Thursday, November 17, 2011

What is Lyme's Disease?

Wikipedia defines Lyme's Disease as "Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis,[1] is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia.[2][3] Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto[4] is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most European cases. The disease is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, USA, where a number of cases were identified in 1975. Although Allen Steere realized that Lyme disease was a tick-borne disease in 1978, the cause of the disease remained a mystery until 1981, when B. burgdorferi was identified by Willy Burgdorfer.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. Borrelia is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks belonging to a few species of the genus Ixodes ("hard ticks").[5] Early symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, depression, and a characteristic circular skin rash called erythema migrans. Left untreated, later symptoms may involve the joints, heart, and central nervous system. In most cases, the infection and its symptoms are eliminated by antibiotics, especially if the illness is treated early.[6] Delayed or inadequate treatment can lead to the more serious symptoms, which can be disabling and difficult to treat.[7] Lyme disease is a biosafety level 2 disease."

Before yesterday, I knew it was a disease you can get from the deer ticks in our area, but that was about all I knew. But yesterday my wife, Melissa, was diagnosed with Lyme's Disease and after the initial shock, I started researching to see what we are up against.

Thankfully it can be treated with antibiotics if caught early enough. Well, of course, my wife is in the later stages of the disease and she had to get her knee drained of fluid yesterday since the disease effects the joints. She is now on an antibiotic that we picked up last night and she must take that for a month and hopefully she will recover from it.

So if that wasn't bad enough, we got caught in a transitional period of work where my wife and I are not covered under any insurance. Thankfully the staff and doctors at Pottstown Memorial Hospital have helped us out a little bit but we are still facing a huge stack of medical bills that will be coming in. Please keep us in your prayers and I will keep everyone posted as we progress.

2 comments:

  1. I'm praying for you--I'm also so thankful the staff was helpful.

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  2. Dan,
    Hope Melissa is making some progress. I am also a sufferer and my case was missed for 7 years. Lyme bacteria disseminate into all body tissue and organs if left untreated. It is not "just" a joint and muscle disease. Bottom line is this, if don't beat down the bacteria, it comes back to multiply. Lyme does come in phases, based on the multiplication of the bacteria. For most it runs in 3-4 week "waves", feeling worse when the bacteria multiplies and takes over. Docs base treatment on OLD OLD recommendations that others have tried to overturn. Politics have found their way and rooted deeply in what should be done. The sad thing is so many children are getting Lyme, as they are ones who play outside within the pathways of deer and rodents that carry the ticks. (of note also is that deer ticks are not the only carriers. Mosquitos and other ticks can also carry. With bird and other animal migration, Lyme has been found in every state of the US. Reporting has been low due to misdiagnosis and poor reporting status by docs and the CDC. Up to half the time, you won't see a bullseye rash or get a positive result from the testing. (tests must show "markers" of a designated number, which is ludicrous). If cancer cells were found within a person, medical experts would not expect those to be dispersed and counted throughout the body in order to "diagnose" someone with cancer. Doctors are supposed to be diagnosing not ONLY based on testing, but on symptoms, location, and other factors. Those docs who try to do this are being persecuted and run out of "business"...must like my own doc is coming under attack. A doc who took me from nursing home to being able to attend my kids sports events for the first time in many years. Please read more information. Find and ILADS doctor, and see the movie, UNDER OUR SKIN. Prayers and good thoughts from Wisconsin.

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