My Lyme Disease Blog

A Human Pandemic

lymeaway — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:44:17 +0000

“Without a full-scale investigation by the Justice Department, or a voluntary admission from the government that they accidentally released the bacteria that started Lyme disease in 1975, the world may unfortunately never know what really happened.”

Lyme Disease a Human Pandemic

House Bill 272 Hearing coming up!! Lymies needed- 8/30/2011

lymeaway — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:30:03 +0000

We are asking all of you who have Lyme and reside in Pennsylvania to be the voice so that we can finally get HB 272 passed!! If you can not make it you can still email your story or send written testimony to be heard. Check for details at Lyme Action PA Thank you!!

(Via Julia F. Wagner-President of MontCoLyme Support Group)

The PA House is going to hold a hearing on House bill 272 on Tuesday, Aug 30th, in Harrisburg from 10am until 12 noon. We hope you can be there!

There is new energy on this bill, and this hearing is critical–the bill has been around the house so long, and passed 3 times. Thats why it is crucial to hear your stories! Dr. Robert Bransfield, ILADS president, and distinguised fellow of the APA, and President of APA New Jersey will be speaking. We have several surprise speakers as well and patients speaking with their own stories and will be asking for an open mike for patients to share comments at the end.

Please, please do what you can to pass the word on regarding this hearing if you can not attend. Check Lyme Action PA and our facebook page for updates over the next couple days.

Thank you…progress IS being made to so many of you who are reaching out, finding the patients, getting them involved, please keep in touch, and let us know you are out there, and in the fight to change things for Lyme patients in PA!!

Julia Wagner, Chair, LymeActionPA

**If you want to get more actively involved, email lymeactionpa@gmail.com and we’ll connect you with your local regional LymeActionPA coalition leader.

****HB 272 Bill is The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act.

This legislation directs the Department of Health to establish a task force to address the issues surrounding Lyme disease and other tick borne infections. The task force is directed to investigate and make recommendations to the Department regarding the prevention of Lyme disease in the Commonwealth. The Department of Health is also directed to develop a program of public and professional education on Lyme disease in order to raise awareness of the long term effects of misdiagnoses and to develop public information and education on Lyme disease.

In addition, HB 272 further provides that a physician may prescribe long-term antibiotic therapy for late stage Lyme disease. The bill requires all health care insurance policies must cover treatment for Lyme disease, including long term therapies, when prescribed by the treating physician.

Lyme Lite Fashion Show-6/11/11

lymeaway — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 07:42:17 +0000

Jefferson University Hospital Alumni Hall
1020 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA

Silent Auction and Raffle
Starts 4:30-6:30pm, Doors open @4:00 for silent auction

Benefiting Montgomery County Lyme Information and Support Group (MontCoLyme) A non-profit organization that supports Lyme Disease education & awareness efforts in Montgomery and surrounding counties

Fun for the Whole Family!!
Snacks-Music-Lots of Raffle Prizes

Featuring Fabulous Fashions from: Banana Republic, REI, Eddie Bauer, Old Navy, Coldwater Creek, NTDTV Chinese costumes from the Global Han Couture design competition, Norma Kamali’s line of clothing from Walmart

Walking the Catwalk: Models from the John Robert Powers Agency & Youth Affected by Lyme Disease

EMCEE: Tara Murtha, Philadelphia Weekly, Investigative Reporter

CHIEF SPONSOR:
Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine

***For ticket and parking info, contact (888) 661-LYME or montcolyme@aol.com

**Advance tickets can be purchased at Lyme Lite Show

FREE Under Our Skin Screening-6/2/11

lymeaway — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:07:48 +0000

FREE Under Our Skin Screening in Elverson, PA @6:30pm Twin Valley High School

CHECK OUT LymeActionPa for details!!

Harrisburg Lyme Rally-Only 2 days away!!

lymeaway — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:23:58 +0000

Were getting closer! Only 2 days away from the Harrisburg Lyme Rally!!! We need you, the LYME YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, and their families to show your support for the Senate Bill 210. Wear your green! Bring your signs! There will be PRESS there and we need to see and hear the stories of our youth and how it’s impacting them. Our goal is to explain why this bill is needed so desperately. Check out LymeActionPA for the latest updates for Tuesday-5/24.

-Did you know Pennsylvania is #1 in reported cases in the U.S. and yet we have no prevention strategy, and were not even monitoring tick populations?

-Children are the most likely victims, ages 5-14 in particular. The impact on the brains and development of children can be very severe but can be improved if treated properly.

-Long term antibiotics work! They restore health and functionality. The cost of not treating us is much more significant then the potential risks of treatment.

