In Memory of Those Who've Passed from Lyme

When I was first diagnosed with Lyme back in 2008, the first thing I did was google if you could die from Lyme Disease.  Everything I read said no.  Of course you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet.  But when doctors, the people you're suppose to trust with you LIFE tells you, you tend to believe it.  But then those same people turn around and tell you Lyme Disease doesn't even exist.  It's all in our mind.  I know there are many others who have passed who aren't listed.  My heart goes out to everyone whose has passed, their families, and everyone who is suffering.  I know suicide is high among Lymies.  Stay strong.

Join the facebook memorial for Lyme Awareness Month to reflect on a remember those who have passed away due to Lyme Disease.  Lyme Memorial

People Who Died of Lyme Disease:

Michael Cunningham

Jon Pierre Lavallee, 46

Frank John Ferrigno, 48

C. Gordon Smith, 67 Moonface Bear, 35

James Roderick Mason

Kimberly Carol McEachern, 42 

Kathryn H. Brown, 85

Kim Wood, 48

Lynette McKinney, 64

CT Girl, 7 Years Old 

Brett Anthony Paul, 31

Joseph F. Lyons

Freida R. Gaultney

Preston H. Longino

Dr. Basil Roebuck

J. Howard Marshall Jr.

Isabella Radestock

Dr. Carole Alton

Martin F. Dumke

Dr. Sterling Edgar Walton

Sue Ellen Helms, 55

Jodi Lynn Swift, 35

Norman Jenkins Ryker Jr.

