The Silver Lyming

What happens when the doctor becomes the patient—and conventional medicine doesn't have all the answers?

In this episode of The Silver Lyming, Anne sits down with Dr. Emily Rowe, physician, acupuncturist, functional medicine practitioner, and co-owner of Miami Beach Comprehensive Wellness Center. Dr. Rowe's approach to medicine was profoundly shaped by her own complicated health journey. After living with chronic illness from childhood, she went on to face Crohn's disease, chronic infections, significant toxic exposures, mold illness, tick-borne infections, and three different cancers.

Her search for answers eventually took her far beyond her conventional medical training. After graduating from the University of Miami School of Medicine, Dr. Rowe pursued a four-year master's degree in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and later became certified in functional medicine. Today, she combines conventional diagnostics with Chinese medicine, herbs, acupuncture and other integrative modalities to work with patients facing complex chronic illness.

Anne and Dr. Rowe explore the idea that chronic illness may involve multiple overlapping pieces of a much larger puzzle—including Lyme and other tick-borne infections, mold exposure, toxic burden, immune dysfunction, inflammation, trauma and nervous-system dysregulation. Dr. Rowe explains why she believes treating every patient with the same protocol can be especially problematic for complex and highly sensitive patients.

They also dive into Dr. Rowe's experience with mold. She describes discovering toxic mold in her own home during a period when her health had severely deteriorated and discusses why she considers environmental exposure an important factor to investigate in chronically ill patients.

One of the most powerful parts of the conversation centers on medical dismissal and learning to advocate for yourself. Dr. Rowe recounts seeking multiple opinions after becoming convinced something was seriously wrong with her thyroid. Despite being dismissed initially, she continued pursuing answers; surgery ultimately revealed thyroid cancer that had spread to multiple lymph nodes.

Anne and Dr. Rowe also discuss the emotional toll of being chronically ill while repeatedly being told that nothing is wrong. Their shared message is an important one: when your body is telling you something isn't right, continuing to seek appropriate medical evaluation can matter enormously.

The conversation explores a wide range of integrative approaches Dr. Rowe uses or discusses in her practice, including acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, IV therapies, sound healing, limbic-system work and trauma-focused approaches such as EMDR and Internal Family Systems. Importantly, Dr. Rowe emphasizes that no single modality is the answer for everyone—healing complex illness may involve many different pieces.

And through everything she has endured, Dr. Rowe shares an unexpected perspective on illness:

"I always say Bartonella was my greatest spiritual teacher."

This is a conversation about much more than Lyme disease. It's about listening to your body, asking deeper questions, integrating different systems of medicine, advocating for yourself—and finding meaning in an experience that can change the entire direction of your life.

In this episode, we discuss: Lyme and tick-borne infections; mold toxicity; heavy metals and environmental exposures; Crohn's and autoimmune disease; Dr. Rowe's cancer journey; medical dismissal and self-advocacy; individualized versus protocol-based treatment; acupuncture and Chinese medicine; herbs and conventional medications; trauma and limbic-system retraining; integrative and functional medicine; and the unexpected spiritual lessons that can emerge from chronic illness.

About Dr. Emily Rowe:

Dr. Rowe is co-owner of Miami Beach Comprehensive Wellness Center in Miami Beach, Florida. She and her husband, Dr. Christopher Estes, practice an integrative model that brings conventional and complementary approaches together. Dr. Rowe explains in the episode that Florida patients must initially be seen in person before continuity of care can be provided through telehealth, and that the practice maintains a waiting list for new patients.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

What happens when chronic illness completely derails the life you thought you were going to live—and ultimately leads you directly to your purpose?

In this episode of The Silver Lyming, Anne sits down with longtime friend and one of her personal inspirations, Ali Moresco, Lyme disease advocate, healthcare communications strategist, founder of Moresco PR + Communications, and Executive Board Chair of Project Lyme.

Ali was in her early twenties, working in the fast-paced world of celebrity and entertainment PR, when a trip to Northern Michigan changed her life. After developing symptoms of acute tick-borne illness—including a rash that was not the classic bullseye—she spent two years moving through doctors and specialists before finally receiving answers.