- CDC says Lyme is a clinical diagnoses–based on signs and symptoms NOT the lab test alone. The lab test is widely known to be inadequate and a John’s Hopkins study from 2005,found it could miss as many as 75% of people who actually had the disease! A negative test can not rule out the disease, and yet physicians today are diagnosing based on “the old school” approach requiring a positive test no matter what.

4/30/11-Julia Wagner to speak at Lyme Awareness Event

lymeaway — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:55:17 +0000

If you can PLEASE come out and support our friend Dawn DiFiore!!!

To be held at Jeffersonville Golf Club, West Norriton, PA, April 30th, 7-11pm,$35 (tickets sold at the door) Includes food, drinks, entertainment, and lots of Lyme Disease information from our very own Julia Wagner, president of MontCoLyme.

More info and article from The Times Herald: Lyme Disease Fundraiser

Lyme Disease in Pets

lymeaway — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:07:28 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Its now getting closer to May again and the ticks are already out. I know I have gone on and on about Lyme Disease in people, but you need to look out for your pets as well. They are family to many of us and I know many of you like me would die if something happened to them. They can suffer from many severe issues from a tick, joint pain and swelling, kindney problems, etc. I found two great articles with good tips on how to remove a tick if you find one on your Pet.

Removing Ticks from your Pet

Tick Removal for your Pet

Top 10 Tips to Prevent Lyme Disease

lymeaway — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:09:41 +0000

Top 10 Tips to Prevent Lyme Disease

Dates for Upcoming Speakers for MontCo Lyme

lymeaway — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:46:38 +0000

Julia Wagner will have a full resource table with high quality informational and educational resources available, along with participants in the meeting experienced personally with Tick-Borne diseases.

All meetings are the last Monday of the month: at 7pm, and held at St. Peter’s Lutheran church, 211 Main Street, North Wales, PA 19454.

Feb 28, 2011 – Speaker: David S. Thalheimer, JD – David has represented hundreds of parents and children in special education matters in Pennsylvania. Prior to establishing Thalheimer and Palumbo, he served for five years as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia. Before serving at the District Attorney’s office, he was a litigation associate in the Philadelphia office of the Dechert law firm. He has often lectured on special education issues to educators and parents. His J.D. degree is from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an Editor of the Law Journal. His undergraduate degree is a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Thalheimer is past President of the Advocacy Board of the Arc of Montgomery County. David has helped some families with children stricken with Lyme Disease with their education and schooling challenges. Julia Wagner will provide an introduction regarding the impact of Lyme on youth and children, and then David Thalheimer , attorney, will address working with the schools regarding educational accommodations for children/youth with Lyme.

March 28, 2011 – Speaker - Dr. Clarence Mast, MD – Dr. Mast is Board-certified in Family Practice, and in recent years introduced through personal family experience to Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases. He is a member of ILADS and particularly concerned about the impact of Tick-Borne Diseases on Children & Youth.

April 25, 2011 – Speaker - Ron Hamlen, PHD – Ron Hamlen is a PHD in Insect Pathology, Nematology and Microbial Insect Control, also receiving certificates from Harvard School of Public Health in Public Health Risk Assessment. He is currently Vice President and Science Advisor for the Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern PA (LymePA) and a member of ILADS. Ron has a special interest in prevention of tick-borne disease, and the impact of tick-borne diseases on children and youth. He has authored numerous articles, most recently a Chapter in a textbook: ”Pediatrics in the Schools: Disorders and Treatment” published by the National Association of School Psychologists and Corwin/Sage Publishers, on Lyme and Associated Tick-Borne Infections”.

See www.lymeactionpa.com, and click on the Montcolyme tab for additional information (this site is in the midst of being updated for now, and this information is not yet there, but will be by the end of the year).

Julia F. Wagner is President of MontCoLyme (Montgomery County (PA) Lyme Information and Support Group)

She may be contacted at MontCoLyme@aol.com
MontCoLyme Address - 211 Main Street, North Wales, PA 19454

866-MCo-LYME (866-626-5963)

“Under Our Skin” Viewing-4/18/11

lymeaway — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:38:04 +0000

LYME DISEASE

Special Screening of the Award-winning documentary film

“UNDER OUR SKIN“

A gripping tale of microbes, medicine and money. Each year, thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, often told that their symptoms are “all in your head”

HOSTED BY PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATOR

ANDY DINNIMAN

and the

PENNSYLVANIA LYME DISEASE AWARENESS COMMITTEE

WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY, SYKES STUDEN UNION, 110 ROSEDALE AVENUE, WEST CHESTER, PA

(FREE and Open to all-Free Parking)

MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011 @7:00PM

Pennsylvania has the highest number of Lyme cases in the U.S.

Q&A after the movie: DOUG FEARN, President, Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc.

For info, phone 610-384-2249

www.lymepa.org