It’s only episode one and I am already over talking about Lyme disease versus Persistant/Post Treatment Lyme Disease verus the made up diagnosis of “Chronic Lyme.” It’s going to be a long season. But let’s look at Yolanda’s blog which was in the batch of blogs turned in first.
From here, Yolanda’s Blog will be in black italic and I will respond in purple.
Becoming chronically ill has definitely given me a greater understanding of human nature, and I’ve learned to accept people’s lack of long-term compassion for others while they live their busy lives.
On the other hand, Yo’s husband is constantly on the road and working and still at the top of his game. Should he drop everything indefinitely? I have seen him with her in hospitals all over the world. The were married just over a year when this started. I am with the camp that says that this was a business arrangement of sorts. There is a difference between having compassion, and giving up the rest of your life for someone who has an illness that has not been properly diagnosed. I don’t think they have the sort of relationship where that would be a reasonable explanation.
I have gone from being an outspoken multi-tasking social butterfly to a hostage of my debilitating disease. I might only be a shell of the woman I used to be, but my heart is still the same, and even though I can only do life one day at a time, I am at peace and have surrendered to my new normal–for now.
I think many of us can relate to this. I think perimenopause/menopause could be the issue. And if it is, I hate to break the news but there is nothing much to do. Doctors, even female ones will tell you it is a ten year sentence that you will eventually survive. And you won’t get much understanding from women who do not have major issues with “the change.”
I’d be lying if I said it’s not hard to be judged by the way I look. Its almost like you have to show scars and broken bones in order to be warranted understanding. Does it count that even though we dont “look” great, that we show up..? It’s tempting to be distracted by negativity, but I choose to stay focused on the light at the end of the tunnel and not let anything interrupt my healing process. Being mentally and neurologically compromised for so long has presented me with life’s biggest challenge, and I need all of ME to fight this till the end.
I wonder who wrote this blog? It sure sounds like Yo. I do get the frustration of not having visible scars and broken bones. I also get why she would cling to the “Chronic Lyme diagnosis” because it is frustrating not to know why you have suddenly “changed.” Then again, they do call it “the change” and pretty much all of her symptoms fall under that. Add too many whackdoodle health therapies and you could exacerbate the problem.
Bless the hearts of my fellow Housewives! May neither they, nor their families, ever have to face such illness, because it is at that time when we learn and realize what really matters.
Ken Todd is right, I dont look good. I definetly look ill…but that’s because I AM! I miss the days of what now feels like my old LIFE: the hair, the makeup, a sexy dress, but most of all being in a healthy body. At the end of the day, I now value to be “real,” not to be “perfect.” I still like to believe though that no beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.
I hate the fact that people (including me, to an extent) are questioning her illness. When you feel this badly, people discounting your illness or thinking you are over playing it for sympathy or because you just don’t want to do something is hard. I my resolve to defend Yolanda only waivers because of the inclusion of her children in her illness. There are many other things seem contradictory. On the other hand, I understand her rallying to go to NYC and being present for her daughter’s modeling events on the limited basis that she has. This is all very sad.
If Lyme wasn’t such a controversial disease, I’d probably have chosen to deal with my journey in a more private manner, but the amount of suffering that goes on behind closed doors all over the world is unconscionable, and I feel it’s my duty to be a voice for those who can’t be heard. I want to shine a light on a disease that so many know so little about.
Lyme disease is not controversial at all. CHRONIC LYME is “controversial” in that it DOES NOT EXIST. This is where she loses me. Now that she was honored at the Lyme function in NYC, she is calling it Lyme. Which she does not have.
I wish my message was more fun and glamorous than this, but I accept that these are the cards life has dealt me. I’m extremely fortunate and grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to 11 countries, five states, and see 100+doctors, but the truth is that even though I have made great strides in the past six months, I have not found a cure yet.
I find it very hard to believe that 100+ doctors especially since at least some are holistic would all agree on any diagnosis, let alone “Chronic Lyme.”
It’s hard to comprehend that we live in the best country in the world, yet people are left to struggle with this silent killer on their own, especcially considering the fact that the medical community honored Dr.Burgdorfer’s discovery in 1982, of the spirochete “Borellia Burgdorferi.” Now, 33 years later, we are still trying to figure this out?
I did a quick search and according to this CDC story, a total of SEVEN people have died from Lyme disease since 1985. That was due to the tick bite being near the heart and the bacteria entering. (Lyme Carditis). They also say this about “Chronic Lyme” ” Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. In the majority of cases, it is successfully treated with oral antibiotics. Physicians sometimes describe patients who have non-specific symptoms (like fatigue, pain, and joint and muscle aches) after the treatment of Lyme disease as having post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome(http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/postlds/index.html) (PTLDS) or post Lyme disease syndrome (PLDS).
The term “chronic Lyme disease” (CLD) has been used to describe people with different illnesses. While the term is sometimes used to describe illness in patients with Lyme disease, in many occasions it has been used to describe symptoms in people who have no evidence of a current or past infection with B. burgdorferi (Marques, 2008). Because of the confusion in how the term CLD is employed, experts in this field do not support its use (Feder et al., 2007).
Lyme disease is six times more prevalent than AIDS ever was in the early 80s. The globe united beautifully with one voice to combat HIV, so I pray every day that we will come together and find a cure for Lyme, affordable for all.
I find this comparison appalling. and with no basis in fact. Lyme disease is entirely curable with a dose of longterm antibiotics in the VAST majority of cases. And YOLANDA DOES NOT HAVE LYME DISEASE. It is absolutely NOTHING like AIDS in the early 80s.
Okay… thoughts?
I agree. I think Yolanda is peri. The symptoms she is describing remind me a lot of mine. Progesterone and hormone therapy helped me greatly. I also think there is some severe depression going on.
