As the temperatures warm the chances of encountering ticks increase. I had a PA recently say we don’t have Lyme is Texas, what? Yes, Lyme or tick boring illnesses are in every state. Some states have a higher percentage of cases but dot fool yourself, tick-borne illnesses are in every state in the United States. There are now 30 strains of tick born illnesses and more are discovered each year. This year a more a deadly tick-born illness, Powassan Disease was discovered and it’s the most deadly. Please take notice and protect yourself and children.
This post is a combination of photos, snippets from previous post and new information. If you have questions visit ILADS website for the most accurate information on tick born illnesses. This association is for doctors who treat Lyme, educators of Lyme and the medical community who are there to increase knowledge.
I am walking after four years spent in bed, how could anything be worse than Lyme Disease? The illnesses Lyme leaves behind are debilitating and worst. I’ve lost four years of my life, screaming in pain, narcotics, nine months of twice a day IV Antibiotic Infusion Treatments. I can not stress enough how dangerous Tick-Borne illnesses are, they can kill you and your children. If you already have a compromised immune system, your starting behind the curve. I’ve talked to many at WordPress with Chronic Lyme, many of them spent 10-15 years before diagnosis. Think of the pain and isolation of our fellow Bloggers went thru.
People have said we don’t have ticks, for one Lyme and Powassan Disease is transmitted by many sources other than ticks, mosquitos, sand flies, are just a few culprits. In the wild animals of all types of animals die, many pests visit the buffet. The critter who is carrying Lyme disease bites you and there is a short window for medical attention.
The flying pest target is blood, they have to eat. They don’t discriminate on where they go for lunch. The ticks who carry Tick-Borne illnesses are smaller than a grain of rice, try to find that while doing a tick check, you will not see them.
Before you get dressed, spray sunscreen with insect repellant with 20% DEET. Reply every hour if sweating or in heavily wooded areas. Wear white soaks with your pant leg tucked in light-colored pants. Wear a white or light colored shirt, a hat that is longer in back to cover your neck. Be vigilant with your kids, if playing outside, spray. Better safe than sorry.
Most important, do tick checks on you and the kids throughout the day. Take some tape and if see a tick don’t touch it, pull it off with tape. While out hiking wear light colors, tuck pants in socks, wear a hat that covers the back of the neck. Lyme Dieses is not sexy.
Watch these extremely important videos and educate yourself. Know the early signs and a short antibiotic treatment may provide a cure. The bulls-eye rash talked about by doctors only happens 30% of the time.
The Lyme test doctors use only cover a few of the 30 strains of Lyme. I’ve had multiple tests over the past four years and not once did I show positive for Lyme.
Chronic Lyme disease causes other chronic illnesses in its wake and new illnesses can pop up at any time. I now suffer from Fibromyalgia, Dementia, Neuropathy, loss of balance and other cognitive issues. My life is not back to normal and never will.
Chaos
Seven days of IV’s
B12 Shots
Looking for the Light 
Thank you so much for this information. I’m just learning about disease carrying ticks and I appreciate the precaution tips. I’m so sorry your dealing with this illness. I pray we all gain relief from our sicknesses in God’s Kingdom as I don’t believe Jehovah God intended for us to suffer like this (Revelation 21:3,4; Isaiah 33:24). Sending prayers your way that you continue to endure and gain the strength to continue to help others.
Thank you for commenting, I hate to hear you’re facing the same battle. I have been writing about my journey for the last several years, you can find many other post on Lyme and tick-borne illnesses in my archives. Have a great day. 🙂
i don’t know how you cope.
i don’t think i would.
You would, we push a day at a time. Today I’m having the worse day in a long time, thank God I’m going to the doctor in a couple of hours. 🙂
🙂
You’re stronger than you think! Hugs 🙂
You have been through so much with this, my heart hurts for you because it seems like one of those things where you’d say that SURELY there would be better diagnosis & treatment. In the UK it’s ridiculous too, a basic test that’s unreliable and nobody wants to know. Thank you for sharing this, you’ve done brilliantly not only giving helpful suggestions but in raising priceless awareness.
Caz xx
Thank you Caz for your comments.
