Diana's biography

My dear friend Diana is a woman of God that doesn't focus on herself a whole lot. Diana (whom a lot of us call Sojourner) is a young 51 year old from Pennsylvania. Diana says that, " I used to be such a 70s girl; now I'm just a girl after God's own heart - a humbling mission."

First thing you must know about, other than her growing faith in God, is that she and her husband Barry have a beautiful daughter, Heather, who was diagnosed with late stage Lyme Disease over three years ago. Because of her history since birth, Heather's Lyme Team believes that her mom, is most likely the carrier of Heather's LD Complex.

Due to rising medical costs, Diana nor her husband Barry have been able to dive into the testing/treatment arena. Diana has a history of MS and Hashimotos Thyroiditis and evidence of Bartonella. If you marry that with Heather's suffering from birth, her roller coaster childhood physiologically, then escalating to over 15 very frustrating years of searching for the "root" answer, it seems plausible that Heather is a gestational baby.

She has suffered from 3 of the co-infections. Additionally, there have been ticks removed over the years. Pennsylvania is slowly growing in the education of Lyme disease; but as their trusted pediatrician apologetically shared with them after Heather's diagnosis from Washington DC, no one considered Lyme in PA until recently.

Diana's most prevalent symptom is the heartache of seeing her daughter face the magnitude of a late diagnosis and the ignorance of those whose motives have prevented research and development from moving forward. Heather nearly died of this disease. The pain, her brain, the long suffering and life threatening complications have had seasons of relentlessness, evoking fear and trembling. From paralysis to pseudotumor cerebri (brain swelling), severe papilledema, migraines, muscle/joint pain, hypo to hyperthyroid and blindness in the first two years after diagnosis to insomnia, adrenal exhaustion, co-infections, neurological, autonomic symptoms,multi-system complications, Lyme flares, toxicity from die-off and countless complexities, Diana and Barry know to be grateful for their blessings and for how far their medical team has helped their comeback kid outwit the bacteria, wake up her immune system and continue to fight her battle for the win.

Heather, now antibiotic and drug resistant, has an awesome integrative/complimentary team. She has a number of weekly physical therapies that no typical teen should endure; but, it keeps her on her feet and is a major factor in her body's ability to heal and strengthen her immune core response. From natural approach to nutrition and nourishment to Heather's spirit and body, the family covets your prayers for ongoing wisdom and guidance as they continue to trust in their faith and seek the Lord at every turn, sight unseen.

Only the Lord knows for sure; but based on clinical history and years of mountain climbing, countless ticks pulled in their (now known to be endemic) state; its highly probable that Barry and Diana carry the pathogens.

Barry and Diana thank you for praying:

... with thanksgiving, b/c we know that in the midst of such reality the Lord is faithful and gracious; that He honors His word to be 'for' us. For that we are very grateful.

...for His ongoing spiritual nourishment to Heather; in body and soul. We are grateful for the strength of her faith and trust in the Lord; it has helped us as her parents to walk the distance, as well. We are grateful she has come such a long way.

...for Dr. L, Dr. N, Dr. J, POM D., CMT R and Dr. I as they continue to care for Heth and lead us through this next season of her treatment.

...for 1 or 2 very special friendships in Heather's life (it would be a 2-way encouragement and blessing).

...with thanks for the new local off-Campus ministry that Heth can worship with Sunday evenings during school (she is unable to do mornings).

...for precious ones who did not judge, but understood, served and prayed for the reality that the Lord called our family to serve within, for His glory.

...that our joy would be deep and reflected in the way we minister as educators, mediators and patient to physician liaisons.

... for the Lord's blessing to Heather's obedience and to her future (we know what He promises whether she is here - or there with Him).

...that the Lord would allow us to continue to have a voice that brings lasting change in how others understand this disease both in the church and in the world; and for His gracious blessing to different efforts initiated on behalf of.

...for healing from the ignorance that this disease has imposed from those who do not understand and to our bodies, minds, spirits and our tested marriage (when your child faces death, you die to self again and again- we are battle worn).


Blessings in His love, Diana