Found a Support Group

Yesterday I attended a Lyme disease support group. I was surprised to find 25 people in attendance. All of the CFS support groups that I have been too are very small. My experience last night was positive, but also intense. I have a serious illness. Lyme disease has caused widespread pain in many families. Some people in the group are worse than I am and some people are better than I am. Usually I know more medical information than most people but this group put me to shame. I realized that I have a lot more to learn. I want to know which bands are positive for Lyme on my western blot test. I want to have a SPEC scan of my brain to check for lesions. I learned so much from the other group members. They even mentioned that Lyme disease is sexually transmitted and that most women pass it on to their children if they are not treated during their pregnancy. By the time that I left the meeting, my head was swimming with new information and new questions. I finally feel that other people understand what I go through every day. They have the same symptoms! It is amazing! There were actually two other members who had also been diagnosed with CFS for at least seven years and who now have been told that they actually have Lyme disease. Slowly I am accepting that I do not have CFS and that I truly do have Lyme disease. Meeting people who have the same symptoms that I do is actually encouraging to me. One woman showed us her PIC line in her arm. I really hope that I do not need IV antibiotics because I don't want to have a needle in my veins for months. Overall, attending the support group was a great experience. I recommend that everyone who suffers from a health condition find an appropriate support group.