By: Milla Hansen

As she catches some of “her girls” from her harvest, she uses her handmade “Flippin Bee Vac,” brings the bees inside, then begins to sting herself while feeling the venom pocket pulse into her skin. Even though, there is excruciating pain, Elder thinks of all the Lyme pathogens being destroyed, “Within five minutes, the pain is gone,” in turn making her feel as good as when she was young. She uses the analogy of, “The pain of the sting is all of the bad bugs screaming as they die.”

Unaware of this life threatening disease that was floating around her body since birth, Deb Elder became very close to her deathbed just about a decade ago. Lyme disease is someone’s blood stream from birth or is bitten by an insect carrying it that can spark many different serious forms of conditions, such as Fibromyalgia, MS, Autism, and many more. Giving Lyme disease the name “The Great Imitator.”

Suffering from a tragic accident in the early 90’s, approximately 30 years old, the Lyme disease pathogens that Elder had in her body triggered and left her with nerve pain that eventually lead her to being bedridden for 18 months straight at one point. Elder believes that she was being treated for Fibromyalgia, instead of Lyme. Elder believes she was misdiagnosed for fibromyalgia, instead of Lyme disease, causing her to be eaten from the inside out for nearly 20 years. Elder’s long time friend mentioned that she might be a patient of Lyme disease and to try the ancient Chinese form of medicine of Bee Venom. Researching for hours each day, Elder decided she needed to switch her unhelpful form of medicine with one that can get her off of her death bed and let her see day light.

Now, Elder, 55, is still an active Lyme patient which is the reason she is forced to be put on disability. With most of her free time, she believes it is her duty to inform the public about this vicious, invisible disease. Elder said, “It is your generation that should really be practicing this natural form of medicine to help with all those different sicknesses and from spreading them.” By educating others, she has created the Flippin Lyme Foundation and has been an activist of Bee Venom Therapy since she was able to get out of bed about a decade ago. Elder is such a great activist on this issue that she received a new free roof from River Roofing, as they provide 1 free roof annually for low-income families or someone who has done a lot of good. She, one day, hopes to be able to be the active Deb Elder that she once was.