She was going to become an Olympic swimmer but caressing a panda changed everything

Swimmer Sophie Ward goes on vacation to Beijing to attend the 2008 Olympics at the age of 14. Her dream was to become an Olympic champion herself, but during this trip she contracted Lyme disease after stroking a panda and everything changed

Immediately after stroking the He was on vacation with her family, he was starting to feel bad. She was treated and given antibiotics that calmed her symptoms. She was fine for several years until at age 18 she became seriously ill .

The British suffered from recurrent infections, migraines, food intolerances and sore throats find out what the symptoms were due. Doctors being unable to diagnose her condition, she was forced to leave the university while she no longer had the strength to carry her handbag.

"My muscles and joints hurt a lot. I did a lot of studies but they said that everything was fine, that people started to question you and that you did it yourself, everyone tells you that you are well. but deep down, you know no. health was diminishing and I did not feel well, but even I started to hide my symptoms or lie because I felt people would not believe me "explains the young woman

. to the severe abdominal pain that he has suffered. "I was getting to the point where the pain was so bad that I began to hate and fear the sport I loved ." Then, they suspected that the girl had a chronic fatigue syndrome.

During a visit to a specialist, he recounted all his experiences and travels and named China, which was when the blood tests finally revealed the correct diagnosis: Lyme Disease . "My Olympic dreams were destroyed, it was heartbreaking." A tick bite completely changed my life ", he lamented the local media The 24-year-old swimmer writes a blog in which she discusses her case to raise awareness to Lyme disease and encourage further research on its treatments.

What is Lyme Disease?

9009] Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that is disseminated by the bite of several types of ticks It affects various organs and requires powerful antibiotics to fight it

To transmit the bacteria, a tick must remain attached to a body for 24 to 36 hours . Blacklegged ticks can be so small that it is almost impossible to see.Many people with Lyme disease never see or even feel a tick on the body.

There are several personalities living with this ma ladie, actor Alec Baldwin country-pop singer Shania Twain or the artist Avril Lavigne .