I’ve been contacted by quite a few friends who’ve sent their good wishes for my health. I guess everyone reading this blog knows that the straw that broke this old camel’s back is Chronic Lyme Disease. Also referred to as Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, Long Lyme, and more, it refers to symptoms, as well as active infection (according to much current research) that persists after standard antibiotic treatment. Even the CDC says that as many as 20% (some new research shows that the percentage is higher) of people treated for Lyme Disease do not get well.

I’ve, sadly, learned that some of my clients and friends have also experienced this, and other chronic diseases. Very recently, the son of a friend, a kind and wise eight-year-old, has been diagnosed with Lyme. This road is hard enough for an adult to walk. My prayers for this young fellow is that his initial treatment works well, and he can put any Lyme-related worries behind him.

Lyme Disease, of course, also infects some of our animal companions, although the subject of this post is more about human victims. I guess you can say it’s off-topic, but since our animals love us the way we love them, it really isn’t. We are guardians of their lives, and they are guardians of our hearts, after all. If the following information helps one of their human family members, I suppose our pets would say this isn’t really off-topic at all.

I’ve mentioned a couple of documentaries to a number of people, and have even made note of them in some of my newsletters. I thought I would introduce them more fully here, and include links so people can have more information, and watch the films as well. I encourage everyone to do so. Lyme and tick-borne diseases are everywhere. They are no longer a geographically limited phenomenon. Knowing the information in these documentaries may give people a foothold so that, should they or their loved ones ever fall victim to “Long Lyme,” they can go into their journey well-informed … and well-armed.

Because there is a battle out there. Much of the standard medical community honestly has no idea of how devastating, and how wide-spread, this phenomenon is. One of the most insidious problems Chronic Lyme sufferers face is that no one in the medical community believes them. One person connected to the CDC and IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America), as mentioned in I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick, even refers to us as “Lyme Loonies.”

I could go on (and often have, probably to the point of putting people to sleep) about this issue, but I will let the documentaries speak for themselves. Please watch them. Yes, it’ll cost a couple of bucks to rent the films, but that price is an investment in truth.

The Quiet Epidemic

From The Quiet Epidemic Website:

“AFTER YEARS OF LIVING WITH MYSTERIOUS SYMPTOMS,
a young girl from Brooklyn and a Duke University scientist are diagnosed with a disease said to not exist: Chronic Lyme disease. The Quiet Epidemic follows their search for answers, which lands them in the middle of a vicious medical debate. What begins as a patient story evolves into an investigation into the history of Lyme disease, dating back to its discovery in 1975. A paper trail of suppressed scientific research, and buried documents reveals why ticks—and the diseases they carry—have been allowed to quietly spread around the globe.”

The Quiet Epidemic, on Amazon Prime Video (you do not have to be a Prime member to rent this film.)

Image and synopsis property of and provided by TheQuietEpidemic.com

I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick

From the I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick website:

“This film highlights the physical, emotional, and financial struggles caused by Lyme, emphasizing the need for greater awareness, reliable testing methods, and accessible treatment options. Expert doctors, researchers, and advocates provide insights into the science and politics surrounding Lyme disease.

“Through these inspiring stories, I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick serves as a call to action to understand and support the millions worldwide living with this devastating illness.”

I’m Not Crazy, I’m Sick on Amazon Prime Video (you do not have to be a Prime member to rent this film.)

Image and synopsis property of and provided by ImNotCrazyImSick.com.

The above documentaries talk with the doctors and scientists who are accurately treating patients, and who are doing the incredible research into Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. These experts are from places like Johns Hopkins, Tulane University, and other highly respected research facilities.

I hope you and those you love, animals included, never have to face the trials of tick-borne diseases. If you do, having as much information as possible to back you up will help the journey into what is an ongoing battle.

This post contains two affiliate links.