Her 4 kids were born with Lyme. She wants to make sure that future kids won’t be.

From the Tick Boot Camp podcast:

In this powerful, long-form interview, Kristina Bauer returns to the Tick Boot Camp Podcast to share her in-depth story of surviving decades of misdiagnosed Lyme disease — from childhood illness and misdiagnoses to motherhood, advocacy, and remission.

Diagnosed at age 40 after 32 years of medical dismissal, Kristina discusses her experience with congenital Lyme disease in her four children, postpartum Lyme flares, and her commitment to raising awareness through the Texas Lyme Alliance, Center for Lyme Action, and International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) Ambassadorship.

Her testimony covers essential ground: pediatric Lyme, maternal Lyme, psychiatric symptoms like Lyme rage, postpartum depression misdiagnosis, sexual transmission, and the need for insurance and diagnostic reform.

This episode is a masterclass in Lyme disease education and empowerment, especially for women, mothers, and families navigating complex Lyme journeys.

Key Topics Discussed

• Early Lyme Exposure: Tick bites at age 8 in Illinois and decades of misdiagnosis (juvenile arthritis, Crohn’s, ulcers)
• Chronic Symptoms: Sinus infections, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), fibromyalgia, neurological and psychiatric symptoms
• Postpartum Lyme Flares: Crushing fatigue, misdiagnosed postpartum depression, and suicidal ideation risk
• Congenital Lyme Disease: How all four of her children were born with Lyme and are now in remission
• Mental Health Awareness: Lyme rage, mood swings, panic attacks, and the importance of therapy
• Tick-Borne Disease Advocacy: Legislative work in Texas, ILADS, educating OB-GYNs, and pushing for proper diagnostic protocols
• Medical System Failures: Inadequate Lyme testing, gaslighting, high insurance costs for chronic illness
• Lyme & Pregnancy Research Study: An open call for pregnant individuals diagnosed with Lyme disease during their current pregnancy, OR with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) in the past 5 years.

Tick Boot Camp is available on all major podcast platforms. You can also listen here.