Imagine that the very thing that’s supposed to save your life actually puts you in greater danger. For a Lyme disease survivor, this is not a hypothetical question but a harsh reality! Barely a day has passed since Alexis Ohanian has shared his health battle with an asymptomatic Lyme disease. And fans and well-wishers all over the world have jumped in to guide him through. Among them, the warning issued by renowned American songwriter Dana Parish has added a layer of fear to everyone!

Dana Parish’s book, “Chronic,” isn’t about just some common infections but the debilitating disease of Lyme, that she went through a decade ago. Caused by a tick bite from a bacteria called Borrelia, it halted Parish’s music career for almost a year. Over the years, the award-winning singer has gained much popularity for inspiring millions to combat the disease, urging for a change in the ways of treating it. Therefore, when she came across the news of the similar struggle of Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, Parish couldn’t help but share her valuable piece of advice on X.

Parish’s message is clear: asymptomatic Lyme disease might not require immediate treatments, even when some doctors might insist on it. Instead, she urges for his better judgment to weigh the risks and benefits before making a decision. Her perspective is rooted in her personal experience, and she did not intend to provide medical guidance. Nevertheless, her stark warning about having heart failure due to the disease further adds weight to her advice.

This comes after Alexis Ohanian’s confession of having acquired the illness after spending some time in the northeastern region of the country. Unfortunately, it falls under the few places in the U.S.A. where there is a predominance of the disease, affecting nearly 476, 000 Americans every year.

Although it came as quite a shock to the Reddit co-founder, he has started taking the necessary steps to fight the disease. “..Gonna treat it…” he wrote on X yesterday. Besides, he is going through a series of tests and taking the prescribed number of antibiotics for it. That is where Parish’s advice comes into play, where she requests him not to proceed with treatments as he is asymptomatic.

However, Alexis Ohanian is “thankful” to having no symptoms, and we understand why. This is because, when the flu-like symptoms, along with joint pains, fatigue, and rashes, come along, it can be pretty disturbing. And if, in any case, the disease progresses, bringing more serious problems like swollen knees, facial palsy, then it can be even more discomforting! Thankfully, Alexis Ohanian might not know quite a lot about that, but a Belgian tennis player, Yanina Wickmayer, certainly does.

Yanina Wickmayer’s troublesome fight with Lyme disease

The former World No. 12, Yanina Wickmayer, was enjoying a pretty good run in 2014, when suddenly it came to a halt because of Lyme disease. At first, she wasn’t sure of the severity of her flu-like symptoms and took it lightly, like most of us usually do. However, as her allergic reactions did not subside, Wickmayer discovered that it was the Lyme disease working in disguise behind it. She had the symptoms for over five months! 

Not only did she withdraw from her various upcoming tournaments in Asia, but Wickmayer also remained away from tennis for the rest of that season. Meanwhile, she continued with her medicines, but sadly, her ranking dropped to 67 for that year (from 59 in 2013). Apart from her, many athletic stars and celebrities have gone through a similar struggle, be it Bella Hadid, Justin Bieber, Ben Stiller. And as more and more people come forward to help Alexis Ohanian in his recovery process, one thing is certain: he is not alone in this fight!