The Silver Lyming with Brooke Gumm Nogueira, Dedicated Mom and Advocate #89

I will forever remember interviewing Brooke and her sharing how hard having Lyme and tick-borne illness is while still trying to be a mom. She recalls how her children wanted to hold her hand and she was struggling even to do that when she was at her sickest. To hear her speak of this is truly heartbreaking. But, to see how far Brooke has come since being diagnosed is TRULY inspirational. Brooke has become a stellar advocate through her experience and went back to school to become a certified microscopist. A microscopist is a specialized scientist who uses advanced microscopes to examine biological specimens. In this case, Brooke learned how to look at peoples' blood to help identify tick-borne illnesses as she went to one on her journey to wellness and realized how beneficial this is to people seeking answers, as we know the standard testing is not very accurate and specialized screening can be rather costly. (You can find her on IG or Facebook for more info.) Brooke is also a loving mother raising two beautiful girls and has an incredibly supportive husband to help her on her way. Take a listen as Brooke shares her personal journey with Lyme disease, detailing her 9-month diagnostic process and subsequent treatment challenges. She describes her experience with various medical approaches, including functional medicine and Chinese herbs, and the difficult decision to use prednisone during a setback. Brooke emphasizes the importance of patient advocacy and the need for better healthcare systems to support those with Lyme disease, while also highlighting her progress in recovery and her commitment to sharing her story to help others. Please like and subscribe to help others find this show. The info shared is incredibly valuable and just may help save a life.