Lyme Disease Awareness

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month! Lyme Disease is a caused by a bacteria that comes from a deer tick bite in simple terms. I want this post to remind everyone that if you are bitten by a tick to keep an eye out for a red ring around it and immediately find a doctor if that occurs. My 21 year old daughter has suffered for years with symptoms of this disease and we were unaware that she was ill until almost 5 years ago. She still undergoes treatment for this horrible illness.
Symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to the flu so nothing that screams Lyme and it is a disease that is hard to get diagnosed. Patients know that something is wrong with them, but many doctors don't find this until the patient is extremely ill.
There are many Lyme disease awareness groups and there is a lot of information about this illness, but many doctors will say that this disease doesn't exist or is easy to treat. Let me say from experience that is not true in some cases.
I am thankful that our family doctor is caring and constantly learning things that he can do to aid my daughter in leading a fairly normal life. There are still many days that she is just suffering all day and that she barely feels like getting up, but she is still fighting and she is trying to bring more awareness to the disease.
I ask that all who read this wear a Lyme disease ribbon today!