What followed was a years-long journey through Lyme disease, multiple co-infections, immune dysfunction, debilitating symptoms, and an enormous amount of trial and error in treatment. Ali shares candidly about the therapies that moved the needle for her, including immune globulin therapy and her experience with Dr. Richard Horowitz's dapsone combination protocols, while emphasizing an important truth: there is no single Lyme treatment that works for everyone.

But this conversation goes far beyond treatment.

Anne and Ali talk about the transformation that can happen when illness forces you to reconsider everything—your career, your priorities, your relationship with your body, and what you want your life to mean.

Ali shares how her experience as a patient ultimately led her from entertainment PR into healthcare communications and national patient advocacy. Today, she uses both her professional expertise and lived experience to amplify patient voices, elevate physicians and researchers, support Lyme research, and advocate for meaningful change in healthcare.

They also discuss the urgent need for better physician education, access to care, more accurate information surrounding tick-borne illness, and the importance of patients continuing to advocate for themselves—even when they don't have the energy to fight another battle.

Perhaps most importantly, Ali shares what Lyme unexpectedly gave her: purpose, perspective, and the ability to slow down enough to truly experience her life.

This is an episode about much more than surviving Lyme disease. It's about what can happen when the life you planned disappears—and you build something even more meaningful in its place.

In this episode, Anne and Ali discuss: Ali's two-year road to diagnosis; Lyme disease and multiple co-infections; why a rash doesn't have to look like a classic bullseye; immune dysfunction and immunoglobulin therapy; Ali's experience with dapsone combination therapy; why Lyme treatment must be individualized; navigating years of chronic illness without losing hope; the evolution from celebrity PR to healthcare advocacy; the current state of Lyme awareness and advocacy; educating physicians about complex chronic illness; turning suffering into service; finding purpose after illness; and learning to appreciate the small moments that make up a life.

Ali's message is ultimately one of hope: healing may not return you to exactly who you were before illness—but it may introduce you to someone you were always meant to become.

Connect with Ali: Ali Moresco / Moresco PR + Communications⁠ Instagram: @AliTMoresco Slightly Spiritual Podcast with Ali Moresco and Cindy Luffred

From Paralysis to Purpose: Dr. Melanie Stein on Lyme, Mold & Cellular Healing

What happens when a medical student suddenly wakes up unable to move her legs—and the medical system tells her there's nothing physically wrong?

In this episode of The Silver Lyming, Anne Desjardins sits down with Dr. Melanie Stein, a licensed naturopathic physician in Portland, Oregon, who specializes in complex chronic illness, including Lyme disease, mold toxicity and mast cell activation.

Melanie's expertise isn't only professional. It's deeply personal.

While attending medical school, Melanie was on a Qigong retreat when she woke up one morning unable to move her legs. After extensive testing came back normal, she says doctors questioned whether her condition was psychological. While in rehabilitation learning to live in a wheelchair, she developed a bullseye rash. Melanie suspected Lyme disease, but an infectious-disease physician dismissed the possibility. She ultimately demanded a spinal tap, which she says came back positive.

Her recovery wasn't immediate. Melanie describes years of antibiotics, herbs, IV therapies and rehabilitation as she progressed from a wheelchair to a walker and eventually a cane. Discovering that she was also living in a water-damaged building became another important turning point in her recovery.

Later, after COVID triggered another serious health decline, Melanie says she began looking beyond simply "chasing the infection" and focused more deeply on cellular health and cell membrane therapy—an approach that now plays a central role in her practice.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Melanie's extraordinary Lyme journey and what it taught her about listening to patients
• Why chronic illness doesn't always fit neatly into conventional medical models
• Cell membrane therapy and Melanie's approach to cellular repair
• Why Lyme treatment may stall when other underlying factors haven't been addressed
• The relationship Melanie sees between Lyme disease and mold exposure
• Why she considers mold when Lyme patients continually react to treatment or aren't progressing
• ERMI testing versus air sampling for evaluating a home
• What to look for when hiring an indoor environmental professional
• The VCS test and the Shoemaker approach
• The role of binders in Melanie's protocols
• Why patient history and creating a timeline of exposures and symptoms matter
• Finding Lyme-literate, mold-literate and functional practitioners
• The importance of hope when recovering from complex chronic illness

Melanie also shares something at the heart of The Silver Lyming: despite everything she endured, she doesn't believe she would erase the experience.