I was thinking the exact same thing. Perimenopause is no joke and a lot of people don’t understand how physically ill a person can become when overwhelmed by depression and anxiety.
She may have fibromyalgia. Something very prevalent in America (and the rest of the world) but very rarely acknowledged or diagnosed.
In some countries like Australia and New Zealand Lyme Disease isn’t recognised so doctors diagnose it under psychosomatic or another umbrella. It honestly depends on what the countries stance is on all illnesses and diseases. If they don’t recognise one, they may diagnose the other
Very informative! It’s possibly Munchausen by Proxy. Labeling her kids with the disease fits under that disease.
No, Munchausen by proxy is different than Munchausen. I use to do some home schooling for extra money after teaching hours. I taught three kids in one family where the mother was a former nurse. She spent the whole day on the internet copying and pasting unreadable and incoherent paragraphs about her kids ‘illnesses.” She had a blog on a site called CaringBridge.com where children with chronic diseases had their families write journals about their illnesses and lives; sort of a Facebook for chronic and/or terminal diseases. I don’t say this disrespectfully because there were really some very sick people on this site with legitimate and terminal diseases who were suffering.
The family I worked for had no such problems. Yes, one had mild asthma and another had mild reflux as a baby, but the mother of the children devoted her life to making them sick. She would give meds of one child to another child. She would draw their blood and take it to the labs and I am certain contaminated it in some way on the way to the lab. Two doctors, one from Children’s Hospital of UPenn and another from UMDNJ reported her to the state for child abuse. They said she was trying to kill the youngest child and completely agreed.
When the doctors disagreed with her, she would move on to another major medical center. All the kids, all under 12 had “osteoporosis” (NOT), also suffered from Lyme’s Disease coincidentally enough (Not), and so on. She was slowly and deviously destroying all of their lives. After four years and despite the great pay for putting up with this family that no one wanted to teach, I finally gave my walking papers. I also reported her to her insurance company, the police, the state of NJ, child services, etc. I kept trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. I also was never told of her condition and how nutty she was before taking the job. I had serious doubts by the end of the first school year, but plowed on.
Whoa. That is very sad for those children. I cannot imagine harming your own children like that. Very sick woman.
It’s not Munhausen by Proxy. You might want to read up on it-doesn’t fit.
Not sure who you are speaking to Sliceo’pie, Lisa or me. The woman I worked for was diagnosed by two medical doctors that were treating her children and they wrote a report stating that she had Munchausen by Proxy. It is very difficult to prove. In fact, the only clear way of proving it is to have the children admitted to the hospital without the mother present to see if the child improves without the mother interfering in the treatment.
I wonder if she has chronic depression?
I believe Yo has a conversion disorder. She is experiencing real symptoms and not faking it, but stress is causing the brain to trick the body into creating them. Think hysterical blindness. Like others have said, add the change to the mix and she’s a hot mess. Hell, menopause moved into my neighborhood a while ago, and now the bitch is knocking on my front door.
It sucks, doesn’t it? I went through a horrible time when I hit 50. I swear the flashed started on my birthday. That wasn’t the bad part though, I really felt like I was losing my mind. I couldn’t think, didn’t want to get out of bed or take a shower. It’s much better now. The flashes have subsided and I can function pretty normally. I did notice that the symptoms pretty much disappear if you eat healthy and I mean really healthy but that’s hard to do and it’s expensive.
I think it’s more than menopause with Yolanda. She has the means to get bio-identical hormones which would greatly alleviate those symptoms.
Agreed, if she hadn’t brought her children into it, I would have maybe thought yeah she’s sick… but no, I don’t believe either.
I did not know this back story at all, I just assumed she had post-treatment Lyme Disease. My best friend in college suffer from this and also has HPV, after contracting Lyme Disease after a camping trip she was in pain and usless for almost 2 semesters. The Lyme Treatment and infection would trigger HPV out breaks. But she’s now like 6 years removed from this and is living a very happy and active life.
I agree that she is probably making herself worse with these crazy treatments. I like Yolanda, and I don’t want to think she is doing this for attention or maybe even started doing this to hang on to David (like getting pregnant to save a marriage) and if it really is menopause or any just any other chronic illness at some point she has to accept that not everything is curable and live her life to the fullest as best she can, but is trapsing around the world for freaking treatments living? Not for me it isn’t. My two cents.
Thanks so much for sharing your stories about “your friend’s HPV” and how useless she was for two whole semesters.
Considering she’s is a very outspoken advocate for HPV and how not to be ashamed, you’re very welcome.
I really do believe that depression is a huge factor here. That may or may not come from “the change” but she has an awful lot on her plate that is life changing and heartbreaking. I do believe something is wrong but I don’t know what it is. She isn’t faking whatever is going on she believes she is sick 100 per cent. It is so heartbreaking.
A lot on her plate? I’m sorry, but I wish I had her “plate”.
I feel like shit most of the time, but I still have to go to work, pay the bills, cook meals, clean, go shopping, deal with an idiot husband and two obnoxious teenagers all without the help and money that she has at her disposal. I like her a lot but people go through divorces everyday and millions of us are depressed but we, unlike Yolanda, have to work for a living.
I hope she gets better and I’m sure that when she does, she’ll find someone a lot better than Foster.
I think you’re onto something here. Her cluster of symptoms and her reaction to them strike me as some kind of rich idle lady indulgence.
Thank you K Tina! I agree completely. She should spend a week living my life. I like her but seriously, she is self absorbed.
Yo, you stated last night you had Neurological Lyme Disease. I googled NLD to find out their is tests done to confirm NLD. Its not going to be easy season for you. Yes your ill, depression,anxiety and menopause makes you physically sick. Plus the holistic crap. You admitted you experienced depression when your marriage to Mohammed was crumbling. Youre sympathy card is a pair a deuces.
ZenJen. This is the best comment in the entire interwebz world.
“…The globe united beautifully with one voice to combat HIV…”
OH REALLY?
That’s news to me, Yolanda. Please just leave HIV/AIDS out of it, K THX.
Sadly, this will be a reoccurring theme for here. She credits Elton John for bringing the world together to fight HIV/AIDS and uses him as her inspiration to do the same for Lyme. It’s rather appalling.
Add that to “two out of three of my kids have the same tick borne disease I have at a Gala funded by… ” Oh I just can’t with this already..
She is crazy/ignorsnt to use HIV/AIDS in any way to further the ‘chronic lyme’ cause. Especially as it is a controversial topic within certain communities at the moment (Prep, BB porn culture, criminalization of HIV exposure etc).
I guess this proves that Yolanda is clearly ignorant on the topic.
I think this has riled me up too much. May take a break from commenting. ?
I too wondered about menopause but wouldn’t that have been diagnosed? I actually began at 40. Depression is also a symptom and going through a divorce doesn’t help. I can’t help but feel that if she had to get up every day even when she didn’t feel like it would be a good thing. That’s how most of us in the world have to deal with life.
It may well have been diagnosed but Yolanda might not want to hear it. She said in the early days her doctors told her she was just overworked and doing too much. This might explain why she has seen 100+ doctors and goes from place to place.
Although I sympathize with Yolanda’s struggle, the HIV/AIDS comparison at the end was off putting.
This was such an informative post, TT! Thanks for doing all the work so we can make some sense of this.
As for the “light at the end of the tunnel”, sometimes that light is an oncoming train.
Yolanda needs to be careful how she expresses herself, and her frustrations. Otherwise, we will have a repeat of the Brooks situation. But, that’s probably what Andy is hoping for this season.
If we have a repeat of the unwatchable Brooks fiasco, then I am fer sure not watching any of it. Don’t the writers at Bravo know how to do anything but write rinse and repeat scenarios? It’s old before it even starts.
A relative of mine is battling the same condition as Yolanda.
ADMIN EDIT: THIS POST AS BEEN TRUNCATED AND THIS SORT OF “I KNOW SOMEONE WITH THE SAME THING!!!!” shit ain’t going to fly here.
And on another note while I have your attention, you are welcome to speculate what Yolanda may have, but don’t start by explaining to all of us half the DSM-V as an introduction.
On a third note, we don’t need to know your third cousin’s best friend has HPV.
Fuck this is going to be a long season.
That final comment…Yolanda is dead to me.
I don’t care now if the HWs don’t believe her sickness. Stupid should never be rewarded. It’s like comparing a root canal to stomach cancer. So foolish.
Wow, that’s harsh. It was a pretty clueless thing to say, but not cruel or mean-spirited. If she weren’t at least partially self-absorbed, she wouldn’t be a housewife!
Yolanda is very clueless about a lot of LGBTQI issues. Remember when she stated at a reunion to Andy that ‘gay’ can be a phase and we are not born this way?
She also stated that her daughters shouldn’t play volleyball etc as that is for lesbians? She has received a lot of ignorant free passes. I’m over her.
Thank you for the reminder. I had forgotten about Yo’s ignorance regarding “being gay is a phase”. Now her comparison to the HIV/AIDS struggle is even more disturbing.
..and it was said on World AIDS Day. Bad form, Yo…
If Andy does not call this out at the reunion I will be so annoyed.
This requires a full retraction. Her husband left her, did her PR team/management too?
I don’t think Micheal’s comment was harsh. Yolanda’s statement shows ignorance. You would think going into 2016, we would know better. I guess not.
Ignorance and some of it I will chalk up to English not being her first language.
Yolanda was referring to Erin Foster and her lesbian “phase” with Samantha Ronson. I think she understands the difference between hardwired hetro/homo and was referring to experimentation.
Yolanda was trying to say GIgi was a tomboy, she did not disapprove of Gigi playing volleyball and other sports. She was pointing out that she had no interest in clothes, etc until recently. As a former tomboy, athlete who finally grew into wearing clothes, I laughed when she was puzzled over the word to use and incorrectly used lesbian.
HIV/Aids was a poor comparison but it is now viewed as a chronic disease by the medical community. My best friend was preparing a lecture for medical students over Thanksgiving, I admit the “chronic disease” kinda shocked me. The fact that old people living in planned communities are in the midst of rampant STD and HIV transmissions was disconcerting but good to know the social security crowd is enjoying themselves.
I like Yolanda and at this point, I think she really needs a break from all the treatment to figure out what her baseline is at this point. She may be treating the symptoms of all her cures and depression/stress is probably a huge issue. Hope you don’t write her off completely Micheal.
I was once like you (no disrespect intended) I also gave Yolanda the free passes that you mentioned. Now, for me personally, she took it a bit too far.
I’m not saying she is homophobic, but she is at times VERY uninformed/stupid/ignorant. At a certain point you have to call it out. For me, this is that point.
I hope she finally receives the treatment she requires, but I am not looking forward to being forced to ‘sympathize’ with her every episode this season.
Didn’t we all originally enjoy these shows as a light break from the real life issues we face? Now it is fake illnesses, fake friendships, fake partners, fake jobs. So over it.
