tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74612420583696888842024-03-13T08:51:20.332-04:00The Lyme MazeNavigating Lyme Disease in CanadaPMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-57761105563880720182019-05-29T15:25:00.003-04:002023-05-17T03:14:56.435-04:00 Important Information to Take to Your Doctor<div>
A few days ago, I read some valuable information online regarding Lyme treatment in Canada and I felt is was imperative to post it here for your knowledge. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let me begin by saying that Lyme treatment in Canada is a HUGE, CONFUSING, CONFLICTING, POLITICAL MESS!!! Patients are sick and begging for help. Doctors have no clue how to recognize or diagnose Lyme. Some doctors will give antibiotics for a bulls-eye rash (ranging from 1 single pill to 10 days' worth...definitely not enough!), yet others tell their patients to "wait and see". Doctors want to see a positive blood test before treating, yet Health Canada has published that Lyme diagnosis is first and foremost a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms. Our Lyme testing in Canada (the ELISA test) is completely unreliable, yet doctors will not accept the results of private lab testing from IgeneX. A handful of doctors are bold and compassionate and will treat patients until they are well no matter how long it takes, yet most won't due to the memory of those doctors who have been reprimanded or threatened with licence suspensions. (By the way, never let a doctor to tell you to "wait and see". See my <a href="http://thelymemaze.blogspot.com/2018/06/have-you-had-tick-bite-here-is.html">previous post</a> to know what to ask for if you have had a bite.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The inconsistencies are unbelievable! And the lack of knowledge of Lyme disease in the medical community is shameful. I blame medical schools for not teaching it properly, but I also blame doctors for not informing themselves and furthering their knowledge in this area, even if it involves digging a little deeper than reading the latest medical journal that comes to their inbox. They need to do their own digging; for example, reading the ILADS guidelines as a start, and then the publications of various learned Lyme doctors in the U.S., and maybe a book or two by some Lyme sufferers. Because the majority of doctors have no clue what they are doing, they are actually causing HARM to innocent patients who are in danger of becoming sick with a life-changing illness that will potentially rob them of their livelihood and savings. (I am a case in point.)<br />
<br />
Lyme patients and organized groups have been lobbying the government, Health Canada, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons for many years. Progress is at a snail's pace, and it always seems to be two steps forward, one step back.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am posting 2 documents below (3 pages in total) so you can read for yourself what Dr. Nancy Whitmore, Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, had to say recently about Lyme disease treatment. This is IMPORTANT INFORMATION to take to your doctor if you need treatment. You need to advocate for yourself, because no one else will, and doctors lack the knowledge to treat you correctly and advocate for you. Ask your doctor to be treated according to ILADS treatment guidelines which can be downloaded <a href="https://www.ilads.org/patient-care/ilads-treatment-guidelines/">here</a>. Knowledge is power, so do copy these letters for your physician and bring in a copy of the ILADS guidelines if he/she needs to be informed and set straight.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0uyg74eae0U/XO7aMYnT2yI/AAAAAAAAJZg/sgH6LfKpxPkSEyMfmCt4-Mo1B9cKNUQowCLcBGAs/s1600/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Letter%2529%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="744" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0uyg74eae0U/XO7aMYnT2yI/AAAAAAAAJZg/sgH6LfKpxPkSEyMfmCt4-Mo1B9cKNUQowCLcBGAs/s640/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Letter%2529%2B1.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wN-TS_bGjE/XO7aR2KHdII/AAAAAAAAJZk/ZfiVlvaG92wVyrxq13W7AZgTnrlGGvsHwCLcBGAs/s1600/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Letter%2529%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="744" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wN-TS_bGjE/XO7aR2KHdII/AAAAAAAAJZk/ZfiVlvaG92wVyrxq13W7AZgTnrlGGvsHwCLcBGAs/s640/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Letter%2529%2B2.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d21MuatScVc/XO7aYc7EUYI/AAAAAAAAJZo/adydN62xZ904GuLr0lDvbSZQ5FsK1EgAQCLcBGAs/s1600/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Response%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="744" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d21MuatScVc/XO7aYc7EUYI/AAAAAAAAJZo/adydN62xZ904GuLr0lDvbSZQ5FsK1EgAQCLcBGAs/s640/College%2Bof%2BPhysicians%2B%2528Response%2529.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-63265676702562583032018-06-06T11:31:00.002-04:002023-05-17T03:15:09.724-04:00Have you had a tick bite? Here is IMPORTANT INFORMATION!I am coming out of hibernation for this post because I believe it is very important to share the following information. <br />
<br />
Some physicians (ER, GPs) think that a ONE-TIME dose of antibiotics after a tick bite will prevent the disease. This is FALSE, and do not allow a physician to tell you so. It may kill off the Lyme bacteria (borrelia) in the "spirochete" form, but not the "cyst form" which can also get passed onto you by the tick. The "cyst form" takes longer to kill.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.ilads.org/">ILADS</a> (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society), the following is appropriate treatment:<br />
<ul>
<li>For a tick bite with no Lyme symptoms - 3 weeks of antibiotics (doxycycline for people over the age of 8, amoxicillin for children under 8)</li>
<li>For a tick bite with symptoms, such as a rash - 6 weeks of antibiotics (doxycycline for people over the age of 8, amoxicillin for children under 8)</li>
</ul>
Look it up in the ILADS treatment document in the link above and take the document to your physician. To help you advocate for yourself, I urge you to watch this brief video below (on Facebook) which will help you arm yourself with all of the information you need to talk to your doctor. Click this link:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/1987511621569943/videos/2041990019455436/">https://www.facebook.com/1987511621569943/videos/2041990019455436/</a><br />
<br />
Also, be very careful HOW you remove an embedded tick. Many physicians (ER, GPs) don't know how to properly remove it without squeezing its stomach, which will cause its stomach contents to enter your body! Here is a video to show you a method you can use to ensure that this does not happen. It is called the Straw and Knot Method, developed by a Canadian doctor, Ernie Murakami. Advance to <span style="color: #cc0000;">2:06</span> in the video. Basically, you position a straw over the embedded tick. Tie a thread onto a straw like you were starting to tie a shoelace. Slide the knotted thread down the straw, over the tick's body, as close to your skin as you can get. Slowly tighten the knot around the tick's head. This way, you are not squeezing the stomach. Use gentle tension to pull the tick out. You can also use fine-tipped tweezers to pull a tick out, but be careful to grasp ONLY the head and not the body/stomach of the tick.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x9dsmFVPDqs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x9dsmFVPDqs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Put the tick in a plastic bag or small jar and have your doctor send it away for testing. Do NOT allow your doctor to tell you to "wait and see" if you get a rash or other symptoms! It is best to treat prophylactically (preventatively). Three weeks of antibiotics now could save you a lifetime of chronic illness if the tick was carrying Lyme.<br />
<br />PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-72625962014187994182018-05-04T14:13:00.001-04:002018-05-04T14:26:40.520-04:00Spring, a season of new life and new hopeDear friends,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edmfFIq5NTc/Wuyiaac1mSI/AAAAAAAAEnU/FykCDdvtZtwh2Uv4yqEHPjpq2OJnkDHwQCLcBGAs/s1600/Tulips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edmfFIq5NTc/Wuyiaac1mSI/AAAAAAAAEnU/FykCDdvtZtwh2Uv4yqEHPjpq2OJnkDHwQCLcBGAs/s1600/Tulips.jpg" /></a></div>
We seem to have finally entered spring here in Canada. The sights, sounds, and smells of spring are so refreshing, aren't they? Spring is that relief after enduring months of harsh conditions. Don't get me wrong; I love aspects of winter, too, but after five months of cold, wind, ice, slush, and shovelling, spring allows us to just exhale and take in the emerging beauty around us. It is splendid!<br />
<br />
I hope and pray that you are on the path to wellness and that, like spring, you are able to look forward to a new season of hope in your life. Healing from Lyme is truly like the winter of life; it is hard and harsh. But as you begin to see some small improvements, you regain that hope of better health. Those small improvements are like the spring of your life, renewing your spirit as you anticipate better things to come. Press on, and do not give up! Very little has been gained in life without perseverance. That is my prayer for you - perseverance and hope. <br />
<br />
Thank you to those who have read this blog over the years, and I truly hope it has been helpful to many who have stumbled upon it. This is my farewell post, as I will no longer be publishing here on The Lyme Maze. Six years has been long enough, and I really have nothing more to add. However, I will leave the blog up for those who may wish to have access to the information.<br />
<br />
I wish you all the best on your journey to health! Never give up!<br />
<br />
With love,<br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Lyme Maze</span></em><br />
<br />PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-10668863899443900932017-10-02T15:36:00.000-04:002017-10-02T15:36:17.822-04:00Overcoming Insomnia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xfwMxtZGyQ/WdKVBqC6j6I/AAAAAAAADYk/SyORQ1PccKA045wgPjjzDBQPaDCcyhLWQCLcBGAs/s1600/Insomnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="272" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xfwMxtZGyQ/WdKVBqC6j6I/AAAAAAAADYk/SyORQ1PccKA045wgPjjzDBQPaDCcyhLWQCLcBGAs/s1600/Insomnia.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Insomnia has to be one of the most brutal symptoms of Lyme disease, and so many of us suffer from it. Prior to 2011, when my Lyme disease appeared, I never EVER had a problem sleeping. But it has been a struggle for 6 long years now.<br />
<br />
Some Lyme sufferers can't sleep, while others sleep too much! How bizarre is that? All I can say to that is that Lyme messes with our brain chemistry - hormones, neurotransmitters, cortisol, etc. - and creates a problematic situation that is not easily resolved. In addition, we might end up with thyroid or mitochondrial issues that can worsen our fatigue.<br />
<br />
I encourage you to work with your doctor, naturopath, and LLMD to do whatever it takes to get you sleeping. Sleep is crucial to healing. I have had some success with the use of melatonin, 5-HTP, and zopiclone, but there are many more options out there. Gabapentin was disastrous for me and it took me a very long time to wean off of it due to severe withdrawal symptoms. Every person is an individual and what works for one may not work for another. Experiment with various supplements, and if necessary, prescription medication. But I highly recommend that you do this under the guidance of an experienced medical professional who can help you with dosing and drug interactions.<br />
<br />
Here are a few resources to help you in your quest for a decent night's sleep:<br />
<br />
1. ProHealth, <a href="http://www.prohealth.com/lyme/library/showarticle.cfm?B1=FBLLIBART&libid=30776&utm_campaign=Social%20Media%20-%20Lyme%20Disease&utm_content=60736652&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook">"Five Supplements I Use to Cope With Insomnia"</a><br />