There is a new disease in town, called FIBROMYALGIA. I want to know why it is that so many people have been diagnosed with it, many in pain all day everyday. I know more with this disease then any other. I think they have Lymes disease as when you talk to them they have so many other things running along side it. Its an epidemic, probably hiding away from Lymes. Lots of people I know who walk in woods all the time with their dogs, or have horses have fibromyalgia. This is in the UK.
My grandson had the classic bulls eye rash and i urged him to see the doctor. He did the doctor had no idea and didnt even bother to test him. I have pushed him to go back and i told him he must have a lymes test although to be honest its too late, i believe once its gone chronic it wont show up. He sleeps all the time, has joint pain constantly and can barely function. He is 19 years old.
The doctors in UK are useless with this disease they dont know a thing about it. I had a test for lymes and it showed some activity but not enough to have a diagnosis. I was told by Dr Munro from Breakspeare Clinic that she felt i had a co infection of lymes. I had some really classic symptoms, loss of memory they call it TGA, and also went blind in brazil on holiday, now i have been diagnosed with Primary progressive MS as well. I have had lymes test in the uk nothing. I tried to go on antibiotics but ended up herxing and in a right mess, so they had to stop. I have no idea if i have lymes but something screwed up my lumbur puncture as it was showing up heavy inflammation in my blood test.
Oh and every full moon i have the weirdest rash around my back above my kidneys and i feel awful for 3 days.
Lymes is a horrible thing, and i believe a lot of people now with fibro have lymes. Years ago we never even heard of fibro.
Is there not a new way of diagnosing lymes a DNA test for the lymes. I found it incredible that the frozen man they found which had been dead and frozen for thousands of years they found lymes DNA in his body.
In 2019 we cant even diagnose it. I am glad your on the mend, and i think your photos are amazing and the true story of it. I really hope you start to get better and better.
Lymes is horrible and doctors need to get their acts together before its too late.
Your right, many patients with Lyme get Fibro, like me. Many are diagnosed with Fibro before Lyme or vice versa. All autoimmune diseases tend to have similar symptoms which makes it hard to diagnose. One reason doctors don’t want to deal with Lyme is there isn’t a clear path to health. Every doctor uses what they know which is antibiotics and hope for the best. Since the test are not accurate it’s hard for a medical to take the testing to the next level.
Has your some seen a Psychiatrist? It sounds like he could be suffering from depression as well. Many people like myself get depression from having Fibro or any debilitating illness. I don’t know if sleeping all the time as a symptom, that just means I haven’t heard of. The type of doctor you need is an Internal Medicine doctor. They can for sure determine if you have Lyme or another autoimmune disorder. I know is some Socialist countries getting a specialist is difficult, I wish you luck.
Take you for taking the time to comment.
Melinda
Hi / wow – your photos really speak volumes to the seriousness of tic-and or critter related diseases.
So sorry about your four years of dealing with it and ongoing treatment –
I agree that it is serious stuff and some healthcare folks are clueless about it and my advice would be for anyone to make sure they go to docs
Who specialize in Thai field (or naturopaths that do) and that they also rebuild their terrain rather than just keep attacking the microbes (and small worm usually associated with many ailments) –
So folks need enzymes – minerals – b’s – glandulars And even stem cell therapy can help (And is cheaper today more than ever)
I’m glad the photos made a difference, that is what I hoped. Have a great day. 🙂
Yes – and if I may add one more thing – there are great essential oils that can deter and rebel many critters
– also –
As inconvenient as it might be – shower after being outdoors (if in area where they might be) and get in the books and crannies (like dr bronners peppermint soap for so many things – esp this)
And then we spray our shoes with insect repellent and leave them to dry – and sometimes the strong odor they emit adds one more barrier
Thanks for sharing, Melinda. I will be sure to keep this in mind this summer.
🙂
This is such a scary thing but we do need to know. Thank you for posting 💜
Your welcome. I’m passionate about educating people.
We’ve got plague here in New Mexico, too, being spread by fleas and all kinds of critters. A dog in the county where I live recently tested positive for the plague. This county is adjacent to Texas. Contrary to what some people seem to believe, pests don’t stop at the state line.
No, they don’t. The plague is very scary! I hear all the time how they don’t want to wear insect repellent, ok it’s your life. 🙂
Reblogged this on Survivors Blog Here.