2017 Highlights

Hello everyone!

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.

Firstly, we saw the establishment of the G. Magnotta Lyme Disease Research Lab 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. 

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 LymeHope, 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!

This year, we saw Lori Dennis, a psychotherapist from Toronto, promote her new book, Lyme Madness.  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!

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.

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.

I'm praying for you all, and hoping for a better future for all of us Lyme sufferers in Canada.
 

Important! Sign up for the conference webinar!

Dear Canadian Friends,

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 https://t.co/aCqAcsKwD6. Scroll down to where it says "PDF fillable form". Submit your information.

Thank you for considering this.

Canadian Lyme conference coming

This just made me cry.  Bless her heart for being so brave.

 

 

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. 

 

Canada will be hosting a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Conference in Ottawa on May 16-17.  Read about it here.  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.

 

Oh 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 news release.



 

 

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 unanimously 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!

 

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.  

 

This notwithstanding, some hope has now been injected into a situation that was, up until now, pretty hopeless.  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. 

 

Thank you, Elizabeth May!

 

If you want to watch the second reading of the bill in the Senate, click here.  It's very interesting!

 

Thank you, MPP Steve Clark, for speaking up

MPP Calls For More Effective Diagnostic Testing For Disease

Queen's Park – Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark has called on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to improve the way Ontarians who suspect they have Lyme disease are diagnosed and treated.
In a Member’s Statement on Thursday, March 5, Clark said the health-care system is failing Ontarians with the disease, including many in Leeds-Grenville – which has been identified as a provincial hotspot for the ticks that carry the bacteria that causes Lyme.

Second Reading of Bill C-442 - National Lyme Disease Strategy Act

Yesterday, Elizabeth May's bill C-442 to create a National Lyme Strategy came up in Parliament for second reading.  You can watch it here.  I truly hope that all MPs will be on board. 

I can't imagine, given her explanation of the situation, why anyone would want to deny this of Canadians.  Perhaps in the minds of some MPs, it boils down to a financial cost for Canada, but the cost to the health care system of leaving Lyme undiagnosed is much greater.  Undiagnosed Lyme leaves individuals searching for answers, visiting multiple specialists, tying up MRIs, and going on disability which deprives the government of needed taxes.  It's just a lose-lose situation.

Let's encourage our MPs to vote for this very important bill.

Compare and Contrast

At the risk of sounding like a teacher (....oh ya, I am a teacher), please read the following two letters and note the similarities and differences.  Both letters were written regarding Elizabeth May's bill C-442 (to create a National Lyme Strategy in Canada), which, by the way, was presented for second reading in Parliament today.  Perhaps this little exercise will help to demonstrate the great "divide" in the world of Lyme.

A letter to me from Conservative MP Susan Truppe

Dear Ms. ________ , 

Thank you for your email concerning MP Elizabeth May’s Private Members Bill – Bill C-442, The National Lyme Disease Strategy Act. I appreciate the time taken to share your views with me and for showing interest in this healthcare policy proposal.

First let me assure you, our Government is committed to the health and safety of all Canadians. Putting the interests of Canadians and their families first is always top of mind.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is working to support the provinces and territories in addressing Lyme disease. Our Government is committed to working collectively and collaboratively with our healthcare partners to find meaningful solutions.

We have invested over $4.5 million for research related to Lyme disease since 2006. In addition, we have established improved surveillance specifically aimed at Lyme disease so that action can be taken quickly and effectively.

In regards to Ms. May’s Bill and the call for a national Lyme disease strategy, we are currently reviewing its merits.

Most importantly, our Government will continue to actively engage with provincial and territorial partners in monitoring the spread and development of Lyme disease. Canadians can rely on this Government’s management of healthcare priorities and continued leadership.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write in.

Yours sincerely,

Susan Truppe, M.P.

 

 

An open letter from Dr. Murakami (Canadian Lyme-literate medical doctor and Lyme educator) to Members of Parliament who will be voting on Bill C-442

To all Politicians Voting on the Bill 442.

February 12, 2014

SYPHILIS THEN, LYME NOW

The serious epidemic of Lyme disease is present now but not "prominent" in Canada because the Medical divide that exists in our association. Doctors are told that Lyme disease is a non-existent rare infection and without a proper ELISA test (which is grossly inadequate) the diagnosis of Lyme disease is being... misdiagnosed.

