The Traveling Sales, the Camp Fire & the Diagnosis - Part 2

Then, came the smoke. Even the Bay Area was covered in a brown shroud of smoke and the chemicals of perished goods: our neighbors dreams and belongings. The air was toxic and unbreathable in Chico, but it was hazardous in the Bay Area as well. Hosting our custom mold educator from Louisiana a few days later, I led her to our next hospital appointment. We were instructing a series of CEU courses together for various groups of ATPs and therapists. My head felt like it was in a vise, and it went blank. I couldn't remember where to go, nor what department we were seeing. I felt my heart flutter, like a butterfly was trapped inside, and I thought I would faint, failing to gasp in enough air to support my muddled brain. She looked almost as confused as I felt. 
"I don't remember," I said. "I think I'm having panic attack." Sweating profusely, I darted around the building until locating assistance. We were late enough for the anxiety to persist throughout the presentation. Something was definitely wrong with me.
When I finally returned to Chico, my home and family no longer in danger, but the air toxicity rated at 501, its highest yet, my body and mind turned on me. The headache, mental cloudiness and rapid heartbeat were heightened and accompanied by a sore throat, burning eyes, pain in all joints, chest pressure and complete mental confusion. My head vise squeezed and my body buzzed with joint pain, until I sobbed fearful tears, then blacked out.
It took less than 5 minutes for the naturopathic NP to diagnose the problem. After a series of questions about my symptoms, she concluded, "You have Lyme Disease. And more than likely, you have co-infections." An EKG confirmed my heart was compromised. "You're going to need to reduce your stress, stop work travel through the end of the year and go on a strict diet. It's not easy to cure Lyme, but with complete compliance, it's possible."