Tests - you can never have too many

I managed a bit of gardening this weekend. How extraordinary to be feeling pleased about this! But yes, unmitigated joy was mine as I successfully dug up bits of turf and moved them around. Brilliant! Gardening is the new surfing! Mud is the new black! Grass is the new wave! (Stop it. Ed.)

On a less ebullient note, I've felt pretty fed up with the Lymishness of my life. I await a biopsy which in itself will not determine, for sure, whether I have Lyme or not. Excellent. How I love to wait for the results of medical tests. You can't have too many tests, you can't wait too long, you don't know who you are until you've waited for the results of a whole load of medical tests - that's what I always say. (Since when? Ed.)

However, what I would like to know is this: is there anyone out there who has been successfully treated for Lyme by the NHS?

Or is it a bit like that scene in The Trial, you know the one - where the bloke turns up at a vast courtroom seeking access to The Law, only to sit for years outside a door to an antechamber, which itself, even if he got through it, would only lead to another antechamber...

Noting wrong with that, mind you. Waiting for access to The Law is a good thing, you can never wait too long for access to The Law, you can never sit around waiting too much, the idea that justice is swift is a chimera, something almost as elusive as a clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease on the NHS, that's what I always say (That's enough now. Ed.)...

Comments

[jane colley]

I know far too many people who have Lyme Disease. Occasionally I come across someone who has had successful treatment on the NHS.

To be honest though virtually everyone I have had contact with who has had Lyme Disease has never had a positive on the NHS. However, a reasonable number get treatment if their GP is onside and open minded, but virtually all have had to see a private Lyme doctor first

The vast majority of those I have met have paid for all their treatment including diagnosis privately.

This is all very odd because it is, after all, a bacterial infection, so why is it apparently such a controversial illness?

Interestingly, most of those in the medical profession who do take an interest have either been affected themselves or know someone who has had it. Read into that what you will.

[Joanne]

Hmm! Gardening the new surfing I must remember that one for my daughter.

Of course when you are laid low with illness the ability to garden again can be such a joy.

Who knows one day you might surf again just like I can now garden again.

[allie]

your deluding yourself Alex, gardening can't compare to the raw power and smoothness of a clean left breaking as part of a perfect a frame with the sun beating.... what ? too much? too Cruel? Sorry I couldn't resisit but i would just like to remind you that it's not all fun (I know this can't compare to your health probs , but) I have chillblains not only on my toes but also on my fingers which whilst as i've just admitted don't compare to you are non the less bl***y painfull and make putting on my suit agony as well as paddling out thro fridge water and then carrying my log back down the beach in strong north easterlies. You on the other hand, will (hopefully) rock up to the cove in the summer ready for some nice warm surfs, rejuvinated, keen as, and ready to take on the world. Fingers crossed on that. Hang on in there bud and see ya soon . Sorry about the wind up before I didn't mean it honest.x

[Andy]

Alex, there are still people who have been successfully treated on the NHS. I am one of them.

I got masses of support and really useful, balanced information from Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK (BADA UK). That's how I found your blog actually, someone had posted it to their Facebook page.

I wish you all the best in getting better. By the way, BADA UK's director is paralysed after a swelling in her spine from the Lyme disease. If you want to talk to her you can contact her through their website. She helped me a lot.
http://www.bada-uk.org/homesection/contact/index.php

[Jan]

Re the post above, from Andy, I have suggested you contact Bada-uk as well. I'm disappointed you haven't already! I even primed them to expect it......

On the plus side, if my partner can sod off for weekends with his kayak, after basically being written off a few years ago, then you will surf again, you just need to accept what we're telling you and get the help that knowledgeable people can give you. Please.

[Sandy]

No joy here Alex. We can report succesfully not being treated for Lyme. Seems to be a bit of a band-wagon for this and most of us are on it: http://tombraiderfanboy.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/bandwagon.jpg
Persistence despite antibiotic treatment is the elephant in the ointment. Most of us experience the detriment of the doubt. After all if we were treated we might get better - thus exposing the truth. It's not called a hidden epidemic for nothing. (65,000 signatures currently on a dutch petition) If we go off and get treated elsewhere - there's no need for ownership, as it can then be discredited, along with the doctors who adopt a more humane approach. Kafka wrote the script to this for sure!