<br />
2. Connie Strasheim, <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Beyond-Glass-Milk-Hot-Bath-ebook/dp/B06XHV7FLX/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1506972329&sr=8-6&keywords=connie+strasheim">Beyond a Glass of Milk and a Hot Bath</a> (Kindle edition)<br />
<br />
3. Dr. Marty Ross, <a href="http://www.treatlyme.net/treat-lyme-book/category/sleep/">Sleep in Lyme Disease</a> (Dr. Marty Ross' articles require a subscription to his online Lyme book, but it is well worth the money! He provides an enormous amount of invaluable information on his website.)<br />
<br />
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-81999316601331216832017-09-25T23:38:00.000-04:002017-09-25T23:58:43.507-04:002017 HighlightsHello everyone!<br />
<br />
I just thought I'd touch base as it's been a while. 2017 has been an interesting year in the Lyme world with more publicity for Lyme and some small, but positive steps with regard to advocacy.<br />
<br />
Firstly, we saw the establishment of the <a href="https://news.uoguelph.ca/2017/06/lyme-disease-grant/">G. Magnotta Lyme Disease Research Lab</a> at the University of Guelph this year, with a $1.4 million grant from the government. I had been waiting for this announcement for a couple of years. The last I had heard, it was supposed to be in conjunction with the Humber River Hospital, but apparently that plan fell through. I am glad to see this partnership established and look forward to hearing about their research. <br />
<br />
Secondly, we saw some baby steps towards progress in conversations between a particular Lyme advocacy group and the federal government. Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis call themselves <a href="https://lymehope.weebly.com/">LymeHope</a>, and they had a very successful campaign to collect and deliver 2 700 letters from Lyme sufferers all over Canada to then Health Minister Jane Philpott. Click on the LymeHope link to read more about their story and what is in store. I was pleased to be one of the 2 700 people to tell my story to the Health Minister. Thank you so much, Sue and Jennifer, for your tireless effort!<br />
<br />
This year, we saw Lori Dennis, a psychotherapist from Toronto, promote her new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Lyme-Madness-Rescuing-Chronic-Disease/dp/0995168911/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506395216&sr=8-1&keywords=lori+dennis">Lyme Madness</a>. The book recounts her son's harrowing journey to heal from Lyme, but in addition, she does a fabulous job explaining the roadblocks we face in Canada with regard to our medical system. All of your questions about the madness of this situation will be answered in her book. Her book also includes dozens of accounts from Lyme sufferers in Canada. I was so pleased to have my personal story included in her book. This book is a fantastic read and I highly encourage everyone to get a copy!<br />
<br />
I have spent some time updating a few things on my blog. If you check out my Books tab above, I have added several new books to the list. More is being written about Lyme every year it seems, and "famous" Lyme sufferers are coming out of the woodwork, with several publishing their Lyme stories.<br />
<br />
I have also added an update to the My Lyme Story tab above. If you scroll down to the end, there is some information about what's been going on with me the past couple of years. Every day is a struggle, but through those struggles, I have come to better understand God's blessings in my life.<br />
<br />
I'm praying for you all, and hoping for a better future for all of us Lyme sufferers in Canada.<br />
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-34816234418057349732016-04-27T18:46:00.001-04:002016-04-27T18:46:51.666-04:00Important! Sign up for the conference webinar!Dear Canadian Friends,<br />
<br />
The Canadian government is holding a conference on Lyme Disease as per the requirements of Elizabeth May's law - A Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act. This is the very first step in discussing the abominable situation Lyme sufferers here find themselves in. Obviously we can't all attend the conference, but we can sign up to view it in webinar format. Even if you do not wish to watch the conference, would you mind taking a moment to fill out the webinar application? We are trying to show the government that there is truly some interest in this issue. The link is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FaCqAcsKwD6&h=wAQErudRJAQH7EqJliaQKJM_RYSJA2WUQf6Bjv5wp8LqyfQ&enc=AZOVO78lYM_fPItWZpFL8-v5lHsVFFmqAeBbGzjyFO0jm-WP0kE2x-niG4eJLyPBtZcne0JwfK1YHC8lbDfuqd3KjDnlhxg1OdL0xaszlZEWcfyC6Ua6RQ_ORVdbnPyEgntP20Xt2MOSFeL6bWFwy6TMBxRrDHABId2oHz22GN4_8X7HQ1IsW8jk_yMtA_24d9m5revmmTn6KLtJITAPdf6N&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://t.co/aCqAcsKwD6</a>. Scroll down to where it says "PDF fillable form". Submit your information. <br />
<br />
Thank you for considering this.PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-29358901719911519992016-02-06T12:32:00.002-05:002016-02-06T15:42:15.119-05:00Canadian Lyme conference comingThis just made me cry. Bless her heart for being so brave.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FBUW0PmI9JU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FBUW0PmI9JU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I do applaud the U.S. government for moving forward with hearings such as this. But it's just too slow of a process while young people such as this girl in the video, watch their childhood and teen years pass by. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Canada will be hosting a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Conference in Ottawa on May 16-17. Read about it <a href="http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-maladie/lyme/professionals-professionnels/conference-eng.php">here</a>. This is required as part of the Federal Framework on Lyme Disease law that was passed a couple of years ago, spearheaded by MP and Green Party leader Elizabeth May. Let us hope and pray that the message gets through to the health community. Perhaps there will never be agreement between the two opposing sides in this controversy (IDSA vs. ILADS), but please, oh please, release doctors from the constraints and allow them to treat patients using whichever standard of practice they deem to be best for the situation.</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-65189031472944172062016-01-23T15:56:00.001-05:002016-01-23T19:37:18.300-05:00Awoooooooooooooooo!<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<img alt="Image result for full moon" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGYEAMlQ49RCGw-xi1FeJr5Lltv3Py5qdal0maJxml9tin5bL9" data-sz="f" jsaction="load:str.tbn" name="nu94wYGVbswIdM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGYEAMlQ49RCGw-xi1FeJr5Lltv3Py5qdal0maJxml9tin5bL9" style="height: 172px; margin-left: -11px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 230px;" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Today is a full moon. But I probably didn't have to tell you that if you have Lyme. Are you feeling worse today? More neuro symptoms? More fatigued? More anxious? I'm answering yes to all of the above. I suppose that there is some strange relief in knowing that the cause is the full moon, and that I'm joined by countless others who are enduring this.<br />
<br />
So yes, my Lyme has returned. I'm having a bit of a relapse after having been antibiotic-free for 6 months. Oh, how I was <em>so </em>enjoying the freedom of being pill-free!!! But in December, my symptoms started to creep back. To be honest, I had been neglecting the triad of good health: eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising regularly. It just got so busy in December preparing for Christmas, celebrating Christmas, cleaning up from Christmas, then writing report cards for the last 3 weeks. I've been burning the midnight oil and eating too much gluten and sugar, which is just bad news all around. <br />
<br />
I've smartened up now, and am working on all 3 of these areas. New Year's goals: 1) At least 7 hours of sleep a night 2) Eat grain-free and sugar-free (with the exception of one gluten-free starchy carb serving at dinner) 3) Exercise 3 times a week once I get my sleep stabilized. Sadly, I'm back on antibiotics and have an appointment with my LLMD in a couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
I noticed that I was feeling particularly bad this week and decided to check the calendar. Yup...a full moon was approaching. Do you believe in this full moon stuff? It is not superstition, you know; it is science. I have only to look at the behaviour of my students during a full moon to attest to the fact that the gravitational pull on the Earth affects us physically and mentally. And it is certain that this phenomenon affects the reproductive cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi. <br />
<br />
I went in search of an explanation of this online, and found <a href="http://www.tiredoflyme.com/full-moons-and-lyme-disease.html">this interesting article</a> which explains why we feel worse during the full moon, and sometimes the new moon. Apparently, animals are sensitive to electromagnetic energy, and this includes microorganisms. When the Borrelia sense the electromagnetic changes of these time periods, they are programmed to reproduce. When they reproduce, there are obviously more organisms floating around your body. The antibiotics are therefore killing off more bacteria than normal during this time, and you end up with a <a href="http://www.treatlyme.net/treat-lyme-book/herxheimer-die-off-reaction-inflammation-run-amok">herxheimer reaction</a>. In other words, you feel crummy! (Or let's say, crummier than normal.)<br />
<br />
So there you have it. You're not crazy. It's a real phenomenon. Do all you can to support your body and detox. Drink plenty of water. Add lemon to your water. Take a detox bath. Sleep.<br />
<br />
Thinking of you all, and hoping you feel better soon.<br />
<br />PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-80610198452517088662016-01-06T15:10:00.000-05:002016-01-23T16:02:40.547-05:00Hello again, and welcome to a new year!Well hello everyone! Happy New Year! I thought it was time for a new blog post; it's been a while.<br />
<br />
I certainly don't post as much as I used to when I started this blog in 2012. I was so on fire then, wanting to shout to the world everything I knew about this horrific illness. I wanted to convince everyone of the TRUTH, and make known the inexcusable lack of knowledge in the medical community. I wanted to change the system and change everyone's minds! <br />
<br />
Well, I doubt I've achieved much of those things through my humble little blog here, but I do know that I have been able to come alongside individuals and provide guidance, reassurance, and hope. I know I needed that so very much when I was terribly sick with Lyme in 2011 without any medical explanation of what was wrong with me. <br />
<br />
I just want all of you Lyme sufferers to know that you are not alone in this. So many people in Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Europe are travelling on this same journey, and it really is wonderful, in this age of technology, that we can connect and support one another through the rough times. I am so honoured to be able to help you through this, via the stories and information on my blog. <br />
<br />
I am often reminded of The Starfish Story that I heard about 25 years ago, but which has always stuck with me. I'll post it below.<br />
<br />
Thank you for visiting. And many blessings in 2016!<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The Starfish Story<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the
distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man,
picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is
that you are doing?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The young man paused, looked up, and replied, “Throwing starfish into the
ocean.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing
starfish into the ocean?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out.
