Tick Boot Camp

Episode 184: Gracefully Fed - an interview with Traci Weintraub

Traci's Lyme journey inspired her to open a Lyme-friendly soup business

Traci Weintraub is a 40-year-old entrepreneur and sitcom television entertainment professional from West Hollywood, California. Originally from the Long Island, New York region of the east coast Lyme belt, Ms. Weintraub moved to California after she graduated from college. She enjoyed an active professional, social and athletic west coast lifestyle until she began to suffer leg heaviness and pain, migraines and POTS symptoms shortly after she ran a half marathon in memory of a deceased friend. Her diverse symptoms caused her to treat with 19 doctors on both coasts before she was prescribed an IGeneX Lyme disease test by an Integrative Gastroenterologist. Today, her Lyme disease is remitted after utilizing a diverse set of treatment tools, including, antibiotics, herbs, ozone, and dietary changes. Her Lyme mandated dietary changes inspired her to develop Lyme and chronic illness friendly soup recipes that later became the foundation of a new career. If you would like to know more about how Gracefully Fed, a Lyme and chronic illness friendly soup and food business was inspired by the healing journey of a Hollywood TV sitcom professional, then tune in now!

Episode 183: Pastoring Lyme - an interview with Dan Price

Lyme disease graced Pastor Dan with empathy and a second career as a photographer

Dan Price is a 42-year-old married father serving as the Executive Pastor of a church located in Bend, Oregon. The Price family began a relationship with Lyme disease in 2012 when Pastor Dan began to suffer a long-term fever and fatigue that progressed to brain fog, short term memory loss, anxiety, and depression. He treated with 5 doctors before he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. After his diagnosis, his symptoms continued to progress and Pastor Dan lost hope that he would heal from Lyme disease until 2 members of the Lyme social media community recommended a doctor practicing outside of Detroit, Michigan. Shortly after Pastor Dan’s health began to improve, his wife and family “rock” was diagnosed with acute Lyme disease. Pastor Dan suspects that he unknowingly infected his wife with Lyme through sexual contact. The final chapter of the Pastor’s healing journey required EMDR therapy with a “brain injury focused therapist.” Today, Pastor Dan and his wife have attained remission from Lyme disease. If you would like to learn more about how a Pastor and his family have recovered strength from weakness inflicted by Lyme disease, then tune in now!

Episode 182: A Hero's Journey - an interview with Noel Elie

A shaman helped a Hollywood actress complete her Lyme disease transformation

Noel Elie is a 35-year-old actor, model, director, producer and entrepreneur from Los Angeles, California. Her acting resume includes appearances on CBS’s Blue Bloods, CW’s Dynasty, NBC’s Shades of Blue and ABC’s Shark Tank. In her business life, she worked with many iconic brands and NY Times bestselling authors until she became chronically ill. Approximately one year ago, Ms. Elie developed debilitating symptoms; including, brain fog, tremors, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression. When these symptoms “kicked into high gear,” she visited a carousel of 8 doctors before she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The diagnosis inspired Ms. Elie to utilize traditional and alternative treatment modalities such as antibiotics, vitamin IV therapy, plant therapy (Ayahuasca), and Kambo (frog poison). If you would like to learn more about how an uber talented entertainment and business professional is writing and producing the script to recover her health from Lyme disease, then tune in now!

Episode 181: Captain America - an interview with John Tubbs

The inadequate treatment of Lyme disease triggered Mr. Tubbs' Crohn's disease

John Tubbs is a 41-year-old empathic Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Health Coach from upstate Slingerlands, New York. His Lyme disease journey began at the age of 27 when he suffered classic flu like symptoms, intense neck pain and Bell's Palsy. He was diagnosed with Lyme disease by a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and achieved short term remission after being treated with several courses of antibiotics. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Tubbs suffered a relapse and Lyme disease "came back with a vengeance" causing him to become chronically ill and hospitalized. Mr. Tubbs was determined to heal and intuitively understood he had to become his own advocate, doctor, and a student of self-care. He also learned that he had to connect with other people in the chronic illness community where he found a "kindred community of people who understood him." To give back to the "kindred community," Mr. Tubbs was inspired to create the BeYourOwnPhysician Instagram page. If you would like to learn more about how a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Health Coach is using the lessons he learned on his personal Lyme disease journey to help others build a tool box for healing, then tune in now!

Episode 180: Love Wins - an interview with Tori Piskin

Family and cultural support allowed Tori to shortcut her journey and move directly to physical healing

Tori Piskin is a 30-year-old comedian, producer, editor and podcaster from Los Angeles, California. Ms. Piskin was raised in a traditional close-knit New York Jewish familial environment. Her family was activated to help as soon as her chronic symptoms presented during her senior year of college. She was diagnosed and in treatment with a well-known Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) within months of the onset of her symptoms. After graduating from college, Ms. Piskin returned home to earn a "graduate degree in Lyme disease" by dedicating herself to "full time healing." During that time, she and her family filmed and posted the highs and the lows of her Lyme journey on YouTube. YouTube served to channel Ms. Piskin's talents and to validate the Lyme experience for others in the community. Today, Ms. Piskin describes her health as "87 percent" improved and she is "taking care of herself" by "listening to her body." If you would like to learn more about how an entertainer and media professional is dedicating her vast talents to sharing the humorous love and support she received on her healing journey, then tune in now!