The federal government has stated that Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis and a positive lab test is beneficial but not necessary in the establishment of a diagnosis but unfortunately there are differences of thought by our peers.

We have adopted the American IDSA guidelines for practicing physicians and in Canada we have adopted these guidelines without any previous discussions of having our own Canadian guidelines.

We must become more educated and clinically aware of this most rapidly growing vector borne infection. Most recently, the naysayers in the United States have admitted to 300,000 cases annually up from 30,000. This would reflect automatically 30,000 (10%) as a minimum number of cases in Canada and yet only about a few hundred cases are annually reported across Canada which is extremely low and misleading.

Patients are suffering needlessly, expending monies across the border and into Europe for proper treatment and diagnosis. This cannot continue and as physicians we must be more aware that the symptoms of Lyme disease which is and are being misdiagnosed. To give an example, MS in Canada is the absolute highest in the world, 240-340 cases per 100,000 and we have the lowest number of Lyme disease in the world (WHO).

The big divide has led to the necessity of the legal system stepping in to protect Lyme Literate doctors. Twelve USA states have become involved since the medical profession will not openly discuss all aspects of this disease. Statutes and laws are now in place for the protection of Lyme literate physicians and their charts cannot be taken, doctors cannot be cross-examined, their licenses cannot be taken away.

It is simply a matter for our profession to discuss this disease as we have with all other diseases in the world. Clinicians must include Lyme disease and co-infections in the differential diagnosis and be cognizant of all the symptoms that can occur since it is a multi-organ system failure that occurs.

At the present time, patients suffer needlessly; mentally, physically and financially with the most common cause of death being suicide. The answer appears to be very simple that we must dialogue openly and regularly.

On the side of being optimistic there are increasing numbers of medical doctors and naturopathic doctors treating Lyme disease. This would indicate a greater understanding and acceptance for this disease and it is hoped that this will continue with greater alacrity, education and hopefully better lab testing with mutual medical understanding by the "divided" physicians. There is no time for complacency.

Yours truly,

Dr. Ernie Murakami, MD, BA in Bacteriology and Immunology
Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus University of British Columbia
President, Dr. E. Murakami Centre for Lyme

I would Like to add that in my travels in every Province across Canada that every lecture was attended by a minimum of 50% and up to a maximum 75% Lyme Disease sufferers. The only Provinces that I have not attended was PEI and Quebec but I have corresponded with many patients from both of these provinces. The results were assessed by a show of hands before meetings and Wendy Atkin from Kinston Ontario told her story to an over filled room of which there was the 75% Lyme sufferers. The Ambassador Hotel donated the room which held 250 people and another 100 were refused entry. Yet every day there are doctors telling their patients that there is virtually no cases of Lyme disease in Canada. How long must we live with this misinformation causing severe suffering of Canadians caused by the DIVIDE in our medical profession.

Urgent Message! Contact your MP! Help get Bill C-442 passed!

This is Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada.  About a year and a half ago, she tabled Bill C-442 which would create a National Lyme Disease Strategy for Canada.  The bill is finally coming up for debate in Parliament, beginning on March 4. 

Please read her letter below, and write to your MP in the next week or two to urge him or her to support this bill.  For all Lyme disease sufferers, this bill could be the beginning of everything we have been fighting for!  There is a link below to all of the MPs' contact info, as well as a sample letter you can send.  You may want to edit the letter as the sample provided requests an in-person meeting with your MP.

Here's hoping for good things!



Dear Lyme disease advocate,

Today, I am asking for your help in making a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of Canadians. On March 4th, 2014, the House of Commons will begin debate on my Private Members’ Bill, C-442, an Act to Create a National Lyme Disease Strategy.

Many of you are already too aware of the shortcomings of the Canadian medical system in dealing with Lyme. And while not a panacea, Bill C-442, if passed, would bring together Canada’s Health Ministers, medical professionals, scientists, and the advocates for Canadians with Lyme Disease to work toward common goals: increasing awareness and prevention, ensuring accurate diagnoses, tracking the spread of the disease, and establishing national standards for the care and treatment of Lyme that reflect best practices.