If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you
not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all
along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another
starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and
said, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“It
made a difference for that one.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></o:p></span> </div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-15213794083707780822015-10-12T01:09:00.000-04:002015-10-12T16:29:41.293-04:00The Aftermath of Lyme<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for sign for bumpy road ahead" border="0" class="rg_i" data-sz="f" height="400" jsaction="load:str.tbn" name="-9o1y6Zg__aWhM:" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="cursor: move; height: 179px; margin-top: -4px; width: 162px;" unselectable="on" width="362" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
I've wanted to write this post for a while, but hesitated because I didn't want to discourage anyone who is going through Lyme treatment currently. Frankly, the last thing I wanted to think about when I was in treatment, was how my life might be different once it was all said and done. My focus was on getting well enough to be the wife, mother, and teacher I was called to be. And those things I certainly achieved in the end. Therefore, if you are in the researching phase, or just about to start treatment, or even in the thick of your regimen, please know that I simply want to share my experience and give people a taste of what the future <em>might </em>bring after the fallout.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Firstly, let me encourage you by saying this: I have no regrets whatsoever for going through Lyme treatment! Long-term antibiotics (4 years' worth!) literally gave me my life back! I have just begun my fourth year of teaching <em>post-Lyme</em>, and some days I still marvel at the miracle of being able to do my job again, especially considering that I am on my feet all day and have very little time to give my brain a rest throughout the work day. I cook meals, clean the house, shop, organize my family's social calendar, and chauffeur my kids. Just like any other mom! I am grateful, especially on this Thanksgiving Day.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What, then, are the bumps in the road? What has Lyme left me with that I wish I could still overcome? The following things are my personal experience, and I do not want to imply that everyone will travel the same path. But I don't think that most people emerge from Lyme unscathed. Here are my continuing issues:<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1) Body pain! Oh the annoyance of constant pain! OK, it's not unbearable or anything, but the stiff muscles and sore joints are just constantly there. When I get up in the morning, I feel like I'm 80 as I hobble to the bathroom. My left hip and my feet are the worst. Getting up from a chair after sitting for a while is not fun. It takes a few minutes to loosen up. Why is this happening? Clearly, there is inflammation in my body. In all honesty, my diet hasn't been clean lately, so this could be exacerbating the problem. In an effort to help my body, I've decided to go grain-free and sugar-free for a time. The first 4 days showed a marked improvement in my pain. It was quite miraculous, actually. I could suddenly move and bend without much pain, and the stiffness in the morning was reduced by about 70%. I'm going to try to continue this regimen, with the hopes of adding back some grains (rice, quinoa) eventually. I think I'll stay away from wheat, though. <em>Wheat Belly </em>has convinced me that I need to try to live without it.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2) The weight gain! Oh my! I really don't feel or look like myself. My LLMD warned me that people often gain about 30 lbs in treatment. Well, I've gained about 37 lbs since I started treatment. Sadly, I did not heed his advice to give up sugar and simple carbs during my treatment. Slowly, the weight packed on. I should have listened. For all of you out there in treatment.....If your doctor wants you to eat cleanly, perhaps sugar-free, wheat-free, or yeast-free, please do it! It will help your inflammation and help to prevent the weight gain. I am happy to report that giving up the sugar and grains last week resulted in a 3.5 lb weight loss. I was very pleased, because frankly, you get to a point when you wonder if anything will work. Knowing that this weight loss may take a year is daunting for sure, but I have to focus on all of the positives.....not just the weight loss, but the improvement in my skin, sleep, energy, stamina, digestion, etc.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3) The flare-ups. From time to time, I still get little flare-ups of my symptoms. There may be a night when I go to bed and the head vibrations come on, preventing me from sleeping. Sometimes I'm just plain tired. Sometimes, I feel my body vibrating or hear some tinnitus in my ear. In the past, I would go back on antibiotics when these things happened, but now I'm more willing to see if the flare-up will subside. It has done so the last few times. This leads me to believe that I'm not having a true relapse, but rather some inflammation due to any number of things, e.g., diet, lack of sleep, illness, etc. This is motivating me to get my inflammation under control through diet, better sleep, and supplements.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
4) Supplements. If you thought you could ditch the pill organizer after your treatment is done, think again. I think it's important to stay on certain supplements that will assist the body in staying as healthy as possible. For me personally, I am going to re-start Omega 3, B complex, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, digestive enzymes, and probiotics. I've been off everything, including all meds, for a few months now. However, I see the importance in resuming my supplements, so tomorrow I'll be re-filling my organizer. Once again, a handful of pills will be my appetizer before every meal.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
5) Emotional changes. It is very strange to see parts of my personality change since my illness. I used to be a Type A person all the way. Now, I let things slide a lot more. I had never been a procrastinator, but lately have been more prone to this. I don't really have the same fear of illness or death that I used to. I think it's because I feel that <em>nothing </em>can possibly compare to the <em>hell </em>I went through when I was sick. It has hardened me somewhat. I'm not sure if these changes are good or bad, but things are just different now. Going through something so traumatic is bound to change you forever, in one way or another.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
6) Coming to terms with the things I can no longer do.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I can't skate! I love skating; I even bought a new, good pair of skates. But my feet hurt too much. They start to ache after about 1 minute on the ice. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I can't eat sugar or grains. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I don't sleep as well. Insomnia was one of the first Lyme symptoms I had. Eventually, it got much better with the help of sleep meds, but I need to be very careful now as the sleep disturbances can come on suddenly.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I have to say no to church and community activities because my body just can't handle it anymore. I'm tired....a lot. After working, caring for my family, and school work I must do in the evening, I need to rest. And I'm not going to feel guilty about it either.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
- I can't exercise to the same degree that I used to. My body is just too sore.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
7) Always being on the look out. Unfortunately, I don't think that chronic Lyme can be cured....yet. It goes into remission, but the stealthy bacteria hide deep in our tissues and organs. Dr. Marty Ross, LLMD, believes that most people relapse within 5 years of going into remission. <em>Great. </em>I'm always wondering if my flare-ups are actually a relapse. It's hard to know until you ride them out. This means that at some point, I'll likely need antibiotics again. Will my LLMD still be practicing then? I don't know! He is heading for retirement. It's a worry I wish I didn't have.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Well there you have it. The truth. But keep in mind that this is <em>my </em>truth, and it won't necessarily be <em>your </em>truth. Please don't worry! Focus on getting better, but learn from my mistakes and be sure to eat right and exercise to tolerance. Give your body all the tools you can to help it grow strong again once your treatment is done. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Wishing you all the best!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-69874733035709726762015-09-22T08:52:00.002-04:002015-09-22T08:52:36.669-04:00Another Step Forward<h1 class="title">
ILADS Treatment Guidelines Are Now Listed on the National Guidelines Clearinghouse Website</h1>
<div class="postmetadata">
<ul>
<li class="calendar">September 21, 2015 5:32 pm</li>
<li class="author"><a href="http://www.ilads.org/ilads_news/author/ILADS/" rel="author" title="Posts by ILADS">ILADS</a></li>
<li class="category"><a href="http://www.ilads.org/ilads_news/category/ilads-news/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in News from ILADS">News from ILADS</a></li>
<!--
<li class="comments"><a href="http://www.ilads.org/ilads_news/2015/ilads-treatment-guidelines-are-now-listed-on-the-national-guidelines-clearinghouse-website/#commentspost" title="Jump to the comments">no comments</a></li>
--> </ul>
<div class="cleaner">
</div>
</div>
<div class="postcontent">
<strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</strong> September 21, 2015<br />
<strong>For Media Inquiries:</strong><br /> International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS)<br /> Barbara Buchman<br /><a href="mailto:lymedocs@ILADS.org">lymedocs@ILADS.org</a><br /> (301) 263-1080<br />
<br />
<strong>ILADS treatment guidelines are now listed on the National Guidelines Clearinghouse Website.</strong><br />
(Sept 21, 2015) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease occur annually in the US. ILADS guidelines, Evidence Assessments and Guideline Recommendations in Lyme disease: The Clinical Management of Known Tick Bites, Erythema Migrans Rashes and Persistent Disease” bring the latest scientific evidence to bear on the management of the illness. ILADS is proud to announce their guidelines are now available on the National Guidelines Clearinghouse (NGC) website.<br />
<br />
The National Guidelines Clearinghouse (NGC) is an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NGC recently adopted the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards for developing trustworthy guidelines, which define the highest level of excellence that a guideline can achieve. Guidelines posted on the NGC website must now satisfy these standards. Thus, the inclusion of ILADS’s peer reviewed guidelines on the NGC website demonstrates that they meet the level of excellence called for by the IOM.<br />
<br />
ILADS is the first organization to issue guidelines on Lyme disease that were developed in accordance with the IOM standards. The document provides a detailed review of the pertinent medical literature and contains the first set recommendations for Lyme disease based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) process. This rigorous review format is also used by many other well-respected medical organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the American College of Physicians, and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the UK. ILADS guidelines are the only Lyme disease guidelines that included a patient from the Lyme community as an author or as a member of the guidelines development panel.<br />
