Living in New England and growing up in New Hampshire, ticks and Lyme Disease are commonly known. You grow up learning how to spot a tick, the proper way to remove it, and how to spot that ever so well-known bulls-eye rash. But what happens when that doesn’t appear? Three years ago that happened to me. Then came two years of various doctors, random guesses on diagnoses, and ultimately confusion. After that just pills, pills, and pills.

There used to be a Lyme Disease Vaccine – surely out of our generations knowledge – that has now been removed. People who get tested for Lyme are being told their results are negative, I was told my results for Lyme were negative three times. I was told it was all in my head, I was surely just making it up, until one doctor sent my labs across the country. He never gave up and I owe so much more to him than just the credit for my diagnosis.

Lyme Disease changed my life. Not because of the missed sports seasons, the missed events, and the missed school because I was just too sick. Not because of the various doctors, the numerous lab tests, and the endless ups and downs. Lyme Disease helped me redefine strength. It opened my eyes to life and how to appreciate every single moment. It showed me the power of love and hope but most importantly it taught me to just live.

Live when the going gets tough, live when you feel like you’ve been knocked down a million times and the thought of getting up seems impossible. Live when you feel like you have nothing left, just take another breath. You can do it. You possess the strength. So many times from my peers I have heard, “I can’t do this anymore.” But you can. I’m telling you, you can. I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t have bad days, that everyone doesn’t have days when they feel like they’re broken, that they’re hurt, that they just need a break.

Our generation needs to learn to breathe. To look inside ourselves and know our strength. Know we have the power to take control over our lives no matter what is thrown at us. It is inevitable that bad things will come into our lives, for me it was my Lyme Disease, but to recognize that we as individuals can control our lives is empowering.

I am a strong believer in the famous quote that “Everything happens for a reason,” and I couldn’t be happier that this experience happened to me at such a young age. That I was given this opportunity to share with others and to rediscover what it means to be strong and live life to fullest. With that said, I do not wish upon anyone my experiences for the past few years but I do hope that you take time for yourself every day to think. Think about what means most to you, what makes you happy and strong. And find something that truly makes you live.