Today, she says she appreciates life differently and believes her illness ultimately led her to her purpose—helping make sure other patients aren't left unheard.

Healing can be difficult. It can take time. But there is hope.

As Melanie says during our conversation, after acknowledging how devastating these illnesses can be: "But we can get through it."

Lorrie's story with Lyme began in May of 2019. She was really struggling to find help for whatever was happening in her body and had to go from hospital to hospital, until she eventually lost the ability to walk and they knew something was VERY wrong. Up until that time, she had been told that she was too stressed, or that it was potentially menopause. In her heart, she knew it was not that but she brings up a very good point in that there is documented gender discrimination that happens with this sickness. Women are more often not taken seriously and told that it is from stress or normal especially if they are moms when in actuality, they are suffering with a terrible illness.

To make matters worse for Lorrie in her quest to get help, she lives in Florida, which is a state that supposedly does not have Lyme, according to many of the doctors she saw for help. She does remember potentially finding the tick that bit her although at the time she did not understand what was happening.

Lorrie has gone through so much in addition to the Lyme and tick-borne illnesses such as mold poisoning and abuse. These things contributed to her level of sickness and made it next to impossible to get better.

BUT she did, she did get better! I can remember meeting Lorrie in her sick time, and she has come full circle. She has overcome an incredible amount of adversity to get herself here and she was not only fending for herself, but she also has her youngest son Tatum to take care of too. Her story is a true inspiration and touches on so many important things like women not getting the care they deserve with treatment and initial symptoms, the need to get out of abusive and toxic situations, the value of a good relationship with God, and the imperativeness to learn how to love oneself.

Please listen to her story, even if you are not experiencing Lyme and tick-borne illness. It is a very beautiful and moving experience. And if you don't already follow me here, please do. I also encourage you to like and share this episode so that others who need to hear these words can find it. You never know, it just might be the thing that saves someone's life.

Visit my website at www.thesilverlyming.com to learn more about my own journey with Lyme and chronic illness.

In this episode, Carter Bradsky shares his story. He was stricken with psychological issues his senior year of high school that lasted through the beginning of his college career, and he started having tremendous brain fog. He never had these types of issues before and was concerned. His mom had just concluded her five-year search trying to figure out what was happening to her health which turned out to be Lyme and tick-borne illness, so they suspected he was also suffering from these sicknesses.

He feels very lucky that his mom was able to figure things out because it really helped him get to treatment faster. He was taken to a Lyme-literate physician and did solid treatment for a year and felt so much better but it was not an easy road back to health. He had to address not just physical symptoms but emotional ones as well and was able to get to the point where he tests negative on all tests. Like many of us, if he pushes too hard, he will potentially feel a twinge of it, but for the most part, feels very healthy again.

Carter suffered a lot because he was not able to "participate" in college as normal kids do, but gratefully, he is very religious and found much strength in his relationship with God. He struggled a lot to perform academically and is most proud of his first-year marks, even though they were much less than what he was used to, because it shows him what he was able to endure and still survive.

Carter has learned so much through his experience, and as mentioned his mother also was infected and his sister. He is launching a business with his sister, Payton, called Lymeless using AI to help with better comprehensive treatment for those going through the illness as it is overwhelming and a lot to keep up with, especially when your brain is not working. I am excited to see where it takes them and believe very much in the help they will provide to our community.

If you would like to share your Lyme recovery story on my podcast, please send me a note. I love sharing these stories to raise awareness and to show you that you can heal. It is probably going to be one of the hardest things you have to do in life, because you basically have to become a completely new person, but it is possible.

Please become a subscriber and like this show so others who need to hear these words can find them more easily. Thank you for your support. #thesilverlyming #lyme #lymedisease #healing #healed #getwell #believe #strength #perseverance #annedesjardins #tickbornedisease #hope

In this episode of The Silver Lyming, Anne sits down with naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist Dr. Alice Honican of Longevity Health Center to explore a more holistic approach to Lyme disease and chronic illness.

Dr. Honican's connection to Lyme disease is personal. After watching her mother recover from Lyme using natural medicine, she developed a passion for helping patients struggling with complex, chronic conditions. Today, her approach combines naturopathic medicine with herbal therapies, homeopathy, acupuncture, bioenergetic assessment, and other integrative tools designed to uncover underlying stressors and support the body's natural healing processes.