<br />
ILADS’ GRADE-based analyses found the evidence was of very low quality and regimens based on randomized controlled trials often failed. “For this reason, we moved away from designating a fixed duration for antibiotic therapy and instead encourage clinicians to tailor therapy based on the patient’s response,” noted Cameron, author and president of ILADS.<br />
<br />
“We not only recommend that clinicians perform a deliberate and individualized assessment of the potential risks and benefits of various treatment options before making their initial selection, we also recommend careful follow-up because this allows them to adjust therapy as circumstances evolve. This patient-centered approach should reduce the risk of chronic illness due to inadequate antibiotic therapy.” said Elizabeth Maloney, MD, a guidelines coauthor and provider of continuing medical education courses on tick-borne illnesses.<br />
<br />
The guidelines include share medical decision making and take patient values into consideration. Lorraine Johnson, JD, MBA, a coauthor and Chief Executive Officer of LymeDisease.org, said “A lot of the treatment decisions in Lyme disease depend on trade-offs. How sick is the patient, how invasive is the treatment, what is valued by the patient? Patients need to understand the risks and benefits of treatment options to make informed medical choices. These guidelines provide that information.”<br />
<br />
<em>ILADS is a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary medical society dedicated the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and associated diseases. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ilads.org/">www.ILADS.org</a>.</em></div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-28546740239008616552015-07-12T12:43:00.001-04:002015-07-12T14:04:51.275-04:00T.G.I.S.Thank God It's Summer. And I don't mean that flippantly. I'm so grateful to God for these two months off to get some health matters dealt with and to give myself some time to recuperate. (I'm a teacher, and here in Canada, we do not teach classes during the months of July and August.)<br />
<br />
So first off, I underwent surgery (unrelated to Lyme) under general anesthetic 5 days ago. I wasn't worried about the surgery beforehand which I consider to be a gift from God, given my history of worrying. It was a fairly routine surgery, but with the slight possibility of bringing bad news when the pathology report comes back in a few weeks. But I'm OK.<br />
<br />
What is troubling me more is the flare-up of my Lyme symptoms since the general anesthetic. Wow! That threw me for a loop! The night after my surgery, I could not fall asleep because that full-body buzzing/vibrating feeling returned in full force. I couldn't believe it. I had been in remission.....yes, symptom-free!.....for months and had finally gotten off all the drugs. I was so ready to get my weight down and my poor body back in shape over the summer months.<br />
<br />
An email was promptly sent to my LLMD who confirmed that yes, general anesthetic along with stress can exacerbate symptoms, and to give it a week before going back on antibiotics. I hope that my nervous system will settle down in the next week. I'm going to re-start some supplements to help with nerve repair and inflammation: B6, alpha lipoic acid, and curcumin. I've also decided to re-start Banderol and Samento. Perhaps they will take care of the bacteria and I won't have to resume antibiotics. Time will tell.<br />
<br />
It's been interesting seeing doctors' reactions to my health history which has to be detailed before surgery. I'm always asked about the "chronic Lyme disease" that I list. They're not asking in a disbelieving way, but are usually interested in what my symptoms are and when/where I think I was bitten. It's a nice opportunity to slip in a little education for the medical community as I tell them a bit of my story and that I'm being treated in the U.S. because they won't treat chronic Lyme disease here in Canada. I visited a dental surgeon the other day who said, "Lyme disease?! You and Avril Lavigne!" "Yes", I said. "My story and hers are identical." So thank you, Avril, for going public. This is such a fight, such an uphill battle, that we need all the help we can get to make the powers that be aware.<br />
<br />
I'm starting to wonder if you ever really get over disseminated Lyme disease. I think not. It goes into remission, but you need to be so careful about taking care of yourself so it doesn't spiral out of control again. So, T.G.I.S. I need this time to get my body ready to take on the challenges of a new school year in September. I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful summer, everyone! Blessings!<br />
<br />PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-2201035066326454592015-05-18T12:01:00.000-04:002015-05-18T12:14:04.989-04:00Update on Me, Wine, and Miscellaneous Stuff!<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<br /></div>
Hi everyone! How's that for a post title? For all you Canadians who may be reading this, happy Victoria Day!!! Oh how I looooove long weekends; too bad I'm spending today indoors marking assignments. I'd much rather be planting my gardens, but duty calls.....and truthfully, the students have been waiting far too long to get these assignments back!<br />
<br />
In Canada, Victoria Day holiday marks the official beginning of summer. OK, not the "actual" start of summer which is sometime around June 20, but the mental/emotional/practical start of summer. What a welcome relief from the bitter winter we endured here in Canada, where temperatures were sub-zero (and I mean SUB-SUB-zero) for such long stretches. <br />
<br />
This weekend is also a huge camping weekend in Canada, which is the perfect segue to talking about tick protection. I do hope that all of the campers out there have done their research ahead of time so they don't end up with tick bites. Ticks are everywhere.....including your backyard! They are deposited there by songbirds. (It drives me crazy when doctors in these parts say, "There's no Lyme in this place or that place. Ticks don't swim across the Great Lakes to get to Canada!") Well of course not, but have they not considered the BIRDS???? Geesh. One local fellow Lyme sufferer posted recently that her dog had two ticks on him, and he hadn't left the backyard. So there you go. <a href="http://www.thelymemaze.blogspot.ca/p/protect-yourself.html">Protect yourself</a> and learn how to properly remove an embedded tick.<br />
<br />
So what's happening with me? Well, I think I can safely say that I am currently in remission from Lyme disease. Nevertheless, mild symptoms do reappear from time to time, but they don't seem to last long. I think that symptoms at this stage have much to do with inflammation in the body, so I'm going to resume taking some important supplements like curcumin which helps reduce inflammation. I'm still on a very low dose of antibiotics daily which is <em>my</em> choice. My LLMD would be fine for me to go off antibiotics entirely, but I've tried to do that twice and symptoms started to return after about 6 weeks. I can't afford to be unwell and to take time off work to deal with a relapse, so for now anyway, I like the "insurance" that the antibiotic gives. At some point, when I feel braver, I may try going off again and taking the herbal antimicrobials Banderol and Samento instead. We'll see.<br />
<br />
I picked up a bottle of wine two days ago on my way out of Loblaws. (Having healed from Lyme, I am so happy to be able to enjoy wine again....finally!) There is a little wine shop right inside the grocery store that is run by Magnotta Winery. I love supporting Magnotta because of the AMAZING work that is being done by Rossana Magnotta for Lyme research and treatment.<br />
<br />
In case you hadn't heard, Gabe Magnotta, who co-founded Magnotta Winery, passed away from complications stemming from his lengthy battle with Lyme disease. He went through the same ordeal all of us "Canadians-with-Lyme" go through.....being misdiagnosed, seeking treatment outside of the country, etc. etc. etc. His wife, Rossana, has founded the G. Magnotta Foundation which will soon open a Lyme research facility in the Humber River Hospital in Toronto. <br />
<br />
When I got home and pulled my wine bottle out of the bag, out came this pamphlet detailing the foundation's plans, and giving some information about Lyme disease.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh-nQPMHn3M/VVoKVkCBMMI/AAAAAAAAArM/klM1BmEKF0I/s1600/Magnotta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nh-nQPMHn3M/VVoKVkCBMMI/AAAAAAAAArM/klM1BmEKF0I/s320/Magnotta.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As I write this, I'm feeling emotional. This woman, who lost her husband, is turning around and doing such good for Canadians with Lyme disease. Gabe's death will not be in vain! I truly hope that the facility accomplishes all it sets out to accomplish. Here is some information from their pamphlet:<br />
<br />
<em>The primary focus of the Foundation is the establishment and operation of Canada's first research facility to study Lyme Disease and eventually other vector-borne illnesses. It will also educate medical professionals and the public through workshops and seminars.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Scheduled for completion in late 2015, the new state-of-the-art Humber River Hospital in Toronto - the first fully digital acute care hospital in North America - has partnered with the Foundation to house its world-class research facility for vector-borne illnesses. It will lead to better diagnostics and treatment for Canadians, many of whom have had to leave the country to get the accurate testing and proper care they need which Canada currently lacks.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
If you are looking for a charitable organization to donate to, I encourage you to consider the G. Magnotta Foundation for Vector-Borne Diseaes. Check out their website at <a href="http://www.gmagnottafoundation.com/">www.gmagnottafoundation.com</a>. You can donate online through <a href="http://www.canadahelps.org/">www.canadahelps.org</a>.<br />
<br />
Well, I think that's about it for news. It was nice "chatting" with you. Wishing you all well on your Lyme journey, and I'll be in touch!<br />
<br />
P.S. The Magnotta Riesling is excellent!<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
Happy Victoria Day!</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<img alt="Image result for fireworks" class="rg_i" data-sz="f" jsaction="load:str.tbn" name="DVNXiGZ3fxRCuM:" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="height: 187px; margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -11px; margin-top: 0px; width: 251px;" /></div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-12670484396461562342015-04-03T13:59:00.000-04:002015-04-03T14:00:58.208-04:00Another celebrity goes public<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img alt="How Avril Lavigne's Mom, Fans and Husband Helped Her Through Her Health Crisis| Health, Avril Lavigne" border="0" src="http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2015/news/150413/cover-01-768.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</div>
I'm sorry to learn that Avril Lavigne has been battling Lyme disease for the past several months. I am, however, appreciative that she has decided to reveal the details of her illness. Unfortunately, it seems to take this type of notoriety for people to wake up and take notice. Perhaps someone can be spared from this horrific illness by the knowledge they will gain from the article in People Magazine. I look forward to reading her story.<br />
