I contracted Lyme Disease when I was seventeen and went decades with crazy and confusing neurological symptoms before finally getting a diagnosis and starting my journey back to health.

 

When I felt clumsy in my body, fish reminded me of the grace and fluidity I once felt as a young ballet dancer, before this mystery illness stripped that away.

 

When the people I trusted, including doctors, did not understand what I was experiencing, I felt lonely and disconnected, much like fish isolated in its container.

 

And when my symptoms became unbearable and scary, I felt like a fish out of water, flopping around desperately waiting for someone to place me back into the safety of my bowl.

 

Making these connections gives me clarity and helps me tell my  story.