Anne and Dr. Honican discuss why Lyme treatment is rarely one-size-fits-all and why simply targeting an infection may not address the full picture—particularly for people who have been sick for months or years.

In This Episode

Anne and Dr. Honican discuss:

When antibiotics such as doxycycline may be appropriate, particularly following a recent tick bite or in early Lyme disease, and when additional integrative approaches may be considered.

Why chronic Lyme treatment may involve looking beyond the infection itself and evaluating factors that could be interfering with recovery. Herbal medicine, homeopathy, and natural therapies Dr. Honican uses to support patients.

The importance of avoiding the "more supplements are better" mentality and creating an individualized treatment plan.

Bioenergetic testing and electrodermal screening and how Dr. Honican uses these tools to identify potential areas of imbalance and help guide treatment.

Regulation thermography and how thermal patterns and the body's response to stress may provide additional information to practitioners.

Why alternative assessment tools should be viewed as tools that help guide care rather than definitive diagnostic tests for Lyme disease.

The potential role of mold exposure, heavy metals, environmental toxins, and other burdens in complicated chronic illness.

MTHFR and why genetics can influence how practitioners approach individual patients.

Alpha-gal syndrome and the increasing awareness surrounding tick-associated reactions to mammalian products.

Homeopathic nosodes, laser detox therapies, and other modalities used within Dr. Honican's practice.

Why preventative and proactive healthcare can be so important rather than waiting until symptoms become severe.

How Dr. Honican works with patients both locally and remotely through Longevity Health Center.

What patients should look for when choosing a naturopathic or integrative practitioner.

How Long Does Healing Take?

Dr. Honican shares the story of a patient suffering from arthritis who was ultimately treated for Lyme disease and experienced complete resolution of her symptoms after approximately a year of follow-up care.

While every person's situation is different, Dr. Honican explains that she often hopes to see meaningful improvement within the first several months, while more complete recovery may take considerably longer.

Anne and Dr. Honican also discuss one of the most important lessons of chronic illness: healing timelines are highly individual.

A Different Way of Looking at Chronic Illness

For someone struggling with Lyme disease, the question may not only be:

"How do we kill the infection?"

It may also be: "What is preventing this person's body from recovering?"

Immune function, environmental exposures, toxic burden, nutrition, genetics, stress, and other underlying factors may all become pieces of that larger puzzle.

For Anne, this conversation also reflects an important part of her own Lyme journey—the difference it can make to finally find a practitioner who believes what you're experiencing and is willing to keep looking for answers.

The Silver Lyming Takeaway

Lyme disease can be complicated, frustrating, and deeply individual—but a diagnosis does not mean giving up hope.

There are many approaches to healing, and the path that works for one person may look very different from the path that works for another. Finding knowledgeable practitioners, asking questions, addressing potential underlying contributors, and learning to listen to your own body can all be important parts of the journey.

There is hope. Your body has an extraordinary capacity to heal when it receives the right support.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical care. Some diagnostic and treatment approaches discussed in this episode are considered complementary or alternative and may not be supported by the same level of scientific evidence as conventional testing and treatment. Always consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional regarding Lyme disease, tick bites, medications, supplements, or changes to your treatment plan.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Chris Winfrey to discuss not only his personal experience with Lyme, tick-borne illness, and mold toxicity, but how this experience has helped him be of greater value to his patients. Dr. Winfrey emphasizes that healing involves more than just supportive treatments; it requires a belief in the possibility of healing and a willingness to engage in the process. He highlights the role of surrender, resilience, and a strong sense of self in overcoming obstacles to healing.

Dr. Winfrey discusses his approach to working with patients, emphasizing the importance of assessing their readiness and commitment before engaging. He explains his preference for in-person sessions over virtual ones, despite offering both options. Dr. WInfrey describes his focus on brain recovery and neuropsychiatric manifestations of chronic illness, particularly involving toxins and infections. He clarifies that he does not take on acute cases requiring a large team, but rather works with patients who are ready to address their issues.

