LymeNet Flash: Place Of Wonder, Place Of Fear

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Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :

It's 3:16 a.m., and I'm bleary-eyed. I should attempt sleep sometime soon.

I became sick while living in New Jersey. Probably South Carolina, too, when I was a college student. I live in PA now, and that is an endemic area.

I read an article about how Babs is more prevalent in PA than NJ and how raking leaves can make you sick.

We are in a very rural area. We are in the woods, and there are plenty of leaves and brush. My husband had applied a yard product in the spring. It was a multi-purpose product, and it contained a pesticide that is supposed to be effective against ticks. Still, it came in pellet form, not liquid, so it couldn't have penetrated all the leaf piles. And I don't know if more than one application was necessary.

I am so worried when John cuts the grass, and I'm very worried about moving the leaves away from the main lawn. (They don't pick them up here, and I don't want to burn them.) I don't want John to become ill (and I think he may be, though he doesn't believe it), and I don't want him bringing in ticks!

There was a serious mouse infestation before we moved here, and we have gotten mice after doing some sealing. I know they are the carrier of Babs. And we are surrounded by deer. I like to chase them away, but that is futile. I just cursed one I saw outside when John left for work.

I'm sorry if I appear to be rambling. I'm quite fatigued.

I called this a place of wonder because of the natural beauty. We are supposed to find peace in rural settings, right? Of course, I, and you, know otherwise. It is a place of fear, too.

We used Sevin the first year we were here, but Dr. S in Maryland warned against it. I'd like to go back to it next year. I wonder if it can be mixed with other products, though. John insists on fertilizer, weed killer....

One thing about Sevin: you can soak leaf piles!

Sigh. I hate that we just can't roam free.

Steph

Addendum: I have MCS, so I can't wear pesticides like permethrin. I would be sensitive to it even on John's clothes. And he doesn't tuck his pants in his socks anymore. He has become rather cavalier.

[This message has been edited by Starphoenix (edited 03 September 2005).]

Posted by griswoldgirl (Member # 5365) on :

I hate the fear I feel about the woods now. I have not been camping or to the mountains just for a drive since being diagnosed. I have had a couple of opportunities and declined out of fear.

I got lyme disease many years ago hiking the appalachain trail in the northeast--been in all the epidemic areas backpacking for days/weeks at a time.

The outdoors is where I feel at peace. I love the ocