HELLO! It makes me so happy to be finally sitting here and writing a blog post after what has been way too long of an absence! Firstly, I am so sorry for the radio silence, it literally feels like forever! What was meant to be a mini blogging break turned into 3 years of no blogging at all and as the gap got bigger, well I just felt like I didn’t know where or how to begin again! I have felt really annoyed with myself that I didn’t carry on documenting my journey on here, but sometimes life throws a few curve balls (more to come on that!) our way and I just wasn’t mentally in the right headspace to keep typing.

After so much time has passed it means I wont be able to give you a full update in just one blog post, but don’t worry I am not going to vanish again! I will do my best now to keep regular posts coming your way. Eventually, I hope to get you all up-to-date with where I am in my journey with Lyme disease and how I now cope with not only this illness but a A-Z of other chronic illness’/conditions which I have now developed. Over the past 3 years my medication box has got bigger, my list of illness has grown longer, but my positivity and determination to keep going is probably at its strongest yet.

Since my last treatment trip to California, I have not been able to return and all my treatment has had to continue from a distance in the U.K only.  This has meant regular Skype consultations with my Lyme doctor and having to continue to ship all meds overseas, still at my own expense.

Unfortunately during my last stay in California back in 2015, I accidentally overstayed my Visa. At the time, I was deep in the midst of intravenous treatment and I was simply too sick to fly home. Although I openly admitted this over-stay in writing to the American Embassy on arrival home, in addition to supplying all medical evidence, hospital discharge dates, written reports from my specialists etc… I was subsequently banned from entering the USA. They confiscated my 10 year Visa and I was even denied entry on a ESTA. In many an attempt to appeal this decision, I was unsuccessful and it meant I have been unable to return to my specialist clinic in person for intensive treatment since. I was really upset about this whole situation, because I had been so open and honest by informing them of the over-stay, yet I was still punished for the implications of my poor health that was and is still so out of my control. It states online the ban is in place for 3 years and this time restriction is hopefully now up. I will be contacting the embassy to figure out where I now am in the system and hopefully this entry restriction will have been lifted and I will be able to plan to physically attend the Lyme clinic at some point later this year. Understandably, this has had consequences on treatment progress, but never the less I have continued treatment daily here in the UK and over time I have made huge strides forward in progress which I am excited to share with you in future posts.

In addition to focusing on my treatment, I have recently launched a brand new website; Bite Back 4 Chantelle. I have been working with a a professional agency Equi Digital to bring together all key areas I was working on and create a new hub of information and links that can be all sourced from one site. This allows you to keep updated with new blog posts, as well as an option to subscribe so this website, so these blog posts can come straight to your email account. It also enables you to learn more about Lyme Disease and download a free PDF document which you can print and display for easy access to key information. The site includes the What’s and Why’s on Lyme, links to my new GoFundMe treatment fundraising page and in additional tips and simple steps that you can take to keep yourself safe from ticks. I will endeavour to keep this site updated with new information as well as documenting the highs and lows of life with Lyme and all that’s in-between!

I am so happy to be back blogging and genuinely excited to share more of ‘life in the Lyme light’ with you.

Sending smiles & good vibes always,

Chantelle xXx