I continually get frustrated as family just do not get what Lyme is all about, despite seeing me live with it for about 25 years. Now matter how much you try to explain to others what is is like living with Lyme, unless they themselves have Lyme, they just won't get it.
If you are lucky, they may grasp certain aspects of your suffering, but don't waste your energy trying to justify why you can't work or why even a trip to the shops for groceries can feel like a major expedition for you. You can talk yourself blue in the face trying to explain why you should eat organic at every meal, why loud places, loud noises and music can drive you demented. Why even perfume no longer smells as good as it did year before your illness...
The problem is, people with Lyme generally look so well and healthy that it is difficult for others to comprehend they are not well. Maybe even trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes...
Even telling your family and friends that Lyme disease is the reason for your memory loss, they will still wonder why you forget to turn off the tap, put the frozen food back in the fridge instead of the microwave to defrost or even why you leave the stove on. They will tell you to pull yourself towards yourself and won't understand your bouts of anxiety and/or depression.
