Woman, 27, bedbound for two years after Covid reactivates – Health -…

A 27 yr previous girl, bedridden for two years after a Lyme disease diagnosis, is urging others to “educate yourself” about tick-borne diseases as she faces an unsure future. Maia Pavey, from Erith, south-east London, is believed to have been bitten by a tick during her teenage years while taking part in Scout actions and spending time outside in wooded and grassy areas.

Despite not displaying any noticeable symptoms, Maia continued with her life. However, after contracting Covid-19 in March 2022, her health deteriorated, and by August 2023, she was confined to her mattress struggling from “crushing” fatigue, numbness, limb pain, dizziness, and nausea.

Maia’s mom, Helene, 66, a self-employed non-public tutor who has since change into Maia’s full-time caregiver, suspects that the Lyme disease remained dormant for many years before being “reactivated” by Covid-19. Maia was identified with the bacterial infection in December 2024. The news emerges man’s head ‘falling off physique’ after insect chunk led to horrifying health battle

Formerly the proprietor of a photograph lab studio in Woolwich with her companion of seven years, Tristan Snow, 30, Maia has since change into unable to work or care for herself. The couple now resides with Maia’s mother and father, Jason, 55, and Helene, and her brother, Jake, 23.

The household strives to stay “as positive as possible” for Maia. Diagnosed with a number of overlapping medical circumstances, Maia says her “independence is gone completely”, stories the Mirror.

She now eats and makes use of the restroom from her bedside, only leaving for pressing medical appointments.

A ray of hope has emerged, however, as antibiotic treatment delivered intravenously appears to be serving to her condition improve – with Maia optimistic about managing her symptoms or probably reaching remission down the highway. “Educate yourself about tick-borne illnesses and the ways to avoid them or protect yourself,” Maia told PA Real Life.

“If you know anyone who is suffering but doctors have disregarded their symptoms, consider checking whether it’s Lyme disease via a Lyme literate specialist. And if you know someone dealing with a chronic illness, reach out to them regularly. They are probably quite lonely.”

Infected ticks can transmit Lyme disease to people, and the NHS states it is sometimes more manageable when caught early. Though it stays unsure, Helene believes her daughter might have been bitten by a tick during her adolescent years.

“She was involved with a branch of the Scouts – they would go in the woods and walk through long grass,” Helene said. The NHS notes that a round or oval-formed rash surrounding a tick chunk can signal early Lyme disease in some people, but Helene explained that neither she nor Maia observed any indicators suggesting a chunk had occurred.

“You don’t suspect anything – maybe Maia didn’t have any symptoms at the time, maybe she had a slight flu or temperature that we didn’t connect to anything else,” Helene shared. While it is not confirmed, Helene suspects that Maia’s Lyme disease lay dormant for many years until it was “reactivated” when her daughter contracted Covid-19 in March 2022.

“Her immune system was weakened, and it opened the door to any prior infections that were lurking, to create havoc,” Helene explained.

She revealed that Maia started to really feel “really unwell” in the summer season of 2023, experiencing “crushing” fatigue, numbness, limb pain, head stress, coronary heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, and issues with comprehension and cognition. Maia has been bedridden since August 2023, and Helene said the household spent “a lot of time not knowing” what was inflicting her symptoms.

Maia obtained a confirmed diagnosis for Lyme disease in December 2024. Maia expressed that she was “shocked” and “cried a lot”.

“At that point, I was struggling to do anything, so crying for an hour wiped me out for over a week,” Maia admitted. “Then eventually when I was told about the disease, so much of my life made sense. I realized I’ve been suffering from this for a long time.”

Helene revealed that Maia was also discovered to have two bacterial co-infections, Bartonella, a disease transmitted by bugs or cat scratches, and Babesia, a tick-borne parasite that assaults purple blood cells. “Ticks carry many things, many horrors,” Helene explained.

“It’s impossible to tell when all of it happened, but it was certainly historical.”

Based on medical documentation reviewed by the PA news company, Maia’s doctor has recognized a collection of advanced and interconnected health points. These embody post-Covid-19 syndrome (long Covid), chronic Lyme disease and a number of tick-borne co-infections, plus postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), a devastating condition triggered by dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system, as outlined by PoTS UK.

Consequently, Maia has remained confined to her mattress for over two years – besides when attending essential medical appointments. “Being bedridden and not being able to do anything is incredibly difficult, so I’m quite sad all the time,” Maia explained.

“It’s even harder when I can’t do anything to cheer myself up. There are bad days and there are worse days, and sometimes there are OK days. I cry a lot, but I just have to keep going.”

Maia also expressed that her “independence is gone completely”. “I have my meals in bed, and I pee in a bed pan in bed,” Maia said.

“If I need to poo, I need help getting up to use the commode and then I need help washing my hands, and sometimes I have even needed help wiping when I’ve been at my worst.”

She added: “I can’t read word-only books, watch TV, listen to music, have lengthy conversations or go out for a walk. I’m an artist and I can’t even draw – I haven’t been able to for two years.”

Helene revealed she has reworked into Maia’s full-time caregiver, receiving help from her husband and Maia’s companion. “My focus is on making her day-to-day living as comfortable as possible, managing her anxiety and her sadness, and staying as positive as possible for her sake,” Helene said.

“We’re all in limbo with her, it’s a very strange feeling.”

Maia and her companion, Tristan, had been pressured to shutter their photograph lab studio in May 2024, as she will be able to no longer work. Their romance has also taken a hit, with Maia explaining that bodily intimacy, past hugs and holding palms, is “impossible”.

“It’s been hard, but this illness has shown just how much he loves me because he has stuck around and cared for me,” Maia said. “Not everyone would do that, I’m very lucky.”

Maia has been taking medication to fight the infection and control her symptoms, including antibiotic treatment through an IV drip. Following 10 weeks of the antibiotics, Helene said the household may observe “some improvements”.

“She can tolerate more light and sound, she’s able to have slightly longer conversations,” said Helene. This treatment was partially funded through her husband’s work medical insurance coverage, but the household is in need of financial help to continue – as one week of treatment prices about £6,000.

In response to this, the household has set up a GoFundMe web page, which has already raised over £5,000. Looking ahead, Maia acknowledged: “I’m responding to treatment well, but slowly. “I hope that I can return to regular operate and handle the chronic Lyme or even attain remission.”.

For more info, go to the fundraiser for Maia right here: gofundme.com/f/continue-to-finance-maias-lyme-treatment-and-her-recovery.