*Originally published 5/16/14*
I’m a strong believer in the saying “everything happens for a reason.” The truth is, if Cassidy never got Lyme, the two of us would have never become friends. My name is Kerry, and I also have Lyme Disease. A little over a year ago, I made a Lyme twitter because I was feeling so alone and like no one knew what I was going through. I was in a pretty dark place.
A year after being diagnosed, I wasn’t feeling any better and I felt like everyone at school was forgetting about me. Shortly after creating this account, I met Cassidy. I don’t remember the specifics, but I do remember that Cassidy and I hit it off right away. Cassidy and I were a lot alike. We bonded over our love of Disney, softball, and our passion for Lyme awareness.
A few months later, I had an idea. An idea that was too big for me to do on my own. I wanted to create an awareness video, and I knew that Cassidy was the perfect person to help me. Cassidy and I became even closer, FaceTiming, texting, and calling, often. Through twitter, we also knew some other girls with Lyme: Hannah, Abby, and Jessica, who shared our love for Disney. Eventually, Cassidy and I decided it would be fun to have a group chat with the other girls. Since starting our group chat in August, not one day has gone by where we haven’t talked. These girls have become my best friends.
After a year of talking through social networking, Cassidy and I finally met! She was taking a trip to Boston, which is close to where I live. I will never forget walking down the stairs to the Cheer’s gift shop in Faneuil Hall and finally spotting Cassidy for the first time. We ran and gave each other a huge hug. What started out as just getting lunch turned into a full day of touring Boston together. Our moms also got to meet and they talked about dealing with a daughter with lyme (and also about how amazing of daughters we are, I’m sure). That was, and always will be, one of the best days of my life.
If Cassidy had never gotten Lyme, I probably would not have connected with not only her, but also with Hannah, Abby, and Jessica. Even if we did, the group wouldn’t be the same without her. I can trust Cassidy with anything and she’s always there if I need to vent. Cassidy always has such great tips and advice regarding all things Lyme.
Cassidy is such a beautiful person inside and out. Sometimes in our group chats, we send videos to just be silly, or explain things that we don’t feel like typing. Through Cassidy’s videos, her personality shines through. She is hilarious, caring, and passionate. She has a love of helping people and even though she isn’t feeling great, she participates in multiple unified sports. Seeing how much Cassidy enjoys it is so inspiring.
I’m so proud of Cassidy and how she deals with such difficult situations. I honestly do not know where I would be right now if it wasn’t for her. I know that Cassidy and I (and the rest of the girls) will be life-long friends. Not only does everything happen for a reason, but there is also always good in the bad. Even though we have to go through such an awful disease, something great has come out of it. I am so grateful to have Cassidy as a best friend.
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