Lyme.. Introducing Candice

Have you met Candice?

  

She is a fellow blogger from California who has Lyme. 

I am highlighting her here on MY little blog today. 

See, May is Lyme Awareness month..

and all those who have Lyme disease

who have HAD Lyme disease

who love someone with Lyme disease

or have lost someone to Lyme disease

are working VERY hard to

try to spread the word ABOUT Lyme disease

to the whole rest of the wide world

we are trying to go ALL out

because frankly..

alot of the information OUT there is not all together accurate

or completely truth filled...

some of it, is well.. lets say .. rather

MISleading

some of it.. is just plain

wrong...

and all of it can lead to people getting sicker

and sick people getting still sicker

and healthy people

you guessed it...

getting sick

and NOT getting diagnosed..

and that ..

has to stop.

I have had Lyme disease for ..

gee..

this summer will be 20 years.

that is a long time.

Candice is really sick..

She is MUCH

 much

much

sicker than I am..

She is only 21 years old.

She has a whole beautiful life before her

trips that need to be taken

to beautiful places

very interesting people that need to be met

exotic foods that need be tasted

thankfully

God created Candice 

with a fighting spirit

a girl with HOPE 

infact her Optimism is Infectious :)

you should check out her site...

Infectiously Optimistic

Candice is making a difference by researching and sharing the information she has gathered.  Sharing her perspective on WHY we are where we are at in the Lyme community.. let me just quote her here.

"The way Lyme Disease is currently being handled is much like the way AIDs was handled when the AIDs epidemic first arose. Patients who were infected with HIV were doubted, because the infection was so rare, understudied, and controversial. The patients were denied treatment and made to feel as though they were crazy, and that it was all in their head, despite their obvious illness and failing bodies. One of the leading Lyme doctors on the East Coast was actually initially an HIV doctor, and diagnosed one of the first cases of AIDs in North Carolina. He stuck loyal to his HIV patients despite the controversy surrounding the disease. He now primarily treats Late Stage Lyme Patients. It is reported that unfortunately, Lyme Disease is shaping up to look like an even greater epidemic than AIDs. This doctor asserts though, that compared to the research that was being done on HIV in the beginning of the AIDs epidemic, Lyme Disease research right now is alarmingly elementary and rather non-existent."

The thing we all need to keep in mind is, you don't
(traditionally)
get lyme from needles and doing drugs. 

Though, frankly you can. 

You don't just get it from not using a condom..

Though the verdict on THAT is still out. 

There is plenty of evidence that proves it does pass throught the placenta

and can be excreted through breast milk

You CAN get it from a tick..

you may NEVER see the tick

you can get it from your pet or a friends pet that picked it up and brought it indoors

so you needent have even gone for a walk in the woods...

birds can carry them,

dogs, cats, bunnies, squirrels any animal can carry them...
meaning the little ticks can "hitchhike"

they can be on that log you brought in to burn in the fire place...

the sucker could just be crawling about your home

& land on you

thanks to Fido :)

INSPECT your pets!

and respect your VETS !

all to often I hear people say

 "the vet said my dog has lyme but I don't believe it..."

IF YOUR PET has it

and you or any member of your family has strange symptoms

GET an

IGENX test taken! 

Mostly people get them when at parks, or on walks...

Mostly it's just plain ol smart to tuck your pants into your socks

to wear long sleeves when out doors

and we all know..

THAT happens in 90 degree weather

so perhaps some proper tick spray..

and be sure to have a tick remover ..

now remember THIS will only work

IF you see it

and these little buggers have a numbing agent

that prevents you from feeling them burrow ...

and 

only an estimated 30-40% ever get that 

FAMOUS bullseye rash

some people get a rash that looks

 NOTHING like

a bullseye

and others 

never get any rash at all.

YOU will NOT

get Lyme from

lets see

...

hugging a friend or loved one with Lyme

shaking hands,

or holding hands.

smooching...

(for you young HIP readers it means KISSING!)

you won't get it from lets see... umm

sharing a bowl of popcorn and watching a movie

with your pal whose feeling icky..

or

sharing a meal

or

grabbing a cup of tea together

or

calling them on the phone

you will NOT get it from writing them a note

or from smiling at them

or from listening to them when they need to talk

or from asking questions

but you might learn a lot..

about yourself

about your friend

about things you never dreamt of learning about... 

So grab a cup of cafe

&

don't be afraid

to sit

and listen

and

love

Lyme disease IS found in

EVERY one of our fine

50 states

suprised?

I was

It is also found

in many other countries besides...

It is often combined with what is called

co-infections

or what those who have lyme loveingly refer to as

LYME & CO.

more on that.. 

another day...

suffice it to say..

there is MUCH to learn..

and I have been LEARNING 

so does this sound like...

ummmmm

an epidemic???

well.

Good Morning America

it is