<br />
For a little preview of the article and video clip, <a href="http://www.people.com/article/avril-lavigne-lyme-disease-fans-chad-kroeger-mom?xid=socialflow_facebook_peoplemag">click here</a>.</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-88935345139539870812015-02-01T14:16:00.000-05:002015-02-02T01:01:43.285-05:00Our Canadian medical system fails againHere is an article about my great niece that appeared in The Hamilton Spectator last week. It really seems that doctors outside of the "infectious disease" scope are more open to changing ideas about Lyme disease. The infectious disease doctor interviewed for this article, however, spewed the same old rhetoric. I would like to ask him, "If she were your daughter, what would YOU do? If the local medical system could find nothing wrong, would you not explore other avenues and other treatment options? Would you just sit back and watch her suffer? Would you stop at 28 days of antibiotics if it was clear that it didn't resolve the symptoms? Wouldn't you try <em>anything</em>?"<br />
<br />
And the frustrating part is that Lyme sufferers aren't just going into these longer-term treatments blindly. There are hundreds upon hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have been greatly helped by long-term antibiotics and more integrative care. Does all of that clinical evidence count for nothing?<br />
<br />
The article is below, but here is the <a href="http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5273748-from-cartwheels-to-a-wheelchair-in-one-year/">link</a> to the original article. After reading it, I encourage you to check out the comments by readers below the original article. Feel free to post your opinion!<br />
<br />
<div class="PageReview ArticleDetailPage clearfix" data-omni-prop-events="" data-omni-prop-products="" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Article" style="-ms-word-wrap: break-word; height: 1719px; width: 650px;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/QNYIQy9ny3dNOnwyb3E7_919H8G6_FYEabFnEOCcCOJy8JT205_J6ZQsdg1IYIyYpiGmCfH39n0s_zrL9aCx38aRAbx3ByT9drHsXdc3_dHD1fA4-hM_wep3mnAA-yMbHOusjF1WzlIKIMtM6BWtylquiBw-RTAcpFdn42vmpprjep3N06LXxsfTXQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="FUNDRAISER" border="0" class="PrintableImg" data-intent="true" src="http://media.zuza.com/7/3/73728b6d-26c3-4269-a3ba-e51f8191baf2/B821841683Z.1_20150123203334_000_G8J1DLB47.2_Content.jpg" data-src="http://media.zuza.com/7/3/73728b6d-26c3-4269-a3ba-e51f8191baf2/B821841683Z.1_20150123203334_000_G8J1DLB47.2_Content.jpg" style="cursor: move; display: block; margin-top: 9.5px;" unselectable="on" /></a><br />
<div class="bHeader above-page-title clearfix">
<span class="left printable-date">Jan 23, 2015 </span> <span class="left"> </span></div>
<h1 class="printable-title">
From cartwheels to a wheelchair in one year </h1>
<div class="detail-page-right-block">
<div class="detail-page-rotator-wrap wrap-image-gallery " style="text-align: left;">
<div class="FMSlider IMAGE-Slider" style="height: 134px; width: 650px;">
<div class="slide printable-set active" style="display: block; opacity: 1; text-align: left; z-index: 299;">
<div class="imgBlock" style="height: 152px; width: 611px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>A fundraising event was held Friday evening for Grace McWaters at the Churchill Park Clubhouse. Her friends, from left, Shrishyla Manickham, Sylvia Kukucska, Ben Cinq-Mars, Talar Stockton and</em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><em>Maddie Prosser collected donations. </em><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Photo: Gary Yokoyama,The Hamilton Spectator</span></div>
</div>
<br /></div>
<h2 class="desBlock">
</h2>
<div class="scrollable-text">
<em></em> </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<img class="iLoader loadingDots" src="http://www.thespec.com/images/loading.gif" style="display: none;" /> </div>
<div align="left" class="sliderControl right" style="display: none;">
<a class="sprite LIButton next" href="javascript:void(0);">next</a> <a class="sprite LIButton playpause pause" href="javascript:void(0);">play/pause</a> <a class="sprite LIButton previous" href="javascript:void(0);">pre</a> 1/1 </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="bHeader">
</div>
<div class="bHeader">
By <a class="color printable-author" href="http://www.thespec.com/hamilton-author/joanna-frketich/044a62bb-aab4-4e6c-80bf-fe7aa660c4dd">Joanna Frketich</a> <a href="mailto:jfrketich@thespec.com"><span class="sprite emailIco"></span> </a> </div>
<div itemprop="articleBody">
<div class="printable-text">
A Westdale teen went from turning cartwheels to a wheelchair in a year. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Grace McWaters was a gymnast, played the violin and got good marks at school. Now, the 14-year-old forgets the names of her pets, doesn't recognize old friends and gets confused about where she lives. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Doctors are baffled. Her parents Brenda and Darryl McWaters are convinced she has Lyme disease. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"It is the scariest, most awful thing I've ever experienced in my life," says her mother. "It's like watching her disappear before my eyes." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Neurology experts tried in January to determine why she now has bouts of speaking unintelligibly. Faced with no firm diagnosis or treatment plan in Hamilton, her parents took her Thursday to a Florida clinic run by a medical doctor who uses both Western and naturopathic medicine to treat a wide variety of illnesses from Lyme disease to Alzheimer's to brain trauma to weight loss. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
An <a href="http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-grace-fight-lyme-disease/290121">online campaign</a> and a fundraiser Friday in Westdale have raised more than $20,000 to help the family with the $5,000-a-week cost of going to the <a href="http://sponauglewellness.com/wellness-programs/">Sponaugle Wellness Institute</a> for up to three months of treatment. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"Her health has deteriorated so fast," says her mother. "It's a devastating illness … The more I talk about this, the emotions strangle me." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Grace started Grade 8 at Dalewood Middle School in September 2013 as a healthy, active teen. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"She was lively, energetic and social kid," says her mom. "When we'd go for a walk, she'd see how many cartwheels she could do down the sidewalk. She spent two hours a day on the trampoline. She was very physically active." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
The first sign of trouble was heart palpitations followed by headaches, neck pains and sore joints. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"She would be in agony," said her mom. "Her knee would swell up like a balloon." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
By October, she had stomach aches and her energy plummeted. She developed sensitivity to light and noise. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"She was losing weight," said her mom. "It was a struggle to get her to drink enough water. She found it impossible to swallow anything." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Grace switched family doctors when no answers could be found. They did every test from iron deficiency to X-rays. Everything was negative. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"I was getting frantic," said her mom. "I felt sick about it … We were at the end of our rope. We had tested for everything … The symptoms kept piling up." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Her mom asked for a Lyme test after noticing Grace had a lot of the symptoms of the tick-borne disease. The result was negative. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
However the tests, the <a href="http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3870220-canadians-trapped-in-lyme-disease-limbo/">ELISA followed by the Western Blot</a>, are considered unreliable by patients and some Lyme doctors. But infectious disease experts say they're "incredibly sensitive" tests and the only ones approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"The problem with the test is false positives not false negatives," says Dr. Michael Gardam director of infection prevention and control at Toronto's University Health Network. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
The parents paid about $500 for Grace to be tested again for Lyme in the U.S. This time the test was positive. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Grace started taking antibiotics, the standard treatment for Lyme disease, under the care of a Canadian and an American doctor along with a naturopath. At first it seemed to work. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"It was like someone put the brakes on," said her mother. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
Grace improved enough to start Grade 9 at Westdale Secondary School in the fall — the first time she'd attended school in nearly a year. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
But long-term antibiotic use causes health issues of its own. The mainstream medical community maintains Lyme should be cured after no more than 30 days. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"We cure Lyme disease all the time," said Gardam. "People who test positive respond to treatment. It works really well. It's people who test negative who aren't responding to treatment. But than you have to ask yourself, 'Do they have Lyme disease?'" </div>
<div class="printable-text">
In November, Grace started deteriorating rapidly to the point she now requires a wheelchair and is having neurological issues such as memory lapses. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"They had no explanation," said her mom. "It's like living in the 'Twilight Zone.'" </div>
<div class="printable-text">
The family researched their options and settled on the clinic, which is licensed as a massage establishment with no public complaints against it. It's best known for its detox programs. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"I completely empathize," said Gardam. "I understand why they are looking for any options they can find … I really wonder about the health-care practitioners that offer these things that are so far out of the mainstream. It just makes me very uncomfortable." </div>
<div class="printable-text">
But the family thinks Canadian doctors "have their heads in the sand" about Lyme. </div>
<div class="printable-text">
"As soon as I mention Lyme, they shut down," said the mom. "They dismiss you and they don't take you seriously. They don't want to help you. You have to go to the U.S. It will change eventually, but not without a fight." <br />
</div>
</div>
<span class="sub-footer"></span><a href="mailto:jfrketich@thespec.com">jfrketich@thespec.com</a> <br />
905-526-3349 | @Jfrketich<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
<div id="___plusone_0" style="display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 1px; height: 20px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 90px;">
</div>
<img height="64" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/QNYIQy9ny3dNOnwyb3E7_919H8G6_FYEabFnEOCcCOJy8JT205_J6ZQsdg1IYIyYpiGmCfH39n0s_zrL9aCx38aRAbx3ByT9drHsXdc3_dHD1fA4-hM_wep3mnAA-yMbHOusjF1WzlIKIMtM6BWtylquiBw-RTAcpFdn42vmpprjep3N06LXxsfTXQ" style="left: 568px; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 396px;" width="96" />