I’m with you ItwasJulie:) Well said.. I think her children are the ONLY ones that could get through to her @ this point. I wish they would CONSIDER an intervention on her RESPONSE to how she has this hyper conscious REACTION to CLEANSE and OVER TREAT her symptoms:( Bottom line, colon cleansing = A SERIOUS CASE OF THE SHITS= BYE BYE GOOD BACTERIA IN THE GUT=INFECTIONS..) It’s possible her desperate need to get back to her healthy lifestyle has practically brought her to her knees and is 1000% bringing on WORSE reactions in her body than the original problem!! That’s what REALLY FRIGHTENS ME about what’s happening with her now. But bottom line: She’s a beautiful SOUL with such a pure heart, I will ALWAYS be PRO YO ALL THE WAY. The other HW’S that make their snide FAKE comments: You’ll never be 1/4 of the person she is.
True, but Yolanda would also have to ACCEPT such a diagnosis, and I do wonder what her physicians have actually said – let alone the quacks who are milking her for all its worth with “treatments”. She talks about “Hollywood” friends but I agree she seems to have been in a “Hollywood” marriage and thus I don’t believe the questioning of her being seen in public sans make up and model chic to be so superficial in their VERY exterior orientated world. I think the women and Ken were extremely shocked to see the professional glamour-puss sans her “Hollywood Face”.
If one of my friends was feeling crap and turned up without makeup I’d probably not comment and appreciate the gesture, but take note of tehir deterioration – but then again I live in an inner city suburb 10 mins from Sydney in Australia and my neighbours are teachers , nurses and other professionals not actors and Hollywood players! (Mind you even when suffering chronic depression, pneumonia and PTSD a few years ago IF I hauled my ass out of bed and the house I put on my make up AND my game face as I didn’t want to draw attention to my problems and spoil everyone else’s Xmas or birthday
This blog is full of delusions. I wonder if Brandi’s blog writer got a new gig?
Do you know the difference between a website, a blog, a post and comment on a website? I need to know…
The title for this post includes “Yolanda’s Bravo Blog.” I guess I should have prefaced with Yolanda’s blog entry as it not cause any confusion?
Why is she in such denial?? I was thinking that it was leaky implants but she has since had them removed, right?
Yeah, I’ve been thinking “menopause” for quite a while, and then last night she said that she just starts sweating all of a sudden. Sounds like menopause to me.
So she’s seen that many doctors and not one has been able to treat her “condition”? Then I would start questioning my diagnosis!
I’ve always thought it was menopause, but due to her vanity and her husband demanding perfection, she’s calling it Chronic Lyme…her comment about feeling like “her engine was overheating” was a dead giveaway.
There’s not enough menopause advocates out there. Why don’t more women talk about the horrors of going through this shit and what they’ve done to make it more manageable?
I too suffer from chronic Lyme disease aka menopause.. The struggle is real. I feel for her but she’s gonna a little whackadoo. In this situation, it seems having unlimited funds can be exacerbating and even harmful. I would be embarrassed to admit the 100+ doctors Etc. That seems just ridiculous and pathological. How is that even possible within the timeframe?? What if she actually does get cured? She wouldn’t even know which treatment worked! Try sticking with one doctor and give their plan adequate time for results. Jeez Louise.
So I wonder if the kids have to stay home in bed and act sick since she’s given them the Lyme diagnosis now? Any reports on how they’re doing? They look pretty healthy to me.
Pathological. That’s it, exactly.
I say don’t judge the shoes u haven’t walked in! Who knows? I’m in menopause and it’s definitely not fun! But know very little about lyme disease.
Also, as far as her saying 2 of her kids have it, well they are grown. They are not small children. They would know their mom had lied to the world and would surely get her help. Atleast I would hope!
There are a lot of us suffering with things including myself that our wonderful country cannot seem to define or fix. I have been sick for over 3 years and have been positive for Lyme but no better after treatment. Tons of tests and not much else to be found but they can’t fix me.
I’m sorry to hear that, Melanie.
I hope Yolanda goes to a mainstream doctor for a diagnosis and doesn’t just rely on alternative doctors. It could be menopause or fibromylagia or any number of things with broad symptoms that leave your ass kicked. Not to mention playing with your head. I feel for her, it must feel very isolating to have a long term malaise while the world moves on.
Ummm I know plenty of people with AIDS that would not agree with that statement.
I don’t know Yolanda’s diagnosis nor does she it seems, but I do know that she is really sick and deserves our compassion. Shame on anyone giving her anything less than that.
At least she isn’t faking cancer?
Please correct my thinking, or my opinions here because a big part of me wants to be wrong, but damn it, I’m not feeling Yolanda here. I’ve never experienced menopause so I can’t judge that as a possible reason, but from where I’m sitting I’m just not buying it. Dxing her kids with it, and herself at 12? doesn’t help, That’s harsh I realize, but showing up at Lisa’s birthday party without makeup just screamed trying to convince people she has a legitimate medical issue, which from my perspective did the entire opposite. It just seems to strike so damned conveniently for her. At this point I’m, more or less compassionately thinking the issue is psychological leading to experimental health choices not beneficial to her actual health, but that still doesn’t explain why she would show up to the party without makeup looking like hell froze over unless she wanted everyone to believe she had major health issues…which I believe she did want people at the party to believe. (Jill A the run-on sentence slayer will hate that last sentence… but there it is. )
Thank you TT – for a very informative article. How Yolo can compare Lyme to AIDS is beyond me. There is something wrong with her but I do not know what it is and I think neither does she.
I wonder if Yolanda has visited an Endocrinologist or a Rheumatologist? I think they may be able to help.
Maybe her stress comes from menopause and having to move from a 20 million mansion in Malibu to a condo. That being said, she should’ve stayed at home instead of showing up at the party looking like greasy walking dead. And don’t get me started with the fake cough, somehow she made it all about her. Ultimately, she can only get better if she WANTS to get better.
