by David St. Albans

Created on: June 10, 2009

Synchronicity has always been a facet of my life. At times it can be rather surprising how things work out in just such a way that makes the event seem both positive and meaningful. In 2007 I had written an article on Morgellon's disease for a magazine called The Gate (a small-press magazine which is dedicated to various paranormal phenomenon and weird news from around the world. It is a smaller condensed version of Britain's famous Fortean Times). Usually I do illustrations for The Gate (now called The Gate to Strange Phenomenon), however the publisher, Beth Robbins, gave me the O.K. to write a story on the topic of the strange Morgellon's disease which was becoming notable in the mainstream media as well. I did as much research on the subject as I could but there was precious little information on this new disease. It had supposedly first been noted in Pennsylvania and Texas. I lived in Arizona but had heard of no one suffering from this rare disease.

In November of 2007 I had to go to work for Dillard's department store. I had been working there for a year when I met Kelly M. She was a very pretty twenty seven year old woman who was apparently in sad condition. I thought for one so young to be using a rolling walker, bent over and barely able to walk, the tragedy had to be some tragic car crash scenario. She bought several things from me and I just had to ask how she came to be in such a condition. She told me straight out: "I have Morgellon's Disease."

I was stunned. I had heard about the itching and scratching, the strange fiber like hairs and lesions, but why was she in such a horrid position from this disease? I told her that I had written an article on the subject and that I was very interested to hear her story. Outside she began to tell me her stories in a disjointed fashion. I listened attentively, and finally told her I wanted to write an article about her and asked her if she would be willing to answer some questions, she said she would, but it took some months, as her illness makes her increasingly vulnerable to pneumonia which she contracted that same week I'd met her.

Kelly was born in 1981 and raised there until age five in Buffalo, New York. At some point in her youth before moving to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1986, she was infected by a deer tick bite with Lyme Disease. Like most people Kelly never developed any symptoms for may years. Her symptoms appeared gradually and were put down by her family and by the medical community to laziness

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