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zuza.com%2F7%2F3%2F73728b6d-26c3-4269-a3ba-e51f8191baf2%2FB821841683Z.1_20150123203334_000_G8J1DLB47.2_Content.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/QNYIQy9ny3dNOnwyb3E7_919H8G6_FYEabFnEOCcCOJy8JT205_J6ZQsdg1IYIyYpiGmCfH39n0s_zrL9aCx38aRAbx3ByT9drHsXdc3_dHD1fA4-hM_wep3mnAA-yMbHOusjF1WzlIKIMtM6BWtylquiBw-RTAcpFdn42vmpprjep3N06LXxsfTXQ" -->PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-41649210589105766562015-01-23T11:52:00.000-05:002015-01-23T11:55:38.433-05:00Lyme Strikes Our Family AgainI cannot understand how it is that very intelligent people can deny that Lyme exists in Canada, or think that it is not all that prevalent.<br />
<br />
To the doctors who seem to be in denial:<br />
<br />
Do you read the newspaper?<br />
Do you watch the news?<br />
Do you read books? (Examples: <em>Cure Unknown</em> by Pamela Weintraub, <em>Why Can't I Get Better?</em> by Dr. Richard Horowitz?)<br />
Do you know that many U.S. States have laws in place now protecting physicians from sanctions if they decide to treat Lyme disease with long-term antibiotics?<br />
Do you know that Canada now has a Federal Framework for Lyme Disease? This law recently passed its third reading in Senate.<br />
Do you know how many people in Canada flock to the U.S. and pay out-of-pocket for treatment?<br />
Do you realize that these people actually improve their health by following the treatments of so-called Lyme-literate doctors in the U.S.?<br />
Yes, deer don't swim across the Great Lakes. Granted. But do you not realize that it is the <em>birds </em>that are carrying the ticks northward?<br />
Do you know that now TWO members of my family have been affected by Lyme disease? (Myself and my great niece)?<br />
<br />
I fear that until Lyme disease affects these doctors PERSONALLY, they will continue to bury their heads in the sand.<br />
<br />
Here is how it is affecting <em>us</em> personally.....<br />
<br />
My great niece has been suffering with Lyme for a year and a half. Her health is declining rapidly to the point where she is confused and in a wheelchair. After thorough investigation by many, many doctors, they have NO advice to offer. NONE! In desperation, her family has just taken her to a clinic in the southern U.S. where they will stay until she is well enough to come home and continue her healing. The cost is astronomical.<br />
<br />
If you would be interested in making a donation to help fund my niece's U.S. Lyme treatment, it would be so appreciated by the family. Please visit <a href="http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-grace-fight-lyme-disease/290121#.VLVbgW4-2f9.facebook">this link</a>. We would covet your prayers for Grace's return to health.PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-9119578517333155792014-12-22T13:57:00.000-05:002014-12-22T14:01:40.624-05:00Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-272dYcdt3UY/VJhpN4khdhI/AAAAAAAAAqg/X_O7JBB7Qn0/s1600/IMG_0808-TWINKLE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-272dYcdt3UY/VJhpN4khdhI/AAAAAAAAAqg/X_O7JBB7Qn0/s1600/IMG_0808-TWINKLE.gif" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It is my prayer that all of you who celebrate Christmas will have an enjoyable time with family and friends and be able to leave your troubles behind if even for a short time. It is so important for us to connect with people. Let us not allow our chronic illness to define us or rob us of the good things that this life has to offer. Sure, we may not be able to do everything we would like, but let us find pleasure in the small things, and in the things we are still able to do. Let us have hope as we begin 2015....for our personal situation, and for the greater Lyme issue. We have seen some major developments in 2014 with the passing of Bill C-442 in Canada to create a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease, and with the passing of the bill in New York State protecting physicians who treat Lyme. Change is slow, but it IS happening. Hope is in the air!<br />
<br />
On that note, I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! God bless!PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-21951146507716950042014-12-12T20:01:00.000-05:002014-12-12T20:01:51.728-05:00Oh Happy Day!!! The Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act Becomes Law!This is the day we have been waiting for for 2 1/2 years! Today, Elizabeth May's Bill C-442 passed third reading in the Senate and will become law! Whoooo hoooo! Check out the <a href="http://www.greenparty.ca/en/media-release/2014-12-12/senate-unanimously-passes-elizabeth-may%E2%80%99s-federal-framework-lyme-disease">news release</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="rg_i" data-sz="f" jsaction="load:str.tbn" name="Lrw1T0_I2ayMlM:" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="height: 188px; margin-top: 0px; width: 211px;" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Elizabeth May has worked tirelessly to ensure the passage of the Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act. We are indebted to her! She and many, many MPs recognized the need for this law due to the spread and threat of Lyme disease in Canada. The fact that the law was supported <em>unanimously </em>in both the House of Commons and the Senate shows how hard all Lyme activists worked to educate their local representatives by sharing their stories, circulating petitions, writing to newspapers, emailing their MPs, and the list goes on. Anyone who has done even the smallest thing can claim a part of this great victory!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now that said, I am not so naive to think that things are going to change overnight. Lyme treatment is divisive in the medical community. Canadian infectious disease doctors, for example, are opposed to some of the wording in this law and still wish to adhere to the flawed IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) standards of treatment. Although they will be in the minority when everyone gathers at the table, they still pose a threat with the roadblocks they will put up. I do believe that the process of creating a strategy for dealing with Lyme in Canada will be a slow one and a bit of a battle. It may be several years before Lyme patients will really benefit from this law. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This notwithstanding, some hope has now been injected into a situation that was, up until now, pretty hope<em>less</em>. For the time being, we may still have to seek help from U.S. physicians and pay for treatment out-of-pocket, but at least there is a light at the end of this long tunnel. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thank you, Elizabeth May!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you want to watch the second reading of the bill in the Senate, <a href="http://canlyme.com/2014/12/10/bill-c-442-is-carried-as-is-in-senate-hear-testimony-in-canadas-senate-committee-on-bill-c-442-an-act-respecting-a-federal-framework-on-lyme-disease-as-bill-moves-forward/">click here</a>. It's very interesting!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-81863765322929052042014-12-06T00:04:00.000-05:002014-12-06T00:06:39.294-05:00Lyme NewsThank you to a reader of mine who brought <a href="http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/5180633-lyme-warning-no-surprise-to-sufferers/">this article</a> to my attention. Please have a read. It is a much better depiction of the Lyme situation in Canada.<br />
<br />
I am so pleased to learn that "a private member’s motion was passed with all-party consent in the legislature Nov. 27 calling for Ontario to develop an integrated strategy on Lyme disease, to be tabled within one year." (Article: Lyme Warning No Surprise to Sufferers, <a href="http://www.yorkregion.com/">www.yorkregion.com</a>)<br />
<br />
A similar proposal at the federal level, Bill C-442 introduced by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, has a bit of a fight on its hands. Although it has passed all three readings in the House of Commons, there is some opposition by a group of infectious disease doctors. See <a href="http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/infectious-disease-experts-question-lyme-disease-bill-before-senate-1.2130932">this link</a> for all of the information.<br />
<br />
OK, so this is going to be an uphill battle, but how great that the Lyme issue is finally getting the attention of people who can actually help to provide real solutions. I'm sure that in my lifetime, there will be major developments and people will no longer be left to suffer with this devastating illness.<br />
<br />
Keep praying!PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-6732281956757605932014-11-27T22:07:00.000-05:002014-11-30T20:08:02.107-05:00Misinformation!<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below is an article from </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/11/26/ticks_carrying_lyme_disease_bacteria_found_in_rouge_valley.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">thestar.com</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> from November 26, 2014. Wow, it's great that they are continuing to spread the word about Lyme disease.....and in the winter! However, there are a few missing details in the article. Frankly, the article reads like an overly simplified statement that the public health unit might make. Sadly, the public health unit doesn't have a full understanding of the gravity of this illness. Within the article, I have taken my <span style="color: red;">"teacher red pen"</span> and added or corrected information. Please read so that you are not misinformed as well.</span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<h1>
<span style="font-size: large;">Ticks carrying Lyme disease bacteria found in Rouge Valley</span></h1>
<h2 class="subheadline">
<span style="font-size: small;">Health officials warn the public of ticks and Lyme disease becoming "established" in the area.</span></h2>
<div class="article-artwork">
<div class="parsys mainart" style="margin-top: 60px;">
<div class="parbase thestarimage section">
<div class="thestar-image" style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/gta/2014/11/26/ticks_carrying_lyme_disease_bacteria_found_in_rouge_valley/deertick.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></div>
<div class="credit buyphoto">
<br /></div>
<div class="description">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="article-authors" role="contentinfo">
<strong>By:</strong> <span class="credit">Diana Hall</span> <span class="staff">Staff Reporter,</span> <span class="published-date"> Published on Wed Nov 26 2014</span> </div>
<div class="article-story float-clear">
<div id="policard-modal">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="0" id="policard" src=""></iframe> </div>
<div class="policard-wrap">
<div class="policard-gallery" style="width: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="policard-nav clearfix">
<div id="policard-next">
Health officials in Toronto, as well as York and Durham regions are warning the public after blacklegged ticks in the Rouge Valley tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, according to Toronto Public Health.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="article-story-body">
<div class="body parsys">
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
<br />
A statement released Wednesday said public health units searched for blacklegged ticks, which are the only type of ticks in Ontario that can carry the disease, after receiving reports from members of the public. <span style="color: red;">My</span><span style="color: red;"> LLMD (Lyme-literate medical doctor) told me that he believes that mosquitoes and black flies can carry the disease, too! </span>Officials then sent samples for testing and identification. Some tested positive.<br />
