A Pseudo "Lyme Condition" (LC)

I used to wonder what it would feel like to be old. It was always hard to imagine since I am in my youth and enjoy running and weight lifting, swimming and horseback riding, and just moving in general. Well, I need wonder no more because I have “traveled” forward in time and experienced it all for myself...and all thanks to a tick.

About three weeks ago I began to feel the transformation. While mist netting one night, my head began to throb painfully, to the extent that I was seeing dark blotches and felt as though I was about to faint. In the morning the nausea came; I could hardly eat because every time I did I got sick. After a day or two I really began to worry because I felt achy all over, and not just as if I had the flu. My joints ached everywhere: in my knees, my fingers, my wrists, my elbows, and my neck was stiff. It was as if I had developed rheumatoid arthritis overnight. Throughout it all I was exhausted; I still can’t comprehend how I motivated myself and made it through the rest of the mist netting cycle.

I had started to feel strange on Wednesday and by the following Saturday I was pretty sure I had Lyme disease and headed off to the clinic in San Saba. I arrived to find it closed. Apparently it people don’t get sick on weekends in small towns. I was concerned because Lyme is a bacteria and can be cured, but if it is left untreated it becomes chronic and stays with you for the rest of your life...I was worried I would remain an 80 year old for the rest of my life. I called Jimma from town to see if she knew of any other clinics nearby, but she said the nearest clinic was about 45 minutes away, so I decided I would wait until Monday. Fortunately, Jimma has the best timing. She hadn’t known I was sick before I called that afternoon, but coincidentally she had already invited a couple neighbors who are doctors over to dinner that evening.

The second I walked into John and Jimma’s house that night I was greeted with anxious questions concerning my health. “What’s wrong?” and “How are you feeling?” “Let us see your insect bites!” I was touched by their concern, but somewhat embarrassed as they scrutinized my hairy, bug bitten, red legs. (I have a picture of the bulls-eye rash that developed on my leg, but I will spare y’all). I was surrounded by people in the medical profession, who all happen to live within three minutes of one another: Jim Conyers is a surgeon, Jerry Thompson is a GP, and Linda Thompson (his wife) is a nurse. The consensus was that I most likely had STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness), not Lyme. STARI is much more common in Texas, as the name suggests, but is very similar to Lyme (same genus of bacteria, but different species). I was given a name of a doctor at the clinic and lots of advice and information that helped assuage my nervousness. I am so fortunate to have found such wonderful people; I have found a second family for the summer.

I was itching to get to the clinic on Monday and get antibiotics, but I was wary because Jim had cautioned me that the doctor may be hesitant to give me medicine or to diagnose me with STARI. There is a blood test available, but false negatives occur about 40% of the time and the antibodies may not build up until 8 months after contracting the disease. As a result, I was prepared to argue, persuade, or charm a prescription from the doctor. Before I left, Kristen gave me a pep talk and made me promise not to leave the clinic without medicine. I gritted my teeth and drove off to the clinic on a mission. My confidence dwindled a bit when the receptionist shrank back and shot me a wary and slightly disgusted glance when I explained why I was there. I guess my description of the plethora of bug bites and my symptoms was a bit daunting, but I had expected the professionals at the clinic to take it well. Fortunately I pulled myself together by the time I was taken back to the doctor and as I sat waiting I gathered my symptoms in my mind and created a logical and coherent argument as to why the doctor should give me a prescription. When he entered, I attempted to look as tired and ill as possible, sulking quietly and miserably in the corner. This actually really was not very difficult as I felt extraordinarily miserable to begin with.

When the door opened and the doctor walked in, I took a deep breath and began. I explained my symptoms, how I had contracted the disease through the field work, how all the neighboring doctors thought it was STARI, that there are tests but they have a high rate of false negatives, and what medicine I needed according to Jim, John, and Linda. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved when the doctor almost immediately told me he agreed and that I needed to be put on antibiotics. It was only about a matter of 10 minutes before I was out the door and on my way to the pharmacy. Three days later I was feeling as though I was in my fifties, a considerable improvement, and by the end of the week I felt like 20 again!