This is not about politics, it is about helping the thousands of Canadian families who have had their lives turned upside down by this terrible disease. We have received strong indications of support from the NDP and the Liberals, and many Conservative Members of Parliament have similarly expressed their willingness to stand behind this important initiative. We are cautiously optimistic that this plan can succeed, but we can’t take anything for granted.

We need you to help make sure that this Bill becomes law. Members of Parliament will be back home in their communities during the week of February 17th and, during this time, we are asking you to meet with your MP to share your story, help educate them about Lyme, and explain to them why Canada urgently needs a National Lyme Disease Strategy. Please go to www.greenparty.ca/lyme-disease to call your MP and schedule a meeting during the February 17th constituency week.

Many of you have already shared your stories with us, and we urge you to continue to do so. Please go to www.greenparty.ca/lyme-disease to write how Lyme has impacted your life of that of your loved ones, and why Canada needs a National Lyme Disease Strategy.

Finally, if you haven’t already, please add your name to the online petition and, if you are able, please print out the paper petition and collect signatures in your community. These petitions will be tabled in the House of Commons, and shared with other Members of Parliament who have indicated their support for Bill C-442.

Thank you for taking action. If you would like more information about Lyme Disease or Bill C-442, please go to www.elizabethmaymp.ca/national-lyme-disease-strategy.

With hope,

Interview with Jim Wilson of CanLyme on the CBC

The CBC strikes again - in a good way!  If you have followed my blog, you may know that CBC radio is close to my heart because it was an interview I heard on their station in 2010 that helped me to self-diagnose my Lyme disease.  The CBC continues to shine a light on Lyme.  Today, the CBC aired a 1 hour segment on Lyme disease with guest Jim Wilson, founder of the Canadian Lyme Foundation, or CanLyme.  They also took numerous calls from Ontarians afflicted by Lyme disease.  The majority of those people, like myself, have had to travel to the U.S. for treatment.  Jim Wilson, a former Lyme sufferer, is so knowledgeable, and a very calm, rational speaker.  His foundation has helped to provide guidance to Elizabeth May's team in preparing the bill.  The segment also featured a short interview with an infectious disease specialist from Toronto who pretty much toed the old party line - the one we're trying so desperately to change!!!

Click here to listen to the program on CBC's Ontario Today.

Click here to visit Jim Wilson's excellent website, CanLyme.

U.S. House subcommittee discusses Lyme Disease

To read some excellent information presented to a U.S. House subcommittee discussing the global impact of Lyme disease, click here.  The information is so intelligently written.  I truly hope it will have an impact on those who make up the subcommittee, and that changes will be made as a result.  It is so exciting and a great relief to see the issue of Lyme disease being discussed out in the open, and for some members of the government to be 'on board' with us.

I have also found a general overview of the presentation.  Much easier to read!  Click here.

National Lyme Strategy Petition is ready!

Dear Friends,

Elizabeth May is working hard to ensure that her Bill C-442, to create a National Lyme Strategy, gets passed in the House of Commons in the 2012-13 session. She has developed this petition which can be downloaded, signed, and sent in to her office (postage free).  See the link below.  If you could please take the time to download a copy and sign it, along with your spouse and children (there is no age restriction on signing petitions), and send it in, it would be much appreciated. If you think you could gather a few more signatures, then great! If not, no problem. Just send in your family's signatures.

Thank you so much for your help!

Paula

Meerkat's Heap: National Lyme Strategy Petition is ready!  So grateful and excited! I've been in regular touch with the office of Elizabeth May, MP, about the petition to ask for a National Strategy ...

The CBC interviews Elizabeth May

Here is a recent interview with Elizabeth May on her private member's bill.  In the interview, it was stated that private member's bills rarely pass.  Let's hope that our Members of Parliament will come to better understand how important this bill is over the next several months.  Again, please contact your MP.  Click here for the interview.

It's time to educate our MPs

We've achieved that momentous first step!  An individual in a position of power in this country has taken notice of this horrendous Lyme disease situation, and is going to help us!  Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader, has introduced a truly non-partisan bill, calling for the development of a National Lyme Strategy to address this situation.

But there is still so much more work to do.  If you are reading this, I urge you to contact your MP and tell them that we need to have this bill passed.  If you are a Lyme sufferer, tell your MP your story.  If you are the friend or acquaintance of a Lyme sufferer, tell them that you know someone with the illness and what they have had to go through.  Tell them that this situation needs to be corrected.

