http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/lyme-disease-is-here-mum-tells-government/1626476/
Lyme Disease is here, mum tells government
"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.
If diagnosed early, Lyme Disease can be treated with antibiotics.
Sadly, Ms Smith and her daughter had to spend $45,000 to travel to the United Kingdom to get more advanced treatment for their condition - treatment she believes should be available in Australia.
Both her and her daughter's quality of life has improved since the treatment.
"We're after them (the government) to acknowledge it, to recognise it and to treat it."
Ms Smith will be attending a protest in Brisbane on Friday to call on the government to act so others who contract the disease don't go undiagnosed for as long as she did.
"I'm insulted to know that they could (do something)."
Ms Smith believes her dog Sam, 10, also has Lyme Disease. When he dies Ms Smith plans to have the pooch autopsied to culture the bacteria.
