Episode 292: Blooming with Lyme - an interview with Georgia Wood

Georgia Grace Ritchie Wood is a professional ski coach, yoga instructor, poet, and podcaster from Australia. She currently resides in Woodstock, Vermont, USA.

Ms. Wood was born with a kidney disorder that rendered her immune compromised. Her parents were advised that she would require kidney reconstruction surgery and should not engage in activities such as skiing or skydiving. Ms. Wood was also born with a passion to vanquish any and all limits and she developed an improbable passion for snow skiing.

Her will to overcome all challenges resulted in an invitation to join the Australian Ski Team. Ms. Wood represented her country in several international competitions and traveled to North America to train for the Olympics.

The rigors of international travel, Olympic level training, and North American ticks resulted in Ms. Wood suffering illnesses that rendered her bed bound. Unfortunately, a “devil inside of [her]” stole her Olympic dreams and a college scholarship. After several years of misdiagnosis, doctors discovered that Lyme disease was in fact the “devil inside” of Ms. Wood.

Today, Ms. Wood is a ski instructor and international Lyme disease advocate. Her highly regarded podcast, Blooming with Lyme, had become a staple in the Lyme community genre.

If you would like to learn more about the journey an international skiing champion took to overcome chronic illness to Bloom with Lyme, then tune in now!

Special Note: in this episode Ms. Wood read her poem “The Devil Inside of Me”. See the poem below:

There is a devil inside of me, I am his disguise. He's taking over, crept his way inside. Picking and pulling, punching and pounding Constant chatter, no good for the ears Only leaving me mad and in fear I’ve lost my way, being locked away The devil holds the key, Not quite sure I'll be able to break it free. Close my eyes I see the devil, Keep them open, and I’m left venerable. But worse of all, everyone else will see, What's really happening inside of me. Lack of control, now my current theme He's come in and ruined, every one of my scenes. Barely breathing, continuous aching “Stab me, slash me” now he’s screaming! There is a devil inside of me, I am his disguise. Locked in a jail, visible only to me Sick and tired, no way to break free Stripping me of my dignity, repetitively Trying to drown him in both pills and potions But the funny thing is, he’s just learnt to swim So why even bother when the devils just growing stronger? Barely breathing, lack of control He strikes again and oh so bold I’m trying to speak up, but in he cuts. Let me speak up, let me reach recovery There is a devil inside of me, I am his disguise. Someone please help me, someone please save me Cause these pills and potions aren’t doing a thing Barely breathing, where’ll he strike next? First to my family, friends you'll be up next. And slowly but surely, he'll bring them an end. Heart racing, head ponding He's constantly screaming “Slap me, stab me and finally shot me.” There is a devil inside of me, I am his disguise. No more is he just, that little side bloke He has taken over, sucking at all my hope Pills and potions, keeping him only entertained But sober him up and he’s right back for more games I’m trying to push through but I’m not sure if I can cope. He’s growing and expanding, and he’s made me his permanent home Where have I gone? And where is this mysterious key? He’s locked me away for no one else to see. There is a devil inside of me, though no more am I his disguise He has become me, and I have been locked deep, deep inside. I am not fighting myself, I am fighting a fight against that evil devil that’s taken over my inside.

-Georgia Wood, January 13, 2016