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Pictured is Christina Wise, a Bethany native that was recently diagnosed with Lyme Disease and is currently undergoing treatment. A benefit will be held this Saturday at the Bethany Fire House to raise money for her ongoing treatment and to raise awareness about the disease. Pictured along with Christina is her husband Wes and their children Amelia and Parker.

Mother/daughter from Bethany each suffer from Lyme Disease

May 13, 2015
by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Mothers and daughters hope to share many parts of their lives together as they grow older. That may include dances, weddings or even children. But one thing that mothers and daughters hope not to share - is battling the same disease.
Christina Wise has had Lyme Disease for at least 20 to 25 years.The doctors believe she contracted the disease between the age of five to seven years old. Her mother Karen Allen was diagnosed in November of 2014 after experiencing chronic fatigue and major joint pain in her knees, hips and elbows. Since then, the two have been battling the disease together.
“It’s unknown how I contracted it. I was probably five to seven years old. We don’t ever remember a tick biting me, and I never had the bulls eye rash, (a rash that gradually spreads over about 12 inches as part of it clears -appearing like a “bull’s-eye” -CDC.gov) but we went camping and fishing all the time. We were constantly outdoors,” noted Wise. “My mom asked me to get tested. I always had a bad immune system, but we never thought I was ever this sick and that there was a reason for my sickness,” she added. After having a Western Blot Test, (a test done that confirms the diagnosis and detects antibodies), it was confirmed that Wise had Lyme Disease.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.