Beware! Lyme Disease and Tick Borne Illnesses
One big concern I have in the spring and summer here on the farm is the presence of ticks. For anyone that lives in the country, I am sure you are aware of just how much of a nuisance they can be. These little creatures can get on to your clothing or skin when you are outside and inch their way into your life. They become attached to the skin and can be hard to remove at times.
Removal of a tick that has burrowed into your skin can be difficult because if you are not careful, you can pull the tick off, but the head will become lodged under the skin as you will just remove the body. This can be a potentially dangerous act if that tick is a deer tick and happens to carry diseases, as many do. It is very important that you completely remove the tick.
You might ask why they are a big concern to me. My oldest daughter has chronic neurological Lyme disease from a tick bite. She has struggled with the illness for 9 years and will always struggle with it. The bacteria from the disease was behind her eyes when it was first found and if she had not have gotten treated when she did, she might have been blind within a few weeks. Those are scary words for a typically healthy 17 year old girl. Chronic neurological Lyme disease are also scary words to a healthy 17 year old and her parents.
I will tell more about our Lyme journey later, but I want to make everyone aware that Lyme Disease is real and can be very debilitating. Young or old, age really does not matter. This year is set to be a very heavily infested year for ticks so please beware. Do tick checks after being outside, especially in wooded areas. Also, be sure to wear tick repellent and long sleeve shirts and long pants if you are going to be hiking or walking in these areas. Just be aware of ticks and anytime you are outside, I recommend that you check yourself for them, especially if you are out in a rural area.
There is also a new threat. A new tick illness that is even more dangerous than Lyme is being seen this year and you can read about that here. Be careful and aware! Your health is important and Lyme Disease is a very unpleasant journey to travel.
Removal of a tick that has burrowed into your skin can be difficult because if you are not careful, you can pull the tick off, but the head will become lodged under the skin as you will just remove the body. This can be a potentially dangerous act if that tick is a deer tick and happens to carry diseases, as many do. It is very important that you completely remove the tick.
You might ask why they are a big concern to me. My oldest daughter has chronic neurological Lyme disease from a tick bite. She has struggled with the illness for 9 years and will always struggle with it. The bacteria from the disease was behind her eyes when it was first found and if she had not have gotten treated when she did, she might have been blind within a few weeks. Those are scary words for a typically healthy 17 year old girl. Chronic neurological Lyme disease are also scary words to a healthy 17 year old and her parents.
I will tell more about our Lyme journey later, but I want to make everyone aware that Lyme Disease is real and can be very debilitating. Young or old, age really does not matter. This year is set to be a very heavily infested year for ticks so please beware. Do tick checks after being outside, especially in wooded areas. Also, be sure to wear tick repellent and long sleeve shirts and long pants if you are going to be hiking or walking in these areas. Just be aware of ticks and anytime you are outside, I recommend that you check yourself for them, especially if you are out in a rural area.
There is also a new threat. A new tick illness that is even more dangerous than Lyme is being seen this year and you can read about that here. Be careful and aware! Your health is important and Lyme Disease is a very unpleasant journey to travel.
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