</div>
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
Although the ticks are more likely to infect people during the warmer summer months, Toronto Public Health warn the bugs and the disease “are becoming established in the Rouge Valley,” which has been a low-risk area for Lyme disease. <span style="color: red;">As far as I'm concerned, Lyme has been here for a while. What else would explain the hundreds of Lyme patients left with no care after a Toronto infectious disease doctor closed his door to Lyme sufferers in 2011 (due to threats from the medical board)? This caused a mass exodus of patients to the U.S. in search of an LLMD there.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </div>
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
Health officials are advising the public to reduce the risk of getting bitten and infected by taking precautions, including: wearing long-sleeves, long pants, socks and closed shoes; tucking pant legs into socks, and wearing light-coloured clothing to make ticks more visible; using bug spray with DEET on clothes and exposed skin, as well as checking skin and clothing thoroughly after activities in wooded areas. <span style="color: red;">DEET is not effective in repelling ticks! I would not rely on it. However, there is a spray called permethrin that is used on clothing (not skin) which does repel ticks. Also, you should do a tick check on your body when you come in from the outdoors, as well as shower right away.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </div>
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
Toronto Public Health says early removal of ticks will prevent possible infection, as the transmission requires the tick to be attached for at least 24 hours. <span style="color: red;">There is much controversy about this. Many Lyme specialists say the time is much shorter than this.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </div>
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
Early symptoms of lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. <span style="color: red;">Very true! But if you are bitten and do NOT have symptoms, GET TREATMENT ANYWAY! My LLMD would provide 3 weeks of antibiotics with a bite in the absence of symptoms. If early symptoms have developed, then he would give 6 weeks of antibiotics. If you are sick for a long time before diagnosis, then LLMDs would prescribe antibiotics on an ongoing basis until symptoms have resolved. </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </div>
<div class="text combinedtext parbase section">
Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, fatigue, and red bull’s eye rash. <span style="color: red;">Yes, these are often the symptoms of early, acute Lyme disease. But not all of us produce these symptoms. Only 50% of people bitten develop a rash, and it isn't always a bulls-eye rash. In my case, I had NO early symptoms! I developed all sorts of strange symptoms, including neurological symptoms, many months later. (It might even have been a year or two later.)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">In this article, there is no mention of the fact that the baby ticks, called nymphs, are the size of a poppy seed! You might never know it burrowed into you. And apparently, the tiny ones are highly infectious.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">The article also doesn't mention that you may have to FIGHT with your GP or the ER doctor to give you antibiotics! Some doctors will want you to send your tick to the lab for testing before antibiotics are prescribed. My advice......DO NOT WAIT! It could take a week or two to get the lab results back, and by then the bacteria may have spread to other organs. Insist on treatment right away! It is not worth the risk!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Finally, be sure to remove an imbedded tick properly, otherwise the tick is more likely to inject you with the bacteria. See my tab above called "Protect Yourself from Ticks" for the safest methods of tick removal.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red;">The Toronto Star gets a "C" for this article. They need to do their homework better. The public needs more information than this.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-22521293281570280192014-11-20T21:18:00.000-05:002014-11-20T23:36:26.113-05:00A Medical WarOne thing is for certain......we are at war. There are casualties. And there are some survivors. Many are hovering in no man's land. There is anger and there is misunderstanding. Right now, it's messy. And dangerous for many. But I do think my side is gaining ground.<br />
<br />
It's the Lyme war. <br />
<br />
People ask me, "Why can't you get treatment here? Why don't doctors understand about this illness?" Here is one LLMD's answer to this question. You can check out his wealth of knowledge on his blog <a href="http://lymemd/">LymeMD</a>. This is what Dr. Jaller posted yesterday.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lymemd.blogspot.ca/2014/11/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-zh-tw_19.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Why your doctor does not believe in Lyme disease</strong></span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="post-header">
<div class="post-header-line-1">
<span style="color: #38761d;">In his new book, Dr. Horowitz gently discusses the issue. He talks about a paradigm change. This doesn’t answer the question for patients on a visceral level.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7489247968594895535" itemprop="description articleBody">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">I surveyed some physician friend colleagues asked them if they can think of another disease that has been as divisive as Lyme disease. They always come up empty-handed. </span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Your doctor is being bashed by medical boards, ridiculed by other medical professionals, even shunned and ostracized and generally not having a good time (in some arenas, not globally).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">You are angry, infuriated, incensed, bellicose or just pissed off. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Patients new to this world all ask same question. Why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">There is a war going on. Years ago, I had a conversation with an infectious diseases specialist I thought was collegial; at the end of the discussion I said “I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.” She said no we won’t and proceeded to report me to the Medical Board. Doctors don’t usually report their colleagues to Medical Boards. Most follow the rule, “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Phenomenologically, Dr. Steere and infectious diseases specialists saw Lyme as a vector borne illness causing joint pain or rash: something straightforward. Something easy to treat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Phenomenologically, Dr. Burrascano and primary care colleagues saw patients in Lyme endemic areas as poly-symptomatic; patients had every symptom in the book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Dr. Steere, Dr. Burrascano, myself and likely all the physicians I can think of were taught that there is no disease that causes so many disparate symptoms. They have a “positive review of systems,” meaning they have a psychiatric disorder. Easy one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d; mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Lyme breaks the mold.</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Dr. Burrascano and others thought all these patients cannot be crazy; something else is going on. The cohort of sick patients lived in rural areas known to have a lot of Lyme, they enjoyed outdoor activities, they had a history of previously treated Lyme disease, they had a history of tick bites, the had a history of rashes and summer flus, or they just had an insidious, progressive disease. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">First impressions are important. Dr. Steere’s first impression was that Lyme causes joint pain and is easy to treat.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">Dr. Burrascano’s first impression was that these were very sick patients, commonly referred to a “train wrecks.” These patients got better when given antibiotics; symptoms returned when antibiotics were stopped; symptoms got better again antibiotics were restarted. The first impression was that Lyme is a complex multi-system disease which is hard to treat. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">These two groups were describing something entirely different, something universes apart. Both were called Lyme disease. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">The war began. Steere<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was reported to a Medical Board. Burrascano was doomed. Once the war broke out the truth didn’t matter. Since Steere and his colleagues are associated with Ivy League institutions they won the battle. They have created educational programs for doctors espousing their point of view and ridiculing the views of the other camp.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">I hope the answer to the big question is contained in the above narrative. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">In this war I see the IDSA crowd is calling lymies and their doctors crazy and “antiscience.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lymies believe the IDSA crowd is involved in some vast conspiracy. Get a grip.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #38761d;">It comes down to stubbornness, hubris and ego. They call me “antiscience.” A friend once told me: “watch what they call you; that is what they are.”</span><br />
</div>
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-84087447173157949722014-11-07T14:31:00.001-05:002014-11-10T17:26:44.620-05:00Sleep, glorious sleep!Oh my, this fall is passing by so quickly! Time doesn't usually do that for me; it's usually slooooow, but not this year! Soon it will be time for winter boots and Christmas preparations.<br />
<br />
So how have I been doing? On the Lyme front, VERY well! My typical Lyme symptoms are still under control, and I've been able to wean completely off sleep medication. For that I am so, so grateful. I've been sleeping wonderfully (i.e., falling asleep easily and sleeping straight through with minimal wake-ups in the night) which is something I was deprived of when I was in the grip of the illness. That said, I'm not sleeping LONG ENOUGH - totally my own fault for going to bed too late.<br />
<br />
For all of the Lymies out there, here is one of the most important pieces of advice......GET ADEQUATE SLEEP!!! It's important for your healing. It's also important to help keep the Lyme in remission because our body repairs itself at night and adequate rest improves the immune system among other things. Wow, I sure notice a difference in my life when I'm not sleeping enough. I drag myself around all day, feel so lethargic after work, have no motivation or energy for exercise, and crave sugar to give me a boost. Bad on all fronts. <br />
<br />
If you have Lyme and are suffering from insomnia, I urge you to speak to your LLMD about temporary solutions. I absolutely hated the idea of being on sleep medication, but realized it was necessary. I was so afraid of becoming addicted to it. The sleep medication I used, zopiclone, is not "technically" addictive. However, your body can develop a tolerance to it and require more and more. When I decided to try getting off zopiclone, I weaned off very slowly over many months, cutting my pill in half, then in quarters. Then, I got a lower dosage pill and cut that one into quarters. By the time I stopped taking it, the tiny bit I had been taking really wasn't doing anything for me anyway, so it was pretty easy to just quit at that point.<br />
