A mum bitten by a tick while on a family picnic has been left with a "horrific" illness. Olivera Marshall developed Lyme disease following a bite three years ago and says she "can't get better".
Olivera's ordeal unfolded when she and her husband Richard took their children Helena and Lukas for a picnic in June 2020. The family were in good spirits, happy to be out of the house during Covid and all were fit and healthy, including Olivera.
Enjoying the summer sun, Olivera lay down beside a nearby river and asked her husband to take a photo of her. At this moment her life changed forever.
"It was literally for like 10 seconds I was lying on the ground and it bit me," she said. "Ticks normally go in tall grass in wooded areas. Where we were was like that - grass with woods."
Two weeks after her picnic, Olivera noticed a red patch on her right side and said she had flu-like symptoms, DevonLive reports. She called her GP and sent in a photo of the red area on her body - before her doctor called her back saying it was likely she had Lyme disease.
The illness is a bacterial infection which can spread to humans via infected ticks - small, spider-like parasites that feed on blood. The NHS says most people with Lyme disease get better after antibiotic treatment, but adds that some continue to have symptoms, like tiredness, aches and loss of energy, that can last for years.
Olivera's rash grew quickly over the course of 24 hours and formed a shape reminiscent of a bullseye - a tell-tale sign of a Lyme disease infection. However, a third of those infected do not get this rash.
"It was one of the worst experiences of my life. I thought I was going to die. I was on antibiotics for a month. That didn't work," she said.
"I lost feeling in my legs - I wasn't able to walk. I was wheeled into the ER and placed in a hospital and I had to stay there on an IV drip but because of Covid at the time they couldn't keep me any longer so I stay there for three days which obviously was not enough because now I have post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. There's no cure, which means I'm going to live with this forever."
The NHS says patients' ongoing symptoms are often compared to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. "It's not clear why this happens to some people and not others," the health service says. "This means there's also no agreed treatment."
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Olivera, from Brixham in Devon, said: "It's very very painful. I felt like I was being stabbed by thousands of knives all over my body. It was the most horrific thing, honestly so painful. Every bone in my body was hurting, it was just horrible.
"I had a stiff neck, and I'm left now with fatigue. Constant, constant fatigue. Exhaustion, confusion, muscle and joint pain. I live with that as we speak.
"The month of April was pretty bad, I think I left my house about four times. I can't get better."
Ticks are most active in the spring and summer months when the weather warms up but can be found all year round, and there are estimated to be around 3,000 cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in England each year, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
Olivera, who had been studying accountancy, is unable to work because of the illness. She said she feels lucky to have the support of her husband.
"I'm kind of trying not to affect my family as much as possible really," she said. "I don't really want to complain or whine about it but they can see that I'm unwell.
"They can see me when I'm really fatigued because I struggle to talk. If I have a couple hours and I feel well enough I will go out but I do have to rest. I have to nap every day."
The NHS says that, to reduce the chance of being bitten, people should cover their skin while walking outdoors and tuck trousers into socks; use insect repellent on your clothes and skin – products containing DEET are best; stay on clear paths whenever possible; and wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to see and brush off.
Olivera said: "I don't want to feel sorry for myself but I would love to send this message out to others and say please protect yourself from ticks. This is vital. Preventing being bitten by a tick in the first place is a crucial part."
