Lyme disease is the last thing I wanted after moving back to New York in August of 2000. After all, my childhood was all pleasant memories growing up on Long Island and camping Upstate. I could remember the lightning bugs as I unpacked my boxes. I felt like a child who had come back again for a long awaited vacation. It was the hot summer in August of 2000.

My camping adventures were almost twenty years before. But, now in 2000, my boyfriend, "M," and I bought a beautiful home in Claverak, NY. We purchased the house from an owner of a local newspaper. "How perfect," I thought. I studied communications in college and this seemed like a perfect fit.

I can remember driving back to the house after we landed in Albany and asking a local man about Lyme disease. He told me, "No, that is just on Long Island." Somehow I didn't believe him. For the next few weeks, I kept noticing many of the town people seemed sick and arthritic.

I have always been an energetic type person so Lyme disease scared me. Dad used to tell me I was one of the most energetic people he knew. I have worked in advertising - a real go-getter. I sold for advertising agencies, and I wrote copy. I was the mother of a wonderful, 19-yr.-old daughter, and I was just finishing up my teaching certificate.

One day after we moved there, I had plans to make the house magnificent. I had a book of ideas and pictures. The garden was my biggest project. I walked around our property with just my sandals on. Today, I know that was a big mistake.

"C," a friend of mine back in Seattle, had watched a special television show about Columbia County and the incredible amounts of Lyme disease there. He begged me to be careful. I listened and in the back of my mind decided to read up more on Lyme disease. I discovered in a medical journal that if a person gets bit, getting on antibiotics right away will rid one of the disease. Today I know this is a half-truth.

Besides worrying about Lyme disease, I had other problems as well at that time. I realized I had made a big mistake going to New York. Although I loved the countryside and this house, I could not forget my life in Seattle and a passionate romance I had with "C," who warned me about Lyme disease. I tried to heed his warnings by using Off and other insect repellents with DEET. I tried to forget him with painting, decorating and of course gardening on the 12 deer and tick infested acres.

I wrote poetry to try to let my feelings go. But, I could not forget him.

Two weeks after I arrived in New York, I found a tick on the back of my leg. The date was August 12, 2000. I went immediately to a doctor to remove it. I asked for antibiotics and they said, "NO, just wait to see if you get a bulls-eye rash." I couldn't sleep; somehow I knew I would probably wind up with Lyme disease.

The next day I went to the Emergency Room to try my luck. I wanted antibiotics and would stop at nothing until I got them. I was told by the resident doctor at the hospital that I was a "piece of work" and that I didn't need antibiotics. I didn't care what he thought; I had read in a medical journal, if you get on antibiotics within ten days of a bite, your chances of getting Lyme disease were pretty much non-existent. He finally gave in and gave me a small dosage of Doxycycline

I was so happy that I wouldn't get Lyme disease and I faithfully took all my antibiotics and even got a Lymerix vaccine shot on the 15th of August. (What a mistake after knowing what I know now!) Lymerix prevents proper Lyme disease testing and can actually cause horrible permanent side effects in some people. Around the 29th of August, I had a second round of Lymerix. I thought I was fine. I went back to Seattle to visit my family.

It was shortly after my birthday on when I had Lyme disease symptoms. The definitive day was September 7th. I couldn't get out of bed in the morning and wanted to rest more than three quarters of the day. A friend of mine came over and I screamed at her, not understanding what was wrong with me. I had just gotten a new puppy for my birthday, and if wasn't for walking him and the other dog in the house, I wouldn't have gotten up at all. Except, perhaps to eat. But, even eating was lighter than usual. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks.

I received a call from the woman who helped sell us the house. "How are you, let's get together." I told her I couldn’t; I was too sick and so very tired. "That is a symptom of Lyme disease," she told me. Those words were so loud to me, I then knew I had the dreaded plague. If it weren't for that call, I don't think I would have figured it out until "M" got back home from a business trip to Alaska; I just thought it was the muggy New York air making me sick. Even with the air conditioning, I was sweating at night.

