Hello Fab Friends!

 This week we are off to the Devon Horse Show! It is one of the main events and highlights of our summer tour. We have so many FAB new things for you and we look forward to an epic 10 days of horse show fun. Despite some wet and chilly weather, Old Salem Spring was a great show and we enjoyed seeing so many of our AMAZING customers.

 You have likely seen us sharing on our social media, #keepmoving, in support of Lyme Disease Awareness Month. We still have our ultra-soft tees and sweatshirts available. You can show your support for the cause by purchasing and wearing a shirt – 100% of the proceeds from the sales are going directly to the Global Lyme Alliance.

Sarah was inspired to support this cause by one of her wonderful customers, Erin Walker. Erin is a beautiful person inside and out. Both Erin and her husband PGA Tour professional, Jimmy Walker, have been directly impacted by Lyme disease.

 Lyme disease is the fastest growing infectious disease and receives the least amount of government funding. The Global Lyme Alliance is at the forefront in working to conquer Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through research, education, and awareness.

 GLA-funded researchers have discovered how the disease can survive antibiotic therapy, and now understand far more about what makes the Lyme bacterium different than any other type of infection.

 They offer the general public and physicians education and awareness initiatives, including an interactive school curriculum, a camp awareness program, and a CME-accredited medical education program for healthcare professionals. GLA’s Doctor Referral Program helps people suffering from Lyme find a doctor who is educated in tick-borne diseases.

 Lyme disease is referred to as the “Great Imitator” due to the fact that it mimics many other health conditions.

 The disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. One tick can carry other diseases, so a person can get multiple diseases from a single bite.

 To learn more about the Global Lyme Alliance and about Lyme disease, visit

https://globallymealliance.org/

 Both Erin and her husband Jimmy were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2017. Jimmy was diagnosed first, earlier in the year after experiencing symptoms for months following a hunting trip, while Erin contracted it in August or September and was officially diagnosed in December. One of the reasons Lyme is so dangerous is that it triggers other autoimmune problems, and further blood work revealed that Jimmy also tested positive for pneumonia, West Nile Virus and a virus common to children called CMV. Prior to Jimmy’s diagnosis, Erin says that it was as if he was getting the flu every other week.

They don’t know when or how exactly they contracted Lyme, which the CDC says is non-transmittable human-to-human. Erin believes that needs to be researched further and that those beliefs may change in time. Both Erin and Jimmy have been affected by the harsh symptoms brought on by Lyme disease. Erin’s primary symptoms have been headaches, vertigo, and a daily spell of lethargy in the afternoons. Jimmy experiences flu-like symptoms, lack of energy, sensitive skin, moodiness, and neurologic symptoms.

 It's important to emphasize that early detection is really important in the treatment of this awful disease.

Despite antibiotic treatments and taking several supplements to boost his immune system ("roughly 40 pills a day"), Jimmy was still experiencing flare-ups months after diagnosis and preliminary treatment. As of late, both Erin and Jimmy are participating in tetracycline therapy; two weeks on the antibiotic and two weeks off. This treatment will continue for the foreseeable future. After 4 rounds, Jimmy is feeling 90-95% better, but usually has one bad day a week in which he feels “Lymy”.

The disease has affected them both significantly in living their daily lives. Jimmy was sidelined temporarily from the golf course. Erin is well known on the showjumping circuit, and she has seen the effects of Lyme disease in her riding. She described that both she and Jimmy feel brain to body disconnect. For him, that led to difficulty chipping. For Erin, she finds that she gets a bit lost when she has a distance of 8 or 9 strides between fences.

The good news is, they are both being treated and continue to improve. They are huge voices in bringing awareness to Lyme disease.

As I mentioned, Erin is a wonderful customer of Fab Finds by Sarah. We are in awe of her ability to juggle life as a wife in support of her husband’s career, a Mom to two boys – 5 & 7, and a rider, just to name a few things.

Erin’s life with horses started when she was very young living in the Pacific Northwest. She had a backyard pony to start and then moved on to a homebred Thoroughbred that she developed into her junior hunter and Equitation horse. Upon moving to Utah during high school, they sold the horses and she was out of the saddle until after College. At that time, she acquired two horses that weren’t going to cut it in dressage and turned them into lovely hunters. After much time in the hunter ring, about six years ago, Erin stepped into the jumper ring and she hasn’t looked back. She competes in the Amateur-Owners and trains with Conor O’Regan of CO’R Stables in Upperville Virginia. In addition, She and Jimmy own a stable in San Antonio Texas where they call home. At Dynomite Ranch, Erin has started a boutique equestrian business with the primary focus of buying young horses and breeding to produce horses to sell as top show jumpers.

Being on the move all of the time (#keepmoving), she doesn’t get as much time in the saddle during the summer months. She just finished showing at Kentucky Spring after being out of the saddle since week 10 of WEF. You rock, Erin! On the upcoming agenda, Erin will be showing at Upperville, then onto the US Open with Jimmy, and then spending a couple of weeks showing in Traverse City. She spends around 8 or 9 long weekends in Wellington during WEF and gets in some more consistent riding and showing. Jimmy is on tour about 20 weeks per year and she balances supporting those travels with being a Mom, riding, and everything else!

When I asked her about her personal style and how she keeps organized on the go, she told me she is generally a casual dresser. She loves when she can wear jeans and a tee. She considers the golf course more like going to the office and will dress up a bit more. When she packs, she packs outfits for the days she is going as opposed to throwing randomness together. She loves shopping at Fab Finds and says that Rails is her go-to brand for every day.

We very much appreciate Erin’s time to chat with us and the education and awareness she has brought to us all surrounding Lyme disease. Sarah is extremely proud to support this cause.

#keepmoving

You can follow along on Erin's journey via her blog, Tour Wife Travels. 

 Thanks for stopping by and for all of the support! You can get your tee or sweatshirt in person or right here on the website.

xo,

Nicole for Fab Finds by Sarah