Episode 179: No is not the Answer - an interview with Danielle Cosgrove

Ms. Cosgrove's self-advocacy ultimately led her to the famous LLMD Doctor Daniel Cameron

Danielle Cosgrove is a 26-year-old sports management professional from Long Island, New York. Ms. Cosgrove’s Lyme disease journey began in 2012 when her symptoms prevented her from achieving her dream of playing college lacrosse. Her progressing symptoms sent her to visit 9 doctors over 8 years before she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Her diagnosis was incidental to treating at a immunological clinic and her nurse practitioner recognized her symptoms and recommended her to IGeneX for diagnostic testing. After a positive Lyme test, she moved back home to Long Island and sought treatment from the famous Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) Daniel Cameron, MD. Today, Ms. Cosgrove is ready to aggressively treat with the Cameron protocol and to study supplemental treatment tools. If you would like to learn more about how a sports management professional is working to manage Lyme disease out of her life, then tune in now!

Episode 178: Targeted Treatment - an interview with Gary and Alex Shope, MD

The future of Lyme disease diagnosis may arrive by year's end

Gary Shope and Doctor Alex Shope are the father and son team working to disrupt Lyme disease diagnostic testing at medical start up Contamination Source Identification (CSI-Dx). Gary Shope is a serial entrepreneur who exited retirement to build CSI-Dx. Dr. Alex Shope, MD is a medical doctor who was inspired by his mentor to abandon the clinic setting and scale his work to offer health care solutions to thousands of patients worldwide. In the next 12 months, CSI-Dx will offer patients a set of affordable diagnostic tools that will remove guesswork from Lyme disease treatment. The testing will provide solid evidence of all active infections by identifying RNA through Artificial Intelligence (AI) to report all detected infections within 24 hours. If you would like to learn more about how the Shope family and CSI-Dx will use AI and RNA testing to give hope to the Lyme community and disrupt the diagnostic testing industry, then tune in now!

Episode 177: Spiritual Resilience - an interview with Misty Rangel

Misty's spiritual foundation protected her from social and emotional challenges caused Lyme disease

Misty Rangel is a 33-year-old English Arts student from Fresno, California. Ms. Rangel’s Lyme disease journey began after a doctor assured her that a bug bite on her leg “was nothing to worry about.” At the time, she was an extremely fit professional performing artist, dancer and Zumba instructor. Over the next several months, she began to suffer classic Lyme disease symptoms forcing her to visit with 15 doctors before she was properly diagnosed with Lyme disease. Despite debilitating symptoms, Ms. Rangel was determined not to allow Lyme to “shut her up” and she enrolled in college to construct a new career and she dedicated all her available free time to serving the Lyme community through public appearances, rallies, and governmental lobbying events. If you would like to know more about how chronic Lyme disease inspired a professional entertainment artist to Lyme disease community activism, then tune in now!

Episode 176: Strength and Fortitude - an interview with Theora Dobronte

Theora fearlessly took on all controversial Lyme topics

Theora Dobronte is a 33-year-old Registered Dietitian from California. Ms. Dobronte is one of six members of her family diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. Her personal Lyme disease experience was induced by an intimate relationship with a man from a Lyme endemic community. Her symptoms progressed over time eventually forcing her to withdraw from athletic, social, and professional activities. After testing CDC positive for Lyme disease, Ms. Dobronte embraced an aggressive treatment regimen that included attending a Lyme treatment center in Nevada. Determined not to “give up” and “refusing to accept the fate” of chronic illness, she has progressed toward returning to social and professional activities. If you would like to learn more about how a Registered Dietitian is making use of her scientific aptitude, education, and experience to fearlessly battle Lyme disease, then tune in now!

Episode 175: Lyme Literate Lawyer - an interview with Paola Leichter

Paola powered through law school despite suffering from chronic Lyme disease

Paola Leichter is a 35-year-old attorney from New Jersey. During her senior year in college, she developed full body seizures. Soon thereafter, she suffered additional classic chronic Lyme disease symptoms. Somehow, she found the fortitude to grit though the illness to complete law school, an advanced law degree (LLM), pass two bar examinations (New York and New Jersey) and complete a prestigious judicial clerkship. During her diagnostic journey, she visited some of the most respected medical professionals in her community, including an LLMD. She was finally diagnosed when she was fortunately treated by a substitute ENT. At her sickest, Ms. Leichter weighed 90 lbs. and was too weak to leave her bed. Today, she has recovered her weight, began driving and returned to the practice of law. If you would like to learn more about how a Lyme Literate Lawyer won an acquittal over Lyme disease, then tune in now!

The goal of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast is to help people liberate themselves and others from suffering caused by Lyme disease through validation, community building, belief that healing is possible, and modeling success. Listen to our Tick Boot Camp podcast using all major podcast streaming services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Our podcast is also integrated with smart home devices, such as Amazon Alexa and Apple TV. Ask your device to "play the Tick Boot Camp Podcast!"