This is not just for current Lyme disease sufferers.  It can happen to anyone, at any time, and can literally ruin your life.  This is not fear mongering.  It's just the truth.  A colleague of mine pulled a tick off his leg a couple of years ago.  His car had broken down and he was simply walking in the tall grass by the side of the road in our city here.  A classmate of my son's recently had a tick removed from her scalp.  And then there are many individuals like myself, who don't recall a tick bite.  Ticks are everywhere, and they are particularly bad this year.  Be sure to protect yourself!  (See my Protect Yourself tab.)

Once you are infected, there is NO proper treatment in Canada, and good luck getting a proper diagnosis or postitive lab test from the Public Health Lab.  The ELISA test is completely unreliable, resulting in a great percentage of false negatives.

You can tell your MP that we need:

- Access to proper testing for Lyme disease, from specialized labs (such as IGeneX in the U.S.)
- Family doctors and specialists who recognize the symptoms of late-stage Lyme disease (because right now, they just don't.  That is why so many people are misdiagnosed.)
- Access to the treatment that best suits our condition.  (In most cases, that involves antibiotic treatment longer than the current IDSA recommended 2-4 weeks.)
- Recognition of this illness, so that Lyme patients have access to Long Term Disability while they are recovering.
- Protection for doctors who should be able to choose the treatment that best suits the patient.  (Currently, doctors' licences are threatened if they treat with long-term antibiotics.  That's why you can't find a single Lyme doctor in this country now.  We had 3 not too long ago, but now there are none.  In the U.S., there are now 12 states that have laws in place protecting physicians who treat Lyme disease.)

It's easy to contact your MP.  You can do so by e-mail.  Find the name and address of your MP here.

Elizabeth May Tables Lyme Bill

Well it finally happened TODAY!  Elizabeth May, Green Party leader, tabled a private member's bill to develop a national strategy for Lyme disease.  I'm ecstatic, and even a little teary.  I can hardly believe this day is here, finally.  It is 40 years since the first diagnosed cases of Lyme disease, in Lyme, Connecticut.  It has taken THIS long for people to finally come to the realization that this is a health crisis.  So many people are suffering, needlessly, due to lack of education and understanding.  I'm not going to even go into the whole political mess of Lyme disease - the corruption, the conflicts of interest, the insurance companies.  I'm just going to enjoy my evening and breathe a huge sigh of relief, knowing that someone in a position of power has finally gotten the ball rolling on this.  Praise the Lord!

Progress in the U.S.

Thank you, Congressman Chris Gibson (N.Y.), for spearheading this government action on Lyme!  Read his press release here.

Little by little, there is more awareness of Lyme.  I am thankful that FINALLY some individuals in positions of power are waking up to the gravity of this situation.  I am anxious to see how our Parliament will respond to Elizabeth May's Lyme Bill.  I pray that all of the MPs will make the right decision.  Each and every one of them could be a simple 'walk in the woods' away from where I am.  Ticks are particularly bad this season, and everyone is at risk.

Finally, there is some HOPE of proper care in Canada.

Please help us! Very important!

To my blog readers and Facebook friends, could you please take a few minutes to read the following newspaper article.  It is regarding Elizabeth May's upcoming announcement (tomorrow) of her private member's bill to help rectify the awful Lyme disease situation in Canada.  The bill will be voted on sometime between this fall and spring 2013.  If it passes, we could see a dramatic change in the way Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated, and those afflicted would be able to receive appropriate care in Canada........FINALLY!  Please, please, please take a few minutes to contact your federal Member of Parliament and send a note encouraging them to SUPPORT this bill.  I have also included a link to the Parliament of Canada so you can find your MP and his/her e-mail address.  Thank you so much!

Paula

Sooke News Mirror - Lyme disease in private member's bill
Parliament of Canada (See the box "Find an MP by postal code")

Deb Matthews' Response

A very simplistic response by Deb Matthews to a serious situation.  Read the post link below from the blog Meerkat's Heap. 

I e-mailed Deb Matthews recently, and received an e-mail back stating that they were forwarding my e-mail to her Queen's Park office.  We'll see if she acknowledges my letter.  Granted, she DOES have a lot on her plate at the moment.  At least I know that 'someone' received it. 