<br />
On that note, let me wish you all the best in your quest for good sleep. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eD5UqMN5V5U/VFziGkEHvSI/AAAAAAAAAqM/m2-ryrZ1aA8/s1600/Sleeping%2Bbaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eD5UqMN5V5U/VFziGkEHvSI/AAAAAAAAAqM/m2-ryrZ1aA8/s1600/Sleeping%2Bbaby.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-17820300334954235292014-10-11T18:01:00.005-04:002014-10-11T18:01:42.862-04:00Happy Thanksgiving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3PrBLZW9EE/VDmon2g1WoI/AAAAAAAAAp4/HWpqj86e--4/s1600/Thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j3PrBLZW9EE/VDmon2g1WoI/AAAAAAAAAp4/HWpqj86e--4/s1600/Thanksgiving.jpg" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-13700936062024319692014-09-16T23:55:00.001-04:002014-09-16T23:58:36.186-04:00What will your treatment look like?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EocrrQztRY/VBkEidsPAfI/AAAAAAAAApQ/apnW-VBMUtA/s1600/Image%2Bof%2Bprescription.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EocrrQztRY/VBkEidsPAfI/AAAAAAAAApQ/apnW-VBMUtA/s1600/Image%2Bof%2Bprescription.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I know how scary it is to go to your first appointment with your new Lyme-literate medical doctor (LLMD) and come away with a handful of prescriptions. So many thoughts swirl around in your head:</div>
<ul>
<li>Are all of these drugs really necessary?</li>
<li>Why so many?</li>
<li>Can my poor body handle all of this?</li>
<li>How am I going to afford this?</li>
<li>Am I crazy to do this?</li>
<li>Am I crazy <em>not </em>to do this?</li>
</ul>
Yup, I get it! But honestly, I think that by the time you visit your LLMD, you're at the end of the line of those who can help you; you've seen every Tom, Dick, and Harry specialist out there.<br />
<br />
After visiting two LLMDs and getting the dreaded diagnosis, and after thinking about the scary treatment options ahead, my self-talk sounded something like, "What do I have to lose? Absolutely nothing. Could I feel any worse? Could life <em>be </em>worse? I'm in pain. My anxiety is through the roof. I'm off work on sick leave. My family is taking care of my house and kids because I can't <em>do</em> anything. I have nothing. to. lose."<br />
<br />
You might be wondering what Lyme treatment may look like for you. The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) had just published new guidelines for treating chronic Lyme disease. Now please don't confuse ILADS with the IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America). <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
ILADS = good</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
IDSA = bad<em> </em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Doctors in Canada are unfortunately bound by the rules of the IDSA for Lyme which is why they get in big trouble if they prescribe long-term antibiotics for Lyme. (Hopefully Elizabeth May's Bill C-442 will change this.) IDSA guidelines state that Lyme is hard to catch, easy to treat, and 3 weeks of antibiotics is enough to kill all of the Lyme bacteria. From my personal experience and the experience of thousands of others, these guidelines are FLAWED. If you want to understand more about the politics behind all of this, do watch <a href="http://thelymemaze.blogspot.ca/2013/05/under-our-skin.html">Under Our Skin</a>, an award-winning documentary about Lyme disease.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But I digress......</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To learn more about the new ILADS guidelines, and to read them for yourself, <a href="http://lymedisease.org/news/lyme_disease_views/news-new-ilads-lyme-guidelines-promote-options-and-informed-choice.html?utm_source=August+news&utm_campaign=Aug+Lyme+news&utm_medium=email">click here</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To check out another set of guidelines, created by LLMD Dr. Marty Ross from Seattle, check out his website <a href="http://www.treatlyme.net/">Treat Lyme and Associated Diseases</a>. *Dr. Ross is now asking for an inexpensive subscription ($20/year) to access the full contents of his website and treatment manual. He is trying to recoup the cost of running the site. It is a very valuable resource and has been so helpful to me. He also holds free webinars a few times a month that you can sign up for. He's a fantastic doctor.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Also check out Dr. Richard Horowitz's book <a href="http://thelymemaze.blogspot.ca/2014/03/lots-of-reading.html">Why Can't I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If you're interested in knowing what my own treatment journey was, check out <a href="http://www.thelymemaze.blogspot.ca/2012/10/my-medications-and-supplements.html">this blog post</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The key to getting well is to </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1) Obey your physician and follow all of his/her advice carefully. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2) Persevere; things <em>will</em> improve over time.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
OBEDIENCE and PERSEVERANCE!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
All the best to you on your journey.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461242058369688884.post-6874551289812416532014-09-06T14:31:00.000-04:002014-09-07T00:47:39.953-04:00Another year down!Wow, I let the summer go by without "celebrating" my Lyme anniversary. How could I forget about that? I started treatment on June 1, 2011. It is now September 6, 2014. According to my Lyme ticker on the left, I have been in treatment for 3 years, 3 months, and 5 days. <br />
<br />
I'm not really in active treatment right now. Based on my symptoms, I really do feel that I'm in remission. However, I do still take 100 mg of minocycline daily for "insurance". I don't want to relapse AGAIN! Even in remission, I've never felt 100%. I hover around 85-90% most of the time in recent months. But I'll take it!!! I still get tired (could be from the minocycline), and I am stiff, sore, and achy (could be from some other meds I'm on), but once I get moving I'm OK.<br />
<br />
So it was back to school for me a week ago, not as a student but as a teacher. I've felt good enough to increase my workload a bit this year, so hopefully I won't have any regrets about that as the year progresses. I do have to be more vigilant about doing everything I can to maintain my health: eat well, sleep enough, and get exercise. <br />
<br />
Sadly, here is my report card for these this summer:<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
Grade</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
Comment</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Eating well</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
C</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Just too much summer indulging, eating out while on
vacation, ice cream treats for the kids (and therefore me), visits to Starbucks, and the list
goes on!</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Sleeping enough</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
A</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Well what can I say, it was my summer holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bonus marks here!</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td></tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background: rgb(242, 242, 242); border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 242; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Exercise</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
D</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="266"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Did I mention that I hate exercise?</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<br />
I think I've fallen into these bad habits because I'm quite thrilled to be a NORMAL person these days, and not a SICK person, you know? But I do realize that moderation is the key, and I can still have my cake and eat it too if I plan more wisely and don't overindulge, as well as take the time to bake "legal" treats for myself that are low in sugar and carbs. It can be done!<br />
<br />
If you're trying to get well from Lyme, please DO NOT follow my awful example. Give your body a fighting chance! <br />
<br />
Today is a new start! I'm planning to follow a low-carb detox diet for the next 10 days to get myself prepped for losing weight in the coming months, and I'm planning to do some form of exercise every other day. Perhaps I'll give you my next report card on January 1!<br />
<br />
Here are some snapshots of things we enjoyed this summer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ia1P6R5sCUg/VAtLYKK5rwI/AAAAAAAAAoY/Sx41oGQgBKc/s1600/Niagara%2BFalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ia1P6R5sCUg/VAtLYKK5rwI/AAAAAAAAAoY/Sx41oGQgBKc/s1600/Niagara%2BFalls.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Visited beautiful Niagara Falls</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XfwOb7yPyE/VAtMEMrHgiI/AAAAAAAAAog/UG9EaNV392g/s1600/Niagara%2Bon%2BLake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XfwOb7yPyE/VAtMEMrHgiI/AAAAAAAAAog/UG9EaNV392g/s1600/Niagara%2Bon%2BLake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Spent an afternoon in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wm1FswaUqe8/VAtIMqzCZLI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/3AK8TEs6-4M/s1600/WP_20140801_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wm1FswaUqe8/VAtIMqzCZLI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/3AK8TEs6-4M/s1600/WP_20140801_006.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Visited our Parliament Buildings in Ottawa</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UricdZ5hkfw/VAtMfLuLOxI/AAAAAAAAAoo/510NQgKNbjU/s1600/Gatineau%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UricdZ5hkfw/VAtMfLuLOxI/AAAAAAAAAoo/510NQgKNbjU/s1600/Gatineau%2B1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Got lost in Gatineau Park looking for Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King's summer cottage</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BwS3-Tpy8/VAtM3qqOIwI/AAAAAAAAAow/C3QgNhO1jwc/s1600/Museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5BwS3-Tpy8/VAtM3qqOIwI/AAAAAAAAAow/C3QgNhO1jwc/s1600/Museum.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Pretended to be a teacher in a one-room school house at the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Ww70KsPtbg/VAtNcphFBsI/AAAAAAAAAo4/xvZFBxuDF-A/s1600/Poutine%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Ww70KsPtbg/VAtNcphFBsI/AAAAAAAAAo4/xvZFBxuDF-A/s1600/Poutine%2B1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Completely blew my diet with a bowl of poutine in Québec!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If you're reading this and don't know what poutine is, it is French fries with cheese curds smothered in gravy - a Québécois creation that can now be found on menus outside of Québec.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iCWfe4S6nQs/VAtOII6nX5I/AAAAAAAAApA/Y6r5CBebowg/s1600/Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iCWfe4S6nQs/VAtOII6nX5I/AAAAAAAAApA/Y6r5CBebowg/s1600/Night.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Said goodbye to a truly beautiful, historical city. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So proud to be Canadian!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
PMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07262162265578226171noreply@blogger.com2