Aisling aims to beat Lyme Disease

LYME Disease has robbed a young Mayo woman of the simple everyday things we all take for granted – work, socialising with family and friends, getting out for a walk, or doing your hair.

In six short years, Aisling McDonagh (38) has found herself now bedbound 24/7, wheelchair dependent, and relying completely on her husband and family for care.

Her best hope at getting well rests with treatment abroad and a GoFundMe appeal has begun to meet the costs involved (https://www.gofundme.com/aisling-mcdonagh-lyme-disease-fund).

Aisling's family live in Castlebar but she and her sisters, with mum and dad John and Teresa, previously lived in Swinford, where Aisling attended school.

If you have ever met Aisling McDonagh two things will have struck you immediately – those big, bright eyes and an even bigger smile. Always smiling, always bubbly, always chatting, and always the life and soul of the party.

A healthy 32-year-old, back in 2012, after suddenly becoming very ill, Aisling was diagnosed with ME, fibromyalgia and costochondritis. She never regained full health, and had to give up her job.

Last year, following a severe deterioration in her health, seeing several consultants, hospital admissions and incorrect diagnoses, she did some research herself and contacted Tick Talk Ireland for help. This led her to send bloods to labs in Germany to test for Lyme Disease and they proved positive.

Last February she was finally diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease and co-infections, and tests also showed chronic immune suppression.

As the GoFundMe page explains, Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection, usually transmitted from the bite of an infected tick. As the disease has been undiagnosed and untreated for many years, it has progressed to late stage and has now affected every system and organ in the body, making it much harder to treat.

Aisling is currently receiving treatment in Ireland and is on a triple antibiotic treatment, which is the only available medical treatmen here. She is also doing biomagnetic pair therapy, alongside many nutritional and herbal supplements.

Daily symptoms include debilitating fatigue, chronic muscle and joint pain and inflammation, severe muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, tremors, nausea, IBS, blurred vision, sweats and chills, insomnia, palpitations, sensitivity to light and noise, flu like symptoms, mood disturbance and anxiety, difficulties following conversations, reading, processing information and concentration, to name just some.

Aisling currently spends up to 16 hours a day at rest or sleeping. She cannot work, chat on the phone, go outdoors, drive, is unable to have visitors, and any trip for medical appointments involves her having to use a wheelchair. She needs someone to prepare all her meals, help her shower, wash her hair, etc.

Despite all this Aisling remains positive that she can beat this illness.... but she needs your help!

Germany and the US are world leaders in treatment but with the costs in the US 'enormous', her family are researching clinics other Irish people have attended, both in Germany and Switzerland.

They say: “We would be so grateful for any donations to help Aisling get back on her feet and back to the life she deserves to be living. We know there are so many good causes out there, and are very thankful to everyone for supporting us in any way they can. If anyone would be interested in organising a fundraising event please feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to help.

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your love and support.”

Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/aisling-mcdonagh-lyme-disease-fund or to any of Aisling's friends or family if you prefer.

 

 

For more about Lyme Disease: http://www.ticktalkireland.org/

For more about ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: http://www.irishmecfs.org/