Yolanda Foster, star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , experienced a health crisis due to Lyme disease that eventually proved to be the detriment of her relationship with husband David Foster, according to an insider who is blaming Lyme disease as the cause for their divorce announcement, reported People .
The source revealed that Lyme disease caused the couple’s relationship to change dramatically, and they spent less and less time together as her health became worse.
“David travels all the time and they simply weren’t spending any time together,” the insider told People .
Diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012, just one year after she wed David, the reality TV star’s health even deteriorated to the point where she could not write or read. The resulting stress increasingly took its toll on the marriage.
“They just grew apart and the intense stress over her health and the disease was very hard on their marriage,” explained the source.
The three children from Yolanda’s first marriage to Mohamed Hadid include 20-year-old model Gigi, 19-year-old Bella, and 16-year-old Anwar. And Lyme disease has impacted them in various ways as well.
The two younger children both have Lyme disease , reported the Daily Mail .
For more than three years, 18-year-old Bella and 16-year-old Anwar Hadid have struggled with Lyme disease just like their mother, who revealed the news at the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in New York City recently.
“When my two youngest children, Bella and Anwar, were also diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease in early 2012, watching my babies struggle in silence in order to support me in my journey, struck the deepest core of hopelessness inside of me.”
Lyme disease is categorized as a bacterial infection. When an infected tick becomes attached to the skin of a human, that individual is infected by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. Symptoms can range dramatically and may include feeling as if you have the flu, suffering from muscle and joint pain, and a rash. Those who do not get treatment may be impacted on other parts of the body.
A delay in getting diagnosed may also exacerbate the symptoms of Lyme disease. Yolanda blogged about her own frustrations in finding out what was wrong and then seeking treatment.
“I wasted the first year trying to get diagnosed and spent the next two trying to find a cure [for Lyme disease],” wrote Foster.
Symptoms that can result include problems with memory, numb arms and legs, and even heart failure or partial paralysis in the face. In addition, fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome may result over time.
Watching her children suffer has been particularly heart-wrenching for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, causing her to work to help others understand Lyme disease in addition to being treated herself.
It was daughter Gigi who recently gave her mother the Power of One award to honor her Lyme disease battle.
https://youtu.be/NYk3E4hVs3Q
But Foster turned around to dedicate her award to Bella and Anwar.
“This award is for Anwar and Bella. This is my token and my promise to you that I will not allow you to live a life of pain and suffering. I will walk to the end of the earth to find a cure so that you can live a healthy life that you deserve. No child should suffer the way that you do.”
While Lyme disease is being named as the cause of the divorce from David and reason for the health problems of Yolanda and two of her children, Gigi said she has been affected as well.
“I’m the only one in, of my siblings, my mom and my family that hasn’t been affected by Lyme disease. It’s been really hard for me because I’m the only one that doesn’t really understand it,” explained the young model. “What’s been hardest for me is just trying to find a way to be their hope and kind of be a strength for them even with the disease that I can’t understand fully because I haven’t been through [Lyme disease].”
[Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Global Lyme Alliance]