Florida State quarterback diagnosed with Lyme

[AustinTalon]

Read the article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8523472/ and http://seminoles.collegesports.com/

I can speak from very personal experience about the seriousness of Lyme disease. This young man is very lucky to have been diagnosed.

Most doctors know very little about this disease. If you do not have the "typical" symptoms of Lyme disease (bulls-eye rash and/or arthritic conditions) you are SOL.

My wife has Lyme disease. Here is my experience:

What are Lyme symptoms?

Open a medical dictionary and pick one. My wife has more neurological symptoms including myoclonus (involuntary jerking), blurred vision, fatigue, sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, plus many more. Other patients have arthritic symptoms.

Plus, the antibiotics you take cause a lot of their own symptoms you have to counter with supplements.

My wife takes over 20 pills daily.

How do you get Lyme?

Usually ticks. It's heavy in the northeast and California, but is spread across most of the U.S. Most people who have Lyme don't recall being bit by a tick.

Is there a test for Lyme?

Yes. Several. Most are highy inaccurate (as stated by the Center for Disease Control) or are poorly interpreted.

Doctors aren't that dumb, are they?

My wife only had to go through 14 doctors over 4 1/2 years to get a diagnosis. Some have seen 20-30 doctors before diagnosis. The average seems to be 12 doctors.

Others refered her to a psychiatrist. We've learned that if a doctor can't find a reason why you're ill, you must be crazy.

So how do you find a LLD (lyme-literade Doctor)

Luck. Austin has a Lyme specialist. We know of about 2 other doctors in Texas with an understanding of Lyme — that's 3 total.

Most LLDs are no longer taking patients because of the demand and most don't take health insurance because health insurance companies believe that Lyme treatment should only last a few weeks or months. Late stage Lyme may require long periods of heavy, rotating combinations of antibiotics.

Doctors brave enough to take health insurance will undergo investigation by the state board because health insurance companies have so much power.

Wow, is your wife okay?

As bad as having Lyme is, I cannot express to you how lucky we are:

- We are seeing a LLD who is no longer seeing new patients.

- The LLD takes my health insurance (a big reason I'm still working at UT)

- We are about 8 months into the average 18-month treatment.

- My wife has been responding very well to oral antibiotics. Many patients have to move to IM or IV injections.

- We're finacially stable. My salary is enough to keep the both of us afloat. My wife is too fatigued to work.

For more info, see http://www.lymeinfo.net/

[FirefightnRick]

Chris,

Tell the mrs's to keep her spirits up. We are all praying for her full recovery.

Rick

Edited July 10, 2005 by FirefightnRick

[emmitt01]

Tell KK that Lera and I send our love and best wishes.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Prayers and thoughts for both you and the wife, AT.

[SilverEagle]

AT, I have the greatest respect for people who struggle through hard times (and I mean REALLY hard times!) and never waiver in their relationship commitments. You mentioned that some Doctors will look at this situation, and because they are clueless about what to do, they will say that the patient has psychological problems. Just as may times (or actually, more times) a less-than-committed spouse will do the same thing. It would be their excuse to bail out.

Your situation is very symbolic to the "fan commitment" situation that North Texas has struggled with for decades. For years (actually decades) I've heard people make comments like "yeah, I went to North Texas but I'm not going to attend their games until they start winning some big games on a regular basis, or be accepted in the B-12 or CUSA"etc etc........or whatever. Many times when I hear this I'm thinking in my mind "well, God help your spouse if she ever did something like, put on a little weight, got a wrinkle or so, or came down with a long term illness".

I don't pray much, but I'll certainly say one for your wife.....and you as well.

I had a professor at North Texas once tell our class that North Texas' Latin motto translates to roughly "Keep on, Keep'in on".

AT, I think you are the embodiment of that motto.

Take care

[GreenBat]

This explains why he told police he was God a couple of weeks ago when he was arrested.

[SouthBendGreen]

I must say that I had no idea that Lyme disease could be that debilitating. I hope for all the best for your wife and you as well.