I can confirm having gone through my own experience with Lyme, co-infections, and mold toxicity that having a doctor who understands what you are going through makes a huge difference. And hearing the vantage point of a doctor who was misdiagnosed by other doctors lends interesting insight as well. You are not alone in your experience and challenges in getting a proper diagnosis.

Please leave your thoughts below. I know I got a lot out of this episode with regard to what can really impact the healing process on an emotional and spiritual level. Remember, disease is not just disease, it is also dis-ease within the body, mind, and soul, and requires healing on all levels to fully regain your health.

I will forever remember interviewing Brooke and her sharing how hard having Lyme and tick-borne illness is while still trying to be a mom. She recalls how her children wanted to hold her hand and she was struggling even to do that when she was at her sickest. To hear her speak of this is truly heartbreaking. But, to see how far Brooke has come since being diagnosed is TRULY inspirational.

Brooke has become a stellar advocate through her experience and went back to school to become a certified microscopist. A microscopist is a specialized scientist who uses advanced microscopes to examine biological specimens. In this case, Brooke learned how to look at peoples' blood to help identify tick-borne illnesses as she went to one on her journey to wellness and realized how beneficial this is to people seeking answers, as we know the standard testing is not very accurate and specialized screening can be rather costly. (You can find her on IG or Facebook for more info.)

Brooke is also a loving mother raising two beautiful girls and has an incredibly supportive husband to help her on her way. Take a listen as Brooke shares her personal journey with Lyme disease, detailing her 9-month diagnostic process and subsequent treatment challenges. She describes her experience with various medical approaches, including functional medicine and Chinese herbs, and the difficult decision to use prednisone during a setback. Brooke emphasizes the importance of patient advocacy and the need for better healthcare systems to support those with Lyme disease, while also highlighting her progress in recovery and her commitment to sharing her story to help others.

Please like and subscribe to help others find this show. The info shared is incredibly valuable and just may help save a life.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to do a parasite, mold, or heavy metal cleanse, I would be a rich woman. On this episode, I get the chance to interview someone who knows all too well how to do this type of cleanse and has made it easy for people like you to do just that with her well-thought-out kits that are available at RogersHood Apothecary (rogershood.com).

Kim Rogers is a health educator, entrepreneur, and podcast host. After overcoming her own battle with chronic illness, including Lyme disease, mold toxicity, and other health challenges, she dedicates her life to helping others better understand the impact of parasites, toxins, and gut health on overall wellness. Her viral social media content and educational work have sparked conversations around preventive health and personal advocacy, reaching millions of people worldwide.

If you are looking for more info on the kits Kim has put together, you can request assistance on the website for RogersHood.com.

If you are looking for a discount for these kits, use this link for my personal page:

https://rogershood.com/ref/1882/

and the affiliate code:

ANNEDESJA15 for a 10% discount.

I have used her kits many times as I agree with Kim that we should be proactively doing these cleanses quarterly. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have already tried Kim's kits and what types of reactions your body has had. I have recommended them to my clients and am always blown away by the results they achieve.

When it comes to Lyme and tick-borne illness, mold, heavy metals, and parasites can compound things making it harder to heal without clearing these out of the system. This is by no means medical advice, but something I have personally witnessed time and time again in the Lyme community. Always consult your doctor or Lyme specialist before adding new treatments.

I often think who better to help someone with Lyme and tick-borne illness than someone who has gone through it themselves? This week's guest is Dr. Tina Arseneau, a pharmacist with a background in functional medicine and clinical hypnotherapy. She shares her personal journey with Lyme disease, which began at age 9 and remained undiagnosed for two decades. Despite her professional knowledge as a pharmacist, she faced dismissive attitudes from healthcare providers, including her colleague who refused to test her for tick-borne illnesses when she was hospitalized with meningitis. After a series of health crises, including a miscarriage and rare pregnancy-related cancer, she was finally diagnosed at age 29. She emphasizes the challenges of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, highlighting the limitations of current testing methods and the need for better awareness and support from the medical community.

You can find Dr. Arseneau on Facebook, YouTube, and at www.lymesupport.com/heal. She is a wealth of knowledge and is open to anyone reaching out that needs help.

If this episode has been helpful, one thing, and the most important thing, you can do to help in return is to like and subscribe to the channel to help others find us as well. This information can be lifesaving to the right person so please help us get the word out there.