Jeffrey DiCera of Team Terra

I am musician and songwriter, Jeffrey DiCera. I became a Lyme advocate upon receiving my diagnosis in 2010, during a most turbulent time. It is now understood I've had Lyme since 1985, with all the evidence but the positive test.

In 2012, I joined a support group in Ridgefield, CT. I met my lady friend there, who became my biggest fan and supporter, as well as my strong, guiding light.

I created The Other Way -- a series of albums focused on the many unchartered territories of surviving Lyme, all the while, discovering better options for life in general. The first two chapters are available on all streaming networks, and the next two, The Starting Gates, is a work slowly in progress, highly in need of a jolt.

My spirit took it's biggest hit when my support group friend broke up with me. Our illnesses limited our time together at first, then our words, and finally, our mutuality.

We always hear "That's the way it is" or "Lyme destroys families and relationships." One of the very songs I'm working on now, is called, "Not This Time."

She's always in my heart, and that keeps me going. That got me here.

If you're going to be an advocate, you have to understand you are fighting a monster- a monster a lot of people don't see. Kinda like a lot of monsters and fantasies.

 As a writer, I understand the yearning for good fantasy material for a good story. This one's real, and I don't want it to be ANYONE'S narrative. It will not be mine. And somehow, it can't be hers either.

We CAN fix this if our bodies and minds are freer.

While we should always look for the helpers out there, we end up being our own...everything.

The Other Way was originally written for the sake of self-exploration and healing, but has since turned into something for everyone. Lyme is far too associated with other illnesses such as ALS and MS, for this not to be a full-blown community counterpunch against Lyme as well as other illnesses and their associated pain.

The next chapter, the Starting Gates, was intended to launch last year. At the Indy Mini. I was signed up, trained, and on my way..waiting in Chicago for the connecting bus. It never came. I walked between the bus and train stations, made calls, got a hotel, even almost paid an Uber to get there. I was only in the 2023 race in spirit. My Health app recorded 13.4 miles from all that.

But now, I'm here in Indianapolis. Ready..even more ready than last year! For the Starting Gates album is really about making a spark happen, rather than waiting for one to come. So while I said last year 'the Starting Gates start here,' let's just get out there and start up the whole thing together!