I have a condition that many doctors think is psychological strictly. But, unlike Yolanda, I couldnt care less what the world thinks. Since i was about 12, Ive been popping my jaw and I make ridiculous movements with my face because of all the pressure in my ears. I hear ringing , I always want to pop my eardrum. My Mom used scream “stop popping your jaw and moving your mouth. You look like you have a tick!” Its awful, but plenty of doctors including my pediatrician at the time dont validate TMJ dysfunction. I know its real because I live with it. Yo should have that attitude. Eff the ladies who eat overpriced salads and wear 14 Karat gold sunglasses. Just do you, Yo! But please stop spending millions on treatment. Id hate for Yo to go broke over this.
LisaPat – There is a surgery for TMJ dysfunction. It is marvelous. After several years of suffering what you describe, I finally found a dr. who understood. The surgery was fairly simple, it cured the problem and I have not had any reoccurrence in over 20 years.
Thank you. Was your surgery covered by insurance??
I think David Foster has a problem, which is bailing when things get tough. Every season she catered to him and pumped this dude up along with his acolades. The minute the vow ‘in sickness or in health’ came up he ran. Not the first time, won’t be the last. There is one thing I don’t get though.Lyme disease is usually brought on by a tick bite. How could Yo’s kids have Lyme unless they to where bit. Although u know several people who have Lyme disease, I’ve wondered wether Yo’s probs were cause by leaking implants as she mentioned at dinner she hurt just under her breasts JMO
Did you all see the previews for next week? There’s one where Eileen and Rinna go to Yo’s and the housekeeper (?) shows them the closet with all Yo’s meds. Yes, I said a closet. it looks like a pharmacy. There’s no way anyone should be taking that many meds or combos of meds.
She may have tons of meds. Doesn’t mean she is taking them all. I have a drawer full of meds I’ve never taken. When I read the print out that comes with them, I often decide the side effects aren’t worth the risk.
I wonder how she fits those big feet in her mouth.
She cannot be for real. Her last paragraph is so ignorant.
Thank you. How did that get through the Bravo edit?
Oh, Bravo seems to know what they’re doing. They got precisely the reaction that a comment like that warrants. And now we’re all riled. We’re putty in their hands.
Again, no opinion about Yolanda’s illness because I am not a doctor, but the last part about AIDS… Yeah, she didn’t think that one through, did she? It is very, very hard to have sympathy for an ignoramus.
I’ve made up my mind not to watch this season. However bad last season was, I have a sinking feeling this one’s gonna be worse. We might even wish Brandi would come back. Perish the thought.
Just look at how we’re all reacting to this and writing about it. The Vicki fiasco has taught us nothing. Okay, I won’t say “us”, but many here are having a very strong reaction to this. The opinions about makeup alone drove me stone crazy. My God, what’s next?
I can’t get past Yo’s lying about people not visiting her (sounds like Vicki), not able to drive (but drives at the scavenger hunt), no brain function and can’t read (writes long blogs), can’t walk (shows picture of her riding a bike in Holland last year, going to events, fashion shows, etc)
Yolanda is at the age for change of life. if yolanda tried a medical practitioner other than all of her holistic people perhaps she would be diagnosed as menopausal .. Maybe she doesn’t want to hear that?
But all the symptoms she exhibiting ..scream menopause
And yes she did look awful makeup free but who doesn’t over the age of 25?
I’m surprised David lasted this long, imagine living with someone who says they have an illness that doesn’t actually exist and/or cannot be proven. It would be emotionally very draining.
I’m not going to attempt to diagnose Yolanda beyond the fact that I know she is sick, I wonder if this was filmed before or after the implants were taken out, and I wonder if she would just do a year of conventional antibiotics (without all the other stuff) she wouldn’t shake it if it is post Lyme.
As for the makeup – I’ve been sick, I’ve been depressed, and there IS something uplifting about “looking better” . I wonder if she wanted to make sure that people know she’s sick.
Her snark about compassion. Ugh. Frankly, I think every single person at the table was feeling compassion, ESPECIALLY Ken. He was acknowledging she was sick, not saying she was faking it. Lisa, and I have no reason to disbelieve her, has attempted to reach out multiple times. She got compassion, but not EXACTLY how she wanted it (and she didn’t tell them how she wanted it – everyone is supposed to guess).
Her final shot about HIV/AIDS? Um, really? She’s going to quote statistics from the early 80s, when it hadn’t hit pandemic levels and was still being referred to as GIRD or the “Gay Cancer”? ON WORLD’S AIDS DAY???? Compare it to today’s statistics world wide, Mrs. Foster, and then I might donate or feel more sympathy towards you than I do my friends who posted pictures and remembrances of the friends they lost or support for those friends living with HIV today.
My best friend from college died of AIDS early on. To see him go from a vibrant and health 30 year old to a shell of a man within months of the diagnosis and then die a tragic death was something that still haunts me today. Shame on Yolanda for even trying to make that comparison. Whatever sympathy I had for her is now gone.
Ricky – I am so sorry for your loss. May his memory be a blessing.
FYI… If you are the famous Ricky Lee Jones ala “Chucky’s in Love” HOLLA! We probably know some people in common as I taught at your alma mater (attended your rival school… although I think we’re different graduating classes)
I’m a little conflicted regarding the legitimacy of Chronic Lyme as I had brilliant biochemist professor who was involved in research on the subject and was adament of its existence. I’m really not qualified to give an opinion either way, but there are genuine motivations for lobbyists funding its discrediting.
For those of you getting more interested, “Under Our Skin” is a documentary regarding the political intent and massive breadth of money involved in chronic Lyme disease.
OFF TOPIC I have challenged you in your own post. on a completed unrelated topic, my friend.
http://s17948.p858.sites.pressdns.com/2015/12/03/a-completely-hypothetical-intellectual-discussion-with-psylocke/
I have no idea what Yolanda has.
