Meet The People Behind Lyme Advise

In August of 2007, Alyssa Knapp was diagnosed after 2 years of an alarming decline in health with Late Stage CNS Lyme Disease, Babesiosis and Meningoencephalitis. Countless doctor visits with no answers left her body in a dire state, allowing the un-diagnosed Lyme Disease and Babesia to take over her central nervous system and brain. White lesions were visible on her brain, white blood cell counts in her spinal fluid were at 34, seizures, hallucinations, and the inability to walk, talk or process information coherently left Alyssa disabled and fighting for her life. While blood tests continued to show negative for Lyme Disease again and again, it was through her spinal fluid taken during a lumbar puncture that evidence of neuroborreliosis was found. Alyssa’s family was told to make the choice between spending her last few weeks alive in a hospital or at home with family.

In 2007, options, treatment, knowledgeable physicians, online support groups, services,  and general understanding of these diseases were virtually nonexistent. Alyssa was fortunate to have a mother who had been previously diagnosed with Lyme years earlier and treated by a specialist; one of the most sought after physicians in Lyme Disease treatment and care, Dr. Steven Bock. 

One year after Alyssa’s diagnoses, her son Wynn Erichson, woke with a fever of 104 and knees so swollen he was unable to walk. Immediately he was seen by Dr. Bock, tested and received his western blot back; testing was sent and completed via Igenex. It was lit up with numerous positive bands and he was given a diagnoses of chronic Lyme Disease and Bartonella. Still under intensive treatment and mostly bedbound, Alyssa was to undergo the herculean task of treating both herself and her sick child. Currently, her son, who has done an incredible job managing his chronic illness, has received his Bachelor’s degree from Marist College and plans to spend a good portion of his time helping to grow Lyme Advise in an effort to help others.

More than a decade has passed, and Alyssa Knapp lives with chronic complications from a disease that is considered hard to get and easy to treat. She has surpassed all expectations of surviving, going on to become an entrepreneur, small business owner, an active advocate for patients with Lyme Disease, an artist, and a writer; her life a testament to what proper diagnoses from companies like Igenex, treatment and care via physicians such as, Dr. Steven Bock, and loving support from friends and family are capable of accomplishing - proof that hard work, support, education, treatment and testing absolutely can save a life. Today, Alyssa turns her attention to Lyme Advise because of her deeply rooted desire to help others newly diagnosed or looking for proper diagnoses and treatment, so they are able to find their way through a Lyme Disease nightmare with far greater ease than she was able.