep searching for a real answer. Don’t give up. Your health is worth it, and you’re worth it.