But I do know that the jury is still out about if Chronic Lyme is a thing. John’s Hopkins just opened a Lyme Disease center & started the first significant study into the long term impact of Lyme Disease. The head of the program was speaking on NPR & he said that early results were indicating that Lyme Disease may have a significant & ongoing impact on the immune system. He said he was unwilling to call it Chronic Lyme yet, but that the symptoms were real and their work is to find out what’s going on.
I think it’s too soon to say that this isn’t real. And it’s a bridge too far to say that it’s peri menopause. While symptoms of peri menopause can be intense, they are very unlikely to cause significant aphasia & leave someone in bed 60% of the time. Mood swings, depression, fatigue, insomnia, some foggy thinking, hot flashes so severe as to require clothing changes multiple times a day – sure. Peri menopause is no joke. But it doesn’t result in the symptoms of intense fatigue, muscle weakness & pain & significant neurological issues Yolanda is reporting.
Thanks Lola! I guess half this board has “Chronic Lyme” then. Are you happy now with the name change? Because doctors don’t do jack shit for either one.
Lolagyrl
December 3, 2015 at 2:42 am
“I have no idea what Yolanda has………”
I’ll tell ya what she has. She has too damn much money and too damn much time on her hands and will never get enough attention. This foolishness is disturbing on so many levels.
Completely agree. She has the money to travel the world in luxury and pay doctors to for all these treatments is not the reality of the rest of the world. I think she is making her symptoms worse from all the treatments. She has lived a very privileged life in where she can indulge herself in whatever she chooses. Instead of the jet set life style she can indulge in far out “medical” treatments. Yolanda choosing to compare AIDS and Lyme disease??? And now her kids have what she has…Her ex-husband must be really angry that the mother of his kids is trying to convince them that they are sick too. Its all too much. I get now why she is friends with Brandi and Kim.
While it may be true that peri menopause may not cause the extremity of symptoms that Yolanda is reporting, a leaky breast implant actually does cause these symptoms and if she is both peri or menopausal on top of having the leaky implant, then she is being hit from both sides. The fact that only 1 out of the 100 doctors that she has seen even considered the breast implant as a factor tells me that she was misdiagnosed or self diagnosed from the beginning and never considered another opinion in her quest for a cure.
Munchausen by Proxy!!!!!!! Yolanda is on one!!!!!! Smh
It may not be Lymes,but a healthy person doesn’t do what she does. She needs compassion.
I can’t stand this woman. Comparing what she has to aids? Sheesh. I work very hard in a hospital. When I get home and turn on Real Housewives, the last thing I want to see is this woman with her pretend doctor and IVs of who knows what weird untested concoction stuck in her arm, whining about her sorry life. Fast forwarding her for the season.
Yolanda’s chronically ill greater understanding of human nature didn’t really work for her when she accused LisaV of not being a good friend did it? She accused her of never visiting or contacting her despite the fact that Lisa had driven out to Malibu to meet her and David for dinner and to visit her bedside when she was ill and when that was pointed out to her Yolanda simply said “I must have forgot” without any apology for the season long campaign of hate. And now she has the cheek to say “I’ve learned to accept people’s lack of long-term compassion for others while they live their busy lives.”. Hard for people to be compassionate to someone so willing to throw accusations out there like that.
I am no David Foster fan – I don’t really know much about him – but I have seen a lot of comments around accusing him of walking out on a sick wife. Maybe he is but I also think this drastic change in his wife with a illness he may not really understand has happened one year in to their marriage, five years in to their relationship. It’s not like he’s walking out on a 30 year marriage because she is getting old. She has become consumed by this and her statement “…and I need all of ME to fight this till the end” says a lot. He may well have been pushed aside by her. Kyle’s comment at dinner that she has seen the sick selfies and then sees Yolanda out socially looking very different was quite telling too.
All I know is this: Yo is such a beautiful person INSIDE & OUT and this is HER journey. Let’s all just LIFT HER UP with love and prayers. I once knew someone that experienced TEMPORARY BLINDNESS while going through Mena pause! Yo is an intelligent woman and I hope she’s open to perhaps something else is happening to her..But parasitic infections don’t validate the Mena pause diagnosis does it? ALL I KNOW THIS WOMAN IS SICK AND SUFFERING FROM SOMETHING REAL. And she TRULY IS AN INSPIRATION TO ME IN THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE WITH A HEART SO PURE AND A QUIET GRACE THAT IS SO REAL AND RARE. I aspire to be as beautiful on the inside as she is..
Love You Yo!!
@Gina, Did you not watch season 4? Yolanda was anything but pure of heart when she attacked Ken, Lisa (and Joyce at the reunion with no provocation whatsoever! ). If she truly is ill, she has all the sympathy in the world from me. It all just seems so questionable at this point. However, no matter what the status of her health is now, she was mean and vicious to some in the past. Not ready to deem her a saint just yet.
Is this comment for real? Loool
I like Yolanda and I really do not give a rat’s left ball what the diagnosis is. If I had her money I would also probably try everything to make myself feel better.
As I hit my 40s I suddenly had a multitude of ailments – physical and mental. Some days I don’t wear make up – these are the days I do not leave the house as my crumpled blotchy face would scare little kids (I thought she pulled it off – wish I looked like that bare faced). Other days I kick myself up the arse, get the pap on my face and I am bloody stunning and quite the MILF I have also posed for a few selfies – sick and stunning.
And yes there are days when I feel proper sorry for myself and milk it for all its worth – usually when the family are fed up with me because I have done sod all as I feel like a sack of shite and everyone forgets I AM ILL because I get out of bed and try to function.
