Sunday, May 28, 2006

Feeling Passionate about Lyme

During this past week, I have made a lot of decisions. I want to pursue learning all about Lyme disease. I want to understand why the doctor's disagree about what the standard of treatment should be and why the CDC and the Infectious Disease societies underestimate the numbers of people who have the disease. Why do these organizations believe that four to six weeks of antibiotics will cure a patient of late stage Lyme? What are their motivations for steadfastly maintaining their positions? What kinds of politics are involved? I do not understand why Lyme disease has to be so controversial. People are suffering! Smart, educated people are rendered helpless and disabled by this disease. We could be contributing to society and now we can barely take care of ourselves!! Many of us cannot even work. Sometimes my big event of the day is taking a shower! I don't know what I would live on if I did not have the incredibly supportive and generous family that I do. It hurts me that I am 29 years old and I have not had a "real" job. I became ill when I was in college. I have not been able to finish college or to work for the last 8 years. I want to contribute to society and to contribute financially to my family. I cannot even begin to pay for my own healthcare costs. I feel passionately that the world needs to know more about Lyme disease. I am going to do my part by learning everything that I can. I hope that I will be able to make a difference in other people's lives through education all about the disease.