The Voice of the Patient: Jennifer Cyrstal on Writing, Healing, and Living with Lyme Disease

In this episode of Lyme+, hosts Kenzie Vath and Dan Wagner sit down with writer and advocate Jennifer Crystal to explore her journey through Lyme disease and the impact her words have had on the community. From her early diagnosis and treatment choices to her ongoing role as a patient voice for the Global Lyme Alliance, Jen opens up about the challenges and resilience that define her story.Jennifer is also the author of One Tick Stopped the Clock: A Memoir of Lyme Disease — her powerful personal story of resilience, advocacy, and hope. 📚 Order the book hereThrough honesty, vulnerability, and hard-won wisdom, Jen shows how storytelling can be both a tool for healing and a beacon of hope for others still in the trenches.Jennifer’s history and diagnosis story (7:30)The reality of Herxheimer reactions (15:00)Why Jen chose a PICC line over oral antibiotics—and how it changed her recovery timeline (17:00)How her pen became a voice for the Lyme and GLA community (21:00)Discovering GLA and building a connection through writing (26:20)Where she finds inspiration for her blog posts (28:00)Kenzie and Jen discuss navigating PTSD as both podcast hosts and writers (34:00)Jen’s advice on finding LLMDs and building a care team (41:30)The most surprising and memorable FAQ Jen has ever received (30:00)Through honesty, vulnerability, and hard-won wisdom, Jennifer shows how storytelling can be both a tool for healing and a beacon of hope for others still in the trenches.This episode is made possible by ⁠Restore 180 from Vital Plan.⁠ If you're dealing with Lyme or chronic illness, you know healing isn’t a quick fix. Backed by Dr. Bill Rawls and , ⁠Restore180⁠ is a 6-month, phased program designed to restore gut health, calm your nervous system, strengthen immunity, and target the microbes driving your symptoms — all while supporting your body’s natural healing process. 👉 Learn more at: ⁠https://vitalplan.com/products/restore180⁠