Over 22 years I’ve been hospitalised many times but no cause for my illness was found. I am 52, used a walking frame for 4 years and sometimes a wheelchair. When I got sick I had never been out of Australia and never been to Queensland either.

I have been told I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, ME and MS, etc. I’ve been to over 20 GPs and many specialists. All have misdiagnosed me and sent me home with no treatment or the wrong treatment.

In 2000 I joined an internet support group. One lady recognised my symptoms as Lyme disease. My doctor agreed that I have all the symptoms of late-stage Lyme, but said there is no Lyme in Victoria .

In 2001 I travelled to a hospital in Sydney. A doctor there agreed that Lyme disease is in Australia and could cause all of my symptoms.

The earlier misdiagnoses have cost me my career, family, finances, friendships, capabilities and almost my sanity. I am now on a disability pension and my new husband is on a carer's pension. We were married with me in a wheelchair. At times I was so disabled that I required a district nurse to sit me up in the shower.

Though I usually look well, Lyme has affected my vision, balance, muscles, joints, hearing, sense of smell, memory, swallowing, breathing, speech, etc.

There are no accurate tests for Lyme. Westmead Hospital test for American strains. Royal North Shore Hospital test for Australian and European strains. My new husband and I have tested negative in these tests so far, common in late-stage Lyme. Recently I tested positive on newer PCR testing. They found Lyme in my DNA.

I tell my story in the hope that others may be helped.

- Rosemary, Melbourne