Lyme Disease is here, mum tells government
Excerpted from the Central Telegraph ( Posted: 11/19/2012)
“LYME Disease is not in Australia” – don’t dare tell that to Karen Smith and her family.
“If I hear this statement one more time, I think I will just have to scream,” she said.
The Sarina mum has worked and raised three children, completed a four-year university degree and has just been granted a scholarship to complete a PhD.
When she could not get out of bed one day three years ago, she was told she was depressed.
Ms Smith said she is not sure how she, her three children, sister and nephew contracted Lyme Disease but there is no doubt in her mind it is what she has. Despite what her doctor was telling her, she knew she wasn’t depressed.
Some of Ms Smith’s symptoms include chronic fatigue, constant headaches, eye pressure, bone pain, muscle weakness and wastage, hand tremors, stabbing and burning sensations, vertigo, loss of taste, sound and light sensitivity, heart palpitations, memory problems, stuttering and swallowing issues.
After seeing several doctors, specialists and having countless tests Ms Smith started to do her own research.
“I ticked all the boxes for Lyme,” she said. “I thought, ‘that’s what I’ve got’.
“I found one doctor that did say Lyme was in Australia.”
Despite thousands of suspected cases of Lyme Disease in Australia – the Australian Government is yet to recognise it.
For more: http://www.centraltelegraph.com.au/news/lyme-disease-is-here-mum-tells-government/1626476/
Lyme Handbook 
Karen Smith is a very caring and intelligent woman, to see her sidelined by lyme, and her whole family affected or infected i should say by lyme is devastating enough without being able to get easy access to treatment here in Australia, and for such a long time is an absolute disgrace. Her hrd work and research will in the future and even now a great help and resource for many people caught or interested in her situation. Love your work Karen .
Deb Sutton