Yolanda Foster, who stars on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, is seemingly at her wit’s end with the swirling rumors about her mysterious Lyme disease diagnosis. On Tuesday night’s episode of RHOBH, Yolanda was alerted to the fact that co-star, Lisa Rinna spearhead a conversation with Kyle Richards and Lisa Vanderpump (Eileen Davidson comes in on the tail end) about how her longtime Lyme disease battle could be all made up in her head. Foster took to her Bravo blog to shoot off some heartfelt thoughts and case facts for the confused coffee klatch quartet.
It was pretty apparent, Rinna wanted to make Yolanda’s illness the topic of discussion at the gathering. Yolanda’s Instagram shots were brought up. Rinna seemed to scratch her head as she pondered, why Yolanda posted a series of ailing Instagram shots of herself and then on the heels of these, added fun-filled vacay pics of herself and hubby, David, during an adventurous Canadian trip. Rinna asked the ladies, “How is she on a boat? Why the pictures? and What’s her message?” Rinna could not grasp, why Yolanda has presented such a sick front all along and could then, turn around, and have a rip-roaring time, as if she had been suddenly cured.
Rinna then whipped out her trusty cell to inform her co-stars, what ‘some’ folks think Yolanda could actually be suffering from…Munchhausen syndrome. When someone suffers from the syndrome, the person repeatedly and deliberately acts, as if they have a physical or mental illness, when they in fact do not. The poofy-haired firestarter then tried to behave, as if she had betrayed Yolanda for even starting the conversation. None of Rinna’s co-stars however responded, as if they wanted to engage her in the topic of conversation any further.
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Meanwhile in Yolanda’s most recent blog, she mentions how she received an outpouring of messages from friends, who were disgusted with last night’s episode where her health status was questioned. The platinum blond beauty wrote about her Beverly Hills buddies, “I do wonder though why these adult women sit around drinking wine in the afternoon debating another person’s health issues? As much as I wished they cared enough to learn and ask questions, I must blame it on and assume it’s “ignorance.”
Instead of raking Rinna, Kyle and Lisa through the coals, Yolanda takes the high road by stating, I don’t blame Rinna, Kyle or LVDP – I understand it and feel sorry to see my battle be such a point of weakness for them. If I let fear of what others say about me creep into my mind, I probably would not be where I am today. 100 books later, and immersed in worldwide research that I never thought I could process has given me a masters in being fearless and the strength to battle this epidemic called Lyme disease – it’s the power of believing in myself that’s let me come this far.”
Yolanda, who has been battling her chronic neurological Lyme disorder for the past couple of years, breaks down in her blog, the facts regarding her personal case:
Lyme is a clinical diagnosis and multiple labs and physicians worldwide have confirmed my personal diagnosis. It is not just based on symptoms, but rather on tick exposure, positive Lyme specific bands on a Western blot as well as having a positive DNA tests (PCR, polymerase chain reaction) proving exposure to Lyme disease.
• I also tested positive for multiple co-infections, including Babesiosis (a malarial-like parasite) with three positive tests: this included positive Babesia titers, PCRs (DNA tests) and FISH testing (RNA testing) as well as having positive tests for other tick-borne infections including Bartonella and Q-fever. Those individuals with Lyme and associated co-infections have been shown to be sicker than those just suffering with Lyme disease. Other positive infectious disease testing included an old Epstein Barr virus infection and intestinal parasites.
• Overlapping factors interfering with my healing included a history of heavy metal exposure and silicone toxicity from previous ruptured implants.
• Brain scans show significant inflammation in the frontal lobe of my brain affecting my cognitive function.
• The three double blind placebo controlled NIH trials on Lyme disease have shown that those with chronic Lyme are as sick as those with chronic congestive heart failure. It is not a disease “in people’s heads”, making up symptoms, but controlled clinical trials have shown that those suffering with chronic Lyme disease are extremely ill and many doctors worldwide are still searching for answers for those afflicted.
• Lyme has been shown to be a chronic persistent infection. This has been proven in multiple published scientific studies, including recent studies coming out of John’s Hopkin’s University and Northeastern University showing “persister” bacteria. The NIH also sponsored studies on those suffering with PTLD (Post Treatment Lyme disease) last year (Dr. Adriana Marques), which showed that some patients like me had positive DNA tests (PCR) despite classical treatment. This again implies persistence of the bacteria, contributing to my long term illness.
As far as Yolanda is concerned, she is letting the Munchhausen theories slough off her back, as she has so much more to deal with in her life than to give any credence to comments made by unfeeling individuals. ” I am inspired by my life on a day to day basis and consciously avoid stressful situations by walking away and letting go of remarks from people like the women in this group, but it seems in today’s world your word isn’t good enough anymore so even though I should not have to prove my case, I’m not afraid to do so. I will move on from the absurd Munchhausen comment that is an insult to my integrity and that of my two children who battle this disease on a daily basis.”
And if anyone who has a problem with the kinds of Instagram pictures Yolanda posts, she has this to say, “I will continue to relish in each good day…and if I get an inch of feeling good…you better believe I’m going to take a mile! If my Instagram photos and how I choose to communicate myself through social media is confusing to you…unfollow me.”
TELL US: DO YOU THINK YOLANDA’S ILLNESS IS ALL IN HER HEAD?
(Photo credits: Top shot/Bravo, bottom shot/Instagram)
