Fighting for My Life

Patrick Collins has the life that he has always wanted: a loving family and supportive friends who help him in following his dreams. He has an accomplished baseball career and a unique passion to change the world. That is, until illness strikes. Plagued by fatigue, arthritis, chronic sinus infections, mood swings, and seizures, Patrick is left without a guide in his search for what is wrong with him. Doctor after doctor runs tests and comes up without a diagnosis. The family is told it is "all in Patrick's head," and is offered antidepressants. Two years and tens of thousands of dollars later, a diagnosis is given: Lyme disease. Although Patrick's malady finally has a name, the extensive testing for, and treatment of, this enigmatic disease is not covered by insurance companies, leaving the family financially devastated. This memoir draws readers into the mind of this young sufferer of Lyme disease who had lost all hope of recovery, missing out on years of his childhood.