Julian B. Backus, 52

Joan Maura Friedenberg, 53

Steve Nelson, 38

George Nijboer 

Dr. Stephen Gumport 

Ann H. McChesney, 58

Clarissa Tilghman Yost, 95

Piet Van Leer, 82

Thomas W. Hughes, 51

JHopkins Autopsy #26488 

JHopkins Autopsy #46758 

Michael Hinsberger, 53

John Miskiv

Jonathan Bleefield

Craig Moon, 46

Florence Desillier

Shelli Grossnickle

Patrick F. Bogdanovich 

Darlene Joyce Deyo, 50

Robert Benton Senior

David Frederick Rosenau, 59

Patricia Bauman, 73

Amanda Schmidt, 11

Glenn Edward Killion, 36

Kevin Ring, 37

David Lee Thomas, 18

Miss Christina Marie Lambeth, 19

Kathy Cavert, 51

Dr. John Drulle

Gayla Diane Keyes, 52

Shirley Forsman

Everett 'Ed' Francis Ives, 53

Lynette McKinney, 64

Beverly Stanton, 53

Rena McNulty

Dr. William 'Bill' Nichols

Brian Pierson, 47

John W. McGrath, 75 

Larry Dolan, 56

Dillon Jamison King, 37

Deiby Ashkenasy, 23

Beth Coen, 46

Richard Robley, 47

Owen Klepper

Simuel L. Danny Hogan 

Elizabeth Burke Laubach Claflin

Kendall Wooten, 22

Ellen Agnes Loughlin, 56

Lori Lynn Widlund, 42

June Atkins, 77

Richard T. Mullin

Travis Wilson, 23

Professor Alasdair Crockett

Ellen Havican Watson, 20

Jesse Jonah Goldsmith Morgan, 35

Dr. Edward Stanley Arnold

Pat Pepper, 58

Gordon P. Grafton, Jr., 46

Dr. Michael G. Linebaugh 

Christopher Peter Thomas, 46

Peter Edgar Hare 

William Henry Boesche, 41

Robert Lee Runion, 77

Chester A. Mellen

Barry Horton, 55

David A. McHoul, 63 

Arlene DeLaurier

Jamie Forschner, 5

Dr. Jane Colfax

Sharon Ann Gross, 41

Joyce Marie Woods, 46

Jenny Umphress, 21

Scott Brazil, 50

David A. Butler, 73

Gilbert Thornton Perkins, 77

Theresa Jean Wells Clay, 45

Timothy Alan Selepec, 46

Catherine Klapak, 44

Dr. John Bleiweiss

Martha Bradley, 68

Gayle R. Hogan, 66

Paul Fjare

Larry Bennett, 50

Michael Wilson

Adam Rowett, 18

Gloria Jean Baglio

William A. ''Bill'' Mattson, 62

Catherine Klapak, 44 

James Sanders, 55

DeWayne Murphy, 34

Mike Thomas, 48

Barry Horton

Robert Michael Hanson, 49

Edwin John Parssinen, 86

Peter Anthony Banducci, 45

Diane Varsi, 54 

Randy Stevens, Jr., 6 minutes 

Stewart H. Dowell, 62

John Thomas Pitner, 28

Rude, Charles Lee, 54

Jerry Balistreri, 51

Stanley V. Piser, 90

James W. Loughran, 63

Doris Grade

Rick Fincham, 44

Ted Paul Richard Hoggard, 21

Terri Dahl Fishel-Hokit, 61

Brian Hirsch, 43

Hilary Skinner, 43 

Dr. Corey Brian Schmidt, 53 

Carlton Tucker, 38 

Kenneth Hagen, 39 

David Cole, 65 

Polly Todd

Richard Holtry 

Bonnie Borntrager 

Dana Hathaway, 51 

Paula Rae Lipkin, 52 

Robert Silverman, 45 

Ronald S. Ferris, 55 

Michele Rose-Clair

Sarah Minor, 44

Helenette Suchocki, 67

Tim Snow, 44 * 

Kevin Smith * 

Watt Carter

Susan Hawkes-Koons, 57

Theresa Nelson, 38 

Terry Allen Wood, 48 

Luther Conant, 51

Carmen Charles Casciani, 64

Alfredo Mathew Jr. , 59 

Ann Vesonder, 46 *

Karen Sullivan, 48 * 

Hartley Everette Jackson, 87 

Chantal Seaman, 62 * 

Donna O'Toole, 35

Katherine Alderson Crowe, 77 

Peter Vyselaar* 

Linda Fuller, 57

George Wendell White Jr. , 83 

John A. Every 

Stephen Dolan, 30 

James Andrew Anderson, 58

Dennis Stephen Johnson, 58

Richard Delano Thoner 

Philip J. LaMonico, 69

Guy Sumner, 66

Thomas Roberts

John Martini

Betty Jo Hemphill, 52

Betty Jo Loubier, 45

Gail V. Fichtl Walling, 49

P. Kevin Missett , 52 

& Elizabeth Graham Missett, 58 

Vickie Crawford, 55

Nina Bonderman Tarnofsky, 80

Balsorah Lamar Savely Miller, 64

Kimberly Ann Cooper, 37

Kathleen E. Schuyler, 52

Harry Hartner, 62

Vincent Sota, 47

Vincent Paletta, 61

Robert J. DiBattisto, 64

Robert J. Hoffman, 48

Jim Sazani, 59

Ginette Ellen Jones, 39

Barry Gordon, 52

Debbie Selberg, 52

David A. Butler, 73

Stacy Lynn Grow, 28 

Marion A. Hastings, 68 

Eleanor J. Kuhar, 81 

Leslie Clifford Kiggins, 77 

John N. Gamble

Benjamin O. Carter, 68

Michael G. Schulte, 69 

Robert J. Thompson, 49 

Stephen A. Herring, 42

Rebecca Rose Boone-Britt, 55

Rebecca Marie Jarrell Nichols, 50

Harry Phillips Sullins, 73

Thomas B. Brown, 83

Logan Kock

Frances X. Bender, 56

Imogene R. Schultz *

Bill Chinnock, 59

Teresa McGilley Redlingshafer, 72

Duane H. Johnson, 65

James Paine Koch

Eric von Schmidt, 75

Shirley E. Wolfenden, 75

Maggie McCorkle

Priscilla Moulton Shafer, 73

Judith Ross Boynton, 54

Deborah O'Connor DeMarco, 40

Raymond J. Krueger, 79

Holly Kulikoski

Richard M. Scott, 86

Donald J. Simpson

Germaine''Gigi'' Chamberlain

Christine M. Rizzo

Joseph Gregory Padner, 48

Lonnie Benedict, 45

Patricia F. Gerstner, 56

Frances L. Jacob, 75

Robert M. Silver 

Michael John Fried, 65

Anna Gorbsky Hladchuk 

Leonard J. Spooner

Paul Butler *

Samuel Butler *

Jane May Chapman, 45

Dr. Edward L. McNeil, 81

Dr. James Alan Yarbrough, 54

Col. Bryce H. Wagner, 62

Britteny Gallgher, 17

Robert Dawson, 55

Shirley Moore, 67

Steve Cheek, 52

Sarah Elizabeth Pawson, 41

Barbara Lynn Fitzmaurice, 56

Robert Chilton

Drusilla Davis Howey, 68

Jacqueline Lewis Hacker, 55

Suzanne Spear Lawrence

Jimmy Duarte, 70

Gustav R. Persson, 62,

Patricia Ann Holloway, 71

Mary Frampton, 76

Shirley E. Wolfenden, 75

Michael Coers, 62

Robert J. Hoffmann, 48

Harry Burke, 82

Rose - Karen Johnson Rose

