Bite Me: How Lyme Disease Stole My Childhood, Made Me Crazy, and Almost Killed Me

by Ally Hilfiger, Tommy Hilfiger (Foreword by)

Overview

Ally was at a breaking point when she woke up in a psych ward at the age of eighteen. She couldn't put a sentence together, let alone take a shower, eat a meal, or pick up a phone. What had gone wrong? In recent years, she had produced a feature film, a popular reality show for a major network, and had acted in an off-Broadway play. But now, Ally was pushed to a psychotic break after struggling since she was seven years old with physical symptoms that no doctor could explain; everything from joint pain, to night sweats, memory loss, nausea, and brain fog. A doctor in the psych ward was finally able to give her the answers her and her family had desperately been searching for, and the diagnosis that all the previous doctors had missed. She learned that she had Lyme disease-and finally had a breakthrough.

What she didn't know was that this diagnosis would lead her down some of the most excruciating years of her life before beginning her journey to recovery from eleven years of misdiagnosis and physical pain. She would need to find her courage to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally, and become the survivor she is today.

Set against the backdrop of the fast-paced fashion and entertainment industries, Bite Me shares the heartbreaking and hilarious stories that moved Ally forward on her journey from sickness to health. Its themes will be familiar to more than 300,000 Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, many of whom, like Ally, wondered for years what was wrong with them. Bite Me offers readers hope and ideas for how one can transition from victim to survivor, and shares the spiritual principles and actions that have contributed to her wholeness as a human, mother, and international spokesperson against Lyme disease.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455567072
Publisher:	Center Street
Publication date:	05/10/2016
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	563,523
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Ally Hilfiger is a producer, actress, artist,fashion designer, writer, and Lyme disease survivor. As a producer, she created and starred in Rich Girls for MTV, produced the feature film Proud, and was featured in Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's and the documentary Dressed. As a designer, she spearheaded the women's clothing line NAHM. Ally is the daughter of fashion mogul and entrepreneur Tommy Hilfiger and sits on the board of the Global Lyme Alliance. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Foreword Tommy Hilfiger xi

Preface xv

Part 1

1 A Bite of Crazy 1

2 Fashion Fairy Tale 9

3 "Off to See the Wizard…" 15

4 Scared Heart and Growing Pains 27

5 To Pee or Not to Pee 39

6 Valium and Helicopters: "Ze Doctor Vil Zee You Now" 47

7 The Green Lollipop Excuse 55

8 Painting, Chanting, and Pitching Films to Famous Actors 65

9 In Angel's Wings… and Handcuffed 79

10 Deal with the Devil 93

11 Wilfred and the Burrito Incident 103

12 Turning to Judaism in a Karaoke Nightclub 115

13 From the ER to Bungalow 8 121

14 Commencing Countdown, Engines On 127

Part 2

15 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 141

16 The Purple Goddess 151

17 Nights in White Satin 161

Part 3

18 The Battle Begins 173

19 In the Blood 181

20 Brain Fog, Herxing, and Don Hill's 189

21 Dad, Light the Nag Champa 199

22 Straight to the Heart 207

23 Smelling Like Garlic and Loving the High 217

24 Head, Shoulders, Knees and.… Fingernails? 223

25 Happy Birthday, Ally 227

26 The German Protocol 235

27 The Man All in Black and a Wide-Brimmed Hat 247

28 East Meet West and Closes the Door 255

29 Highway to Heaven 271

30 Not at All What I Was Expecting 277

Epilogue 281

Appendix 1 Two Doctor's Opinions 283

Appendix 2 Focus Wheels and Written Intentions 291

Notes 296

Acknowledgments 297

Editorial Reviews

BITE ME is a must-read. It is riveting, personal, and well written. Its spiritual message is powerful and inspirational. With love all things are possible.—Russell Simmons

BITE ME is captivating. Ally recounts her experience battling misdiagnosis and a debilitating tormentor with a humor and power that can inspire us all. She gives a voice to others who are struggling.—Georgia May Jagger

Reading Ally's struggle of dealing with the debilitating effects of Lyme disease is a total inspiration. Her cheerful strength of will and determination to rise above the exhausting days of not knowing the way out proves once again that the human spirit can prevail in the most strenuous of circumstances.—Bryan Adams

This book will be very important at a time that Lyme disease meets NIH's eight characteristics of a worldwide pandemic. Thank you, sweet Ally, for daring to share your inspiring journey of strength, hope, and everyday determination to get well.—Yolanda Foster

BITE ME is humorous and suspenseful, and it holds your attention to the very last page. This is a story that will inspire you—Tommy Mottola

A fascinating look at a disease that is often misdiagnosed and costs many people their sanity and lives. BITE ME is a story of courage. I highly recommend it.—Thalia Mottola

From the Publisher