MPP Bob Bailey will be introducing a private member's bill with another petition in the fall.  Let's hope it gets a better response this time.

Meerkat's Heap: Calls for Deb Matthews' Resignation: What they said!!! Personally, I've written to Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-term care, at least twice. Never once did I even rec...

Thank you, Marlene!

I discovered a new blog today called Meerkat's Heap.  The owner, Marlene, is doing a lot to help our cause.  Marlene is asking Lyme sufferers in Ontario to send her your name (or even just initials) with some basic information of how long you have had Lyme, where you contracted it, etc.  Please refer to the post on Lymed Out for more information.  We are going to chip away at this HUGE problem little by little, and I believe that in the end, we will win.

Elizabeth May Has Heard Us!

I learned from the CanLyme website today that Green Party leader Elizabeth May will be presenting a private member's bill in Parliament regarding Lyme disease.  I must say that this actually brought a tear to my eye.  I was thrilled when Sarnia MPP Bob Bailey decided to do this same thing in the Ontario Legislature, and I've been collecting signatures for his petition.  However, this issue really needs to be addressed "nationally".  There needs to be an accepted standard of care for ALL Canadians.  I hope and pray that the government will listen and make the changes needed to end all of the suffering that Lyme disease has caused many Canadians.  Here is the excerpt from Elizabeth May's website:

May: Raising Awareness about Lyme Disease

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and Green Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich-Gulf Islands) is doing her part to help.
May will introduce a Private Member’s Bill calling for the development of a national strategy to address the challenges of the timely recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. The bill also calls for funding for provinces and territories to implement the strategy.
"Lyme disease can be devastating. Too many Canadians are now disabled, deprived of the joy of family and friends, of school or work, due to Lyme disease. The public and the medical community need to be educated as to the increasing incidence and range of this disease,” said May.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is that is spread to humans and animals through the bite of certain types of ticks, particularly the black-legged tick. Notoriously under-diagnosed and under-reported, the disease can cause serious symptoms if left untreated including recurring arthritis and neurological problems.
The risk of exposure to Lyme disease is highest in parts of southern and south-eastern Quebec, southern and eastern Ontario, south-eastern Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and much of southern British Columbia.
Warming temperatures are leading the increase in range for the black legged tick. Scientists are endeavouring to create enhanced surveillance tools, such as risk maps. A national strategy could support this work and ensure that people can be vigilant in areas where the tick is becoming established. If doctors know that the local risk has increased, they can help with early diagnosis and prevention.
Early treatment of antibiotics can avoid potentially serious long-term disabilities or even death. Chronic Lyme disease requires improved diagnostic testing and treatment.
“Scientists are warning that a warming climate will expand the geographic range of Lyme disease-carrying ticks further into Canada, so it is imperative that we are proactive,” said May.

The CanLyme website has also issued this urgent notice:

Urgent request: To all Canadian Lyme patients, please send a current photo of yourself to be used in a collage of those affected by Lyme disease to from a backdrop as Lyme sufferer Nicole Bottles delivers a speech in Ottawa. Her speech will be given at a press conference June 20th, 2012 at which Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, will announce a new Lyme Bill to be introduced into Parliament that will force the hand of the federal government to do what they should have been doing 25 years ago.

Nicole's mother, Chris Powell is asking that people please send digital photos to her. Also if you can, please attend the press conference in Ottawa, June 20th, 2012. Contact Chris Powell for more details.  Click here to go to CanLyme.

Nicole Bottles has a great blog called Bite Me.  Check it out.  And don't forget to SEND IN A PHOTO!

How is this fair?

There are now 12 states in the U.S. which have legislation in place to protect physicians from repercussions relating to the treatment of chronic Lyme disease.  This is a great start.  It isn't so great, however, if you live in a state where physicians aren't protected!  I have often wondered why medical boards are by state or province.  Shouldn't a medical treatment be available to ALL citizens of a country?  So, someone in Rhode Island can get treatment for chronic Lyme disease, but someone in Nebraska is left to suffer?  Someone in Pennsylvania has mandatory insurance coverage, but someone in Ohio is denied?  Hopefully, these 12 states have set a precedent for the rest of the country when it comes to lawsuits.  And hopefully, Canada isn't too far behind.  Click here for further information on the 12 states.