With regards to Ken’s comments about Yo’s appearance, he is just being ‘English’ – it’s what we do here (UK). “Oh you look really good” then as soon as they leave the room – “did you see the state of her? HOW ILL did she look? She looked like she had just been dug up” etc
In the UK we are obsessed with 2 things – Illness and Weather – and that is definitely what we would say. It has nothing to do with looking ‘pretty’ but everything to do with ‘looking’ ill. I am ashamed to say it can be quite the national sport here – “She looks ill, but I look more ill”.
So, for one day only, I am sticking up for Ken Doll. Pinky is also just being her usual English self – sarcasm is in our DNA, even when we are trying to pretend to be nice – we just cannot help ourselves.
I’m proud of Lisa for not saying, “She looked pretty though” like the others. We may be a sarky and insincere bunch, but we don’t patronise or bullshit with intent.
Something is making her feel terrible, I give her that. But why take and post all the IV selfies? To gain sympathy? Credibility? Raise awareness? It makes me think of a child that’s figured out he can get attention by repeatedly complaining of a stomachache or requesting band aids. Same thing with no makeup. Not that I give a fat rats’ ass about whether someone wears it, but even Gretchen-living in a little condo-Rossi had a makeup artist on call.
Sigh.. I WISH I looked that good w/out makeup, and I admire her AUTHENTICITY.. CAN you imagine what people w/be saying if she Did wear makeup? Just can’t satisfy the haters:( I pray for those of you that have no compassion for such a beautiful person. I can’t help but think you have so far been blessed enough to not have experienced a serious or chronic disease. And I hope you don’t, but one day truly Get compassion vs criticism.
HAPPY Holidays,
Glm867
I didn’t say she’s not sick. Merry Christmas.
There is no better proof of Yolanda’s propensity for pity than her husband leaving her.
She’s a classic example of Munchausen syndrome, a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, orpsychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. It is a mental illness, in which a person repeatedly acts as if he or she has a physical, emotional or cognitive disorder when, in truth, he or she has caused the symptoms. People with factitious disorders act this way because of an inner need to be seen as ill or injured, not to achieve a concrete benefit, such as financial gain. They are even willing to undergo painful or risky tests and operations in order to get the sympathy and special attention given to people who are truly ill. Factitious disorder imposed on self is associated with severe emotional difficulties.
She is way too self-absorbed.
What is with Yolanda’s obsession with Selfies and IV’s. Why can’t she take the pictures when the IV is out. Multiple IV’s by mostly unqualified people are dangerous to the body.. She can end up with serious Phebities and major complications.
Yolanda isn’t using a peace sign. It’s a this is how to get a piece of the pie sign.
lol
Yolanda even used the legal term “unconscionable” In her blog. So she knows the legalitis and is clearly setting her case for money in the divorce. She saw it coming or wanted out herself. Very smart she is….WOW
Smart as a fox…cunning.
My 2 cents… I have zero experience with “the change” (but it might be contributing to what I’m about to describe), but I did go through a tiresome phase of being a hypochondriac and saw my doctor almost monthly for roughly 2 years, convinced that I was sick and dying. In a weird way, it would have been comforting to find a name like chronic Lyme disease so that I’d have something to fight, so I can kind of empathize with her passion. I didn’t realize it back then, but it came with some nasty anxiety-related side effects (which I assumed were just various symptoms), including some social anxieties where being in a group of people would make me feel extremely faint/tired (which would make me even more anxious and tired because it triggered the hypochondria) and I’d have to leave events early for fear of passing out. I’ve even had near-identical experiences like she described of her brain not working when talking to Taylor a couple years ago and she suddenly couldn’t speak. The early exit from the dinner party sure looked familiar to me, and she even looked relieved after she left… I still sometimes get these feelings at social events but I found a cure of sorts: 2-3 glasses of wine… the point here being that anxiety has actually made me appear/act physically ill in public, beyond my control, which I’m sure I’m not the only one here who’s experienced this!
Anyway, long story made even longer by trying to make it short: my uneducated vote is for this being psychological, which is still something valid to deal with of course. Maybe she did have Lyme that was cured but the experience triggered the subsequent mental battle, being open here, mine actually started with my first HIV test (after a bit of a reckless adolescence), I had a really aggressive chest infection and waiting for the results kind of drove me a little loopy, thankfully it came back negative but the experience somehow affected me, that was when the 2 years started. Anxiety/depression comes in many shapes and forms, and I imagine anyone who’s been there can probably relate to the helpless feeling of fighting something that doesn’t seem like a real thing. Giving it a name like CLD probably helps her cope. What probably helped me the most was a no-nonsense doctor who gave me a clean bill of health at each visit and the fact that I couldn’t afford to hire 100+ doctors to tell me what I wanted to hear instead. Anyway, I still wish her a happy, healthy recovery. If it is similar to what I went through, her “new normal” will slowly return to normal, not dying for a few years kind of helped me recover from the fear of dying (as did a good therapist). It was my experience of confronting my mortality and the struggles that came with it, perhaps this is hers?
By the way, I’m very modestly educated and generally don’t know what I’m talking about, so please be kind 😛 sorry I wrote a small novel!
Actually, Stevo, that was interesting and probably even a little hard to share. Thank you.
Human beings are amazingly complex and vulnerable. And it is inspiring what we can go through and yet come out strong on the other end.
I am glad to hear you are doing so much better now.
It was very well written Stevo. You seem like a very kind soul indeed! Glad to hear you’re doing better.
Anxiety sucks.
I am so torn, Yolanda is such a lovely, good-hearted person, I have no doubt she’s experiencing real, debilitating symptoms but I have no idea about the validity of this diagnosis. I won’t speculate. I just think it’s sad she’s suffering and if chronic lyme isn’t real, then what the hell does she have and why can’t the doctors help her?
