Description of Event or Problem · 1
I CONTRACTED LYME DISEASE AND CO-INFECTIONS. DOCTORS LAUGHED AND TOLD ME NO WAY LYME DISEASE DOESN'T HAPPEN IN (B)(6). I GET SICKER AS THE MONTHS PASS, EVENTUALLY BECOMING DISABLED AND HOME-BOUND. I WAS TOLD BY AN ESTEEMED NEUROLOGIST THAT IT WAS JUST DEPRESSION. BUT I KNEW BETTER. FINALLY, AFTER THE RIGHT TEST WAS ORDERED (4TH TEST), AND AFTER SEEING MORE THAN 20 DOCTORS, I RECEIVED AN ACCURATE POSITIVE DIAGNOSIS (BOTH LAB AND CDC POSITIVE). NOW I AM LEFT TO TRY TO FIGHT MY WAY BACK TO GOOD HEALTH. I WAS AN ATHLETE, A SCHOLAR, AND I AM FORTUNATE NOW IF I REMEMBER FAMILY AND FRIEND'S NAMES. I AM HOME-BOUND DUE TO PHYSICAL EFFECTS FROM THE UNDIAGNOSED LYME DISEASE. I'VE SPENT MY LIFE SAVINGS TRYING TO FIND ANSWERS. I'VE BEEN TREATED BADLY BY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. GUIDELINES MUST CHANGE! IN THE INTERVENING TIME BETWEEN MY INITIAL SYMPTOMS, AND WHEN I WAS PROPERLY AND OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED, MY MEMORY BECAME AFFECTED. I AM UNABLE TO CARE FOR MYSELF ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. I AM IMMOBILE. WHAT'S WORSE IS THAT WHEN I SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS I MIGHT HAVE LYME (IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER DIAGNOSIS), A YOUNG INTERN AT (B)(6) HOSPITAL'S ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC LAUGHED AND MOCKED ME AS HER CONFERRED WITH THE OVERSEEING PHYSICIAN. SO, WE HAVE INADEQUATE TESTING, DOCTORS WHO REFUSE TO CONSIDER LYME AS A DIAGNOSIS, AND PTS SPENDING THEIR LIFE SAVINGS TRYING TO BEAT AN ILLNESS THAT NO ONE WILL RECOGNIZE.