Bruno C. Malvezzi, 87

Robert Earl Wicker, 56

Steven F. Wells, 45

Sheldon Willis "Tex" Stout II, 66

Joseph Vocino 

Lloyd Ebert, 101

Emily Powell, 15

Gregory Joseph Deneault, 45

Arda Manoukian, 50

Susan Starchuk, 62

Michael "Mike" Wilnau, 53

Lothar Bachmann, 65

John Douglas Powell, 64

Gianetto, Joseph F. 

Charlene L. Kaijala, 52

Mike Gregory, 43

Russell Paul Reach, 49,

Harry E. Waechter

Buck R Benoist , 66

For more information and obituaries of these beautiful people, please visit...

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/lymedisease/Lyme/Memorial.html

North Carolina and Lyme Disease

These are actual charts from slide shows of the April 13th meeting of the Vector-Borne Work Group Meeting, talking about the growth of Lyme Disease.  Remember, just a few years ago, according to NC Health Department, Lyme didn't exist here.  The whole report also includes co-infections, like spotted fever. Anyone interested in the whole report, please let me know.  The Lyme Disease I found the most interesting.

"A concern was raised and discussion within the group concentrated on finding ways to
ensure that physicians are more aware of the incidence of tick borne illness in
the state as well as the difference between clinical diagnosis and surveillance
criteria. National case definitions are standardized, and applied mostly
uniformly across the country. Ms. Herman‐Giddens brought the groups
attention to the fact that a large part of the frustration is that there are no good
clinical tests for Lyme and many of the other tick‐borne illness.
Dr. Williams notified the group of the decision that state agencies, to protect patient’s
rights to confidentiality will not release county information until after the end of
the year. Of course, health directors will be notified of cases in their counties.
Status of Governor’s Proclamation declaring May Tick and Mosquito Awareness Month: This
item has been approved by the department, but as of the meeting date, there
has been no information on the status of this from the governor’s office.
Jodi Reber presented on the pending updates to the DPH website which will include enhanced
links for Providers and Local Health Departments as well as a section for
providers to reference for laboratory tests and questions. Orange County has a
physicians only portal, and are encouraging other counties to do the same type
of information dissemination. In addition, a variety of educational materials will
be posted for providers and health departments to share with the general public.
The group will be notified, with relevant links, as soon as these have been
posted.
Discussion ensued on the many initiatives and efforts that have been done to increase
awareness of all arboviral and tick‐borne disease awareness. Hopefully the
updates to the website will help provide more information, the proclamation will
help to bring attention to the website and the new information that will be
available soon.
Meagan Vaughn: Focus on tick borne diseases.
Focus is prevention of illness in high‐risk groups, i.e. outdoor workers, landscapers,
forestry, etc. both because of exposure and because of poor adherence to
prevention measures."

Disability

Definitely a bittersweet feeling.  March 4th I applied for Medicaid and Disability  there is no way I can work during my recovery at this moment.  After being prepared to be denied, and having to go through the fight for several years, I got a call today saying I was approved for both Medicaid and SSI.

It's such a relief, I have been panicking about money and trying to figure out a way for me to have a job, to get money to save, so after treatment I can finally move out of my parents house.  Not to mention the ridiculously HUGE stack of hospital bills I have yet to pay.  Disability said they would back pay any bills that I have after Nov. 2012.

It's a big relief, but it's also such a crushing, sad feeling.  I don't know what else to say.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month... What can you do?

We see it all the time, "let's turn facebook pink for breast cancer awareness!!"  NOW IT'S OUR TURN!

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and I'm getting excited about educating and informing people about Lyme, and so should you be!

So, what's the simplest thing you can do to make people aware?  Change your profile picture on facebook.  Everyone sees it, and you don't even have to change your profile picture for the whole month, even simply a single day is better than nothing.  Don't forget to invite your friends and family to do the same
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But I don't know where to get a Lyme Friendly profile picture!  Have no fear, I've made some, and will be adding more throughout the rest of April.  Just simply right click and save image on the picture you like, and then change your facebook profile picture by uploading it.  Super simple.  If you find any images out there that you like, feel free to send them to me (lymegreenawareness@gmail.com) and I'll add them on here for people to use.  Enjoy!  Also I take suggestions too, if there is something in particular you want, I'd be happy to make it for you, just comment or e-mail me!