I was alone in this big house with nobody to help me. I had two dogs to take care of. And this seemed liked a gigantic project. I hated the thought of the dogs bringing me in more ticks, so I made sure they were protected, and even then I didn't feel safe.

"M" would call me from Alaska every few days and ask how I was. I had been to many doctors. One told me I had diabetes. Another had my head scanned for a brain tumor because I couldn't keep liquids in my system.

Finally, I received another call from "C" in Seattle again. He told me to get to the best doctor I could immediately. I called around and found one through a friend of mine who seemed better after having Lyme disease and Babesia. I made my appointment and rested for days because I didn't have the energy to drive two hours away.

The doctor's office was in Hyde Park. As soon as I walked in the office, I felt better. The entire office had a healing feeling. The nurses, and Physician Assistant cared so much. I knew I would somehow get over this. My appointment, itself< was healing! I talked about all the symptoms I had. Even hair falling out, numbness in hands and feet, frequent urination, extreme fatigue, weight loss, tingling muscles, stiffness in neck. I had twenty-one symptoms in all.

I began a course of antibiotics; 1500 mg Amoxicillin and 500 mg of Probenecid. I had another set of blood work done and when the results came back, I was alarmed to know I had Babesiosis too. I was put on quinine and Cleosine a few weeks after the Amoxicillin. I started to feel a little better.

A few weeks after I began the quinine, "M" came home from Alaska. I knew I didn't want to be in New York anymore. My heart had left him. He told me to leave. The next day I carried one suitcase and my puppy and boarded the plane for Seattle. I was crying the entire way home. I knew I was sick, but I didn't realize how bad it would get before I got better. It was Election Day 2000. I wanted to vote but somehow that didn't matter at the time.

I sat on the plane hoping my life would be okay. My daughter picked me up from the airport and was very puzzled as to why I would leave NY. The answer is two-fold and complicated.

First, Lyme disease had me feeling like I knew what I was doing. When I think back now, I was really pushing myself into truth. Honestly I did not have the energy to make this move now. Secondly, I was a strong woman; I would not live my life with man I didn't love anymore. My heart was with "C" in Seattle and I didn't know how to just let life unfold in New York. Maybe I knew I needed to recover back home in Seattle, too. It is difficult to recover when your heart doesn't belong in an environment.

I believe Lyme disease was just the beginning of all the other symptoms. Financially, I had just left all my security. But, then again, I am not one to live solely for money or security. I am an artist and I live in my heart.

For the next two years, I would call the LLMD (Lyme Literate doctor) in New York. I was put on antibiotic after the malaria type medications to get rid of the Babesia. I worked and was fired. Got another job but had to leave due to fatigue. I couldn't pay my bills. I struggled so much but kept my faith. I was now with the man I loved and I kept thinking that if we could get through these hard times, anything would be possible.

Things were rough. In 2001, "C" had to file bankruptcy and lost everything except the house we live in. I finally went back to work halftime as a teacher. Slowly, we are patching our lives up. This disease has cost both of us so much!

After two years, I am better. Thanks to my LLMD in New York mainly. This man put his life on the line for all his patients. And, for that I am inspired to write this. I will never forget the day he sounded so scared telling me, "I don't know if I can write you a prescription next month. The Board of Medicine may be taking my license away." It is for this reason, that I want to have all types of writings for his patients - to help them but to also help my doctor and those LLMD's who are fighting financially and spiritually. "C" thanks him too. He told me last night that he is so grateful to him for saving me life. Without my LLMD, we would not be here together.

Two days ago, I found out tests prove I don't have Babesia anymore! I am 90-95 percent better. I have fatigue and some tingling in my hands. I do not have Bell's Palsy anymore; my memory is better.

I say things like, "I am better, I used to look..." I am putting Lyme disease in my past and that is to me a sign that I am on my way back, here in my new life in Seattle.

Nancy (WA)

Previous Page     Next Page