i nev had a bullseye rash. i just began feeling really sick, weak, having trouble sleeping.ng school. i -- >> h long did this -- this obviously went on through school and then high school, too, right? >> yes. i wasn't able to finish high school, iended up testing out. >> how d that affect your friendips with people, because you were isolated. >> it was very isolating. my illness and symptoms got the point where it consumed life and every action that i ok. am i stable enough to stand in the shower today? >> when did you know, finally know you had lyme disease? >> it took about five years, between my sister and i, 23 doctors to get a diagnosi >> 23 doctors. >> during wch time we had no specific thing to do. i was being treated for chronic fatigue. we lost friends that couldn understand the illness. >> just getting sicker and sicker. >> mm-hmm. >> te, how did you finally get help? >> at the beginning i asked if it was lyme. i was told, no, we don't have lyme in california. we were being treated by a doctor for chronic fatigue. finally after five years he said ty should be bette