Dianne Cutler

Ihave not been well for quite some time. Now that I know, I can see the progression over the last 13 years. Multiple doctor visits with multiple testing revealed nothing more or less about me, but I was circling the drain. Everyone was telling me there was nothing wrong with me, but I felt like I was going to die. Feeling defeated and scared, I begged a naturopathic doctor, who didn’t want to take on any more clients, to take me on as a patient. Her testing revealed an unexpected diagnosis: Lyme Disease with multiple tick-borne infections. My initial reaction was relief. I finally had a diagnosis, but it wasn’t long before I moved into fear. How do I heal myself? I have a chronic disease that the CDC, the AMA, and the insurance companies don’t recognize. It was clear to me the scope of my illness was way out of my MD’s wheelhouse. Thus, began my journey down the rabbit hole of Lyme and co-infections. I have scoured the books, listened to the podcasts, signed up for webinars, and reached out to anyone that has contacts with other Lyme Warriors to glean as much information as I can so I can put the pieces of myself back together. I have spent thousands of dollars seeking answers and treating myself with herbs, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and bodywork. “Lyme and Friends” has completely derailed my life. I have been forced to be the heroine in my own journey back to wellness. It’s not all bad, though. Some of these changes were necessary. There was much to be discarded internally and externally. I am in a better place now, but the fear still creeps back in on the days I don’t feel so good. I am now in active pursuit of seeking joy and eliminating all the things that do not point in that direction. I am confident my Heroine will lead the way.

The Heroine’s Journey: Dark Places 2022 20” x 20” Plaster 995. diannecutler@me.com www.diannecutler.com