What makes you think she is good-hearted? She is lovely on the outside, the inside normally catches up with you though. First season Yolanda seemed no-nonsense and kind-hearted. The way she treated Joyce, specially at the reunion, made me revise my opinion. She referred to her as “this one over here” as if Joyce was not worthy of being addressed by name.
When you are kind, you treat everyone nicely, and if you do slight someone, you apologize.
100% true.
Totally agree with what you have said! I also became suspicious of her need to exaggerate her illness, and now lumping the kids in, it seems more WTF to me. I don’t want to get into another season of ‘do they or don’t they’ so I hope they wrap this up fast!
I have wanted to support Yolanda partly because I also read a blog written by a long-time, close friend of hers who has nothing but wonderful things to say about Yo. This woman is a former SoCal friend who now lives in France and has been living with ALS for over five years. She is now paralyzed from the neck down (breathing machine, feeding tube, etc.), yet writes fabulous posts about antiques, flea markets, food and style. In a post she wrote about her best friends, she remarked that Yo doesn’t complain to her about her Lyme disease, but praised her strength and determination to find a cure.
It seemed inconceivable to me that Yo would over-dramatize or, much less, fabricate her illness when one of her dearest friends really does have a terminal illness and rarely complains about her insurmountable struggle and imminent premature death. That is, until I heard the divorce news, watched this week’s episode, then read Yo’s blog. The HIV/AIDS comparison was the death knell for my unconditional support. Talk about dramatic! That bitch has no idea what drama is unless she watched a dear friend deteriorate and slowly die right in front of her of a disease that really was a death sentence in the 80’s. I don’t give a shit if she is looking for a storyline, trying to buttress her divorce settlement, making a play for attention like the narcissist she is (good luck with that, as she lives in the Sea of Narcissism, aka Beverly Hills), but that remark just did it for me.
Actually, I’m really angry. There’s a strong possibility the vino will flow before 2 pm, Fuck the vacuuming!
I have read your post over and over You have said it all-especially to me! I have had such a struggle with my feelings about Yolandas struggle After reading your post I went to her blog on Bravo I am incensed about her little commentary about HIV-AIDS GOODBYE, YOLANDA-I WISH YOU WELL. Thank you, Joanne and you have a Happy Day
Yolanda is over 20 years older than me, but she looks younger than I do. Maybe I’m the one with Chronic Lyme.
I read your post over and over again. I then went to Bravo and read Yolanda’s post. I have been struggling trying to sort out my feelings regarding her ordeal. Your post spoke to me profoundly! The HIV-AIDS comment was hurtful GOODBYE, YOLANDA-I WISH YOU WELL. Thank you, Joanne and you have a Happy Day!
Sorry, my post to Joanne duplicated. Didn’t mean to take up all this space!
My friend, with Lyme, gets a round of antibiotics and begins to feel better. Then once she gets off the antibiotic she becomes debilitated again. Can’t walk, can’t work can’t do much. Took her 2 years to get a diagnosis made which means insurance would not cover lots of stuff. It’s been very very sad.
When have I ever said I don’t believe Yolanda is sick? I simply said that she is misdiagnosed and doesn’t have Chronic Lyme because there is no such thing.
I have been diagnosed with Trigeminal neuralgia (aka the suicide disease) what doctors consider one of the most painful conditions known…also, occipital neuralgia,,peripheral, neuralgia & possibly genticular neuralgia….have it all this crap for 7 years and have gone to the wrong doctors for that long….have had meds thrown at me, tests run, etc. I read on a support group the other day that a handful of people have been tested for Lyme disease & it came back positive. I’m wondering if Yolanda might have some of the neurological diseases…there aren’t any cures, just meds and surgeries that have varying success rates. There are so many doctors out there offering cures…I was up for anything until I began reading & researching how the nerves worked. Then I quit wasting my money. (Well, not the kind of money like Yolanda, ha ha). I do know how she feels though. Sometimes, I can’t brush my teeth, it’s a trigger for pain that will cause hours of pain…ice cubes, touching my face, talking, putting on make up…it’s not a quality life at the age of 48.
Not diagnosing her, I’m not a doctor…just speaking out of experience with my own shit but her “brain damage” is what “we” call brain fog or really losing your memory and it’s from all the medications the doctors throw at you. Any doctor won’t even consider the MVD or gamma knife surgeries for my condition unless you have failed to respond to the numerous nerve meds they make you take so that’s why I think some of her problem migh be misdiagnosis toppled with premenopause. She yeah, I guess I just diagnosed her………I don’t want to watch this season partially a repeat of OC storyline but this is more complicated. She’s sick. I can’t explain the kids….what are the odds of all three getting Lyme disease? A gazillion to one? That’s just….I don’t know.
I’ll let others debate the semantics of Lyme. I am still uncertain that is what she has and I totally still question it after seeing she has seen 100 doctors that she continues declining rapidly in health. I admire her goal of raising awareness yet question how Avril Lavine (I think it was her) recovered after months of illness with Lyme but Yolanda hasn’t. I do believe yolanda does have a chronic invisible disease and her way of coping is to post IV and treatment pics as proof of illness. Of course I don’t know her but pray that she will get to the root of her problem. I continue to say she needs to go to Mayo Clinic, Hopkins, Baylor, Cleveland Clinic, somewhere for full physical, maybe mental, workup and hold off on the alternative treatments for a bit. I’m an advocate of alternative medicine but if your body is in such a compromised state some of those alternative treatments, from all around the globe, may be making things more toxic and considerably worse or causing cross reactions. ..not to mention being peri or actually menopausal and the stress of ending a marriage. It saddens me with all of her resources.
*It saddens me with ask of her resources she hasn’t found the medical help she needs.
She’s going to be on Access Hollywood, or is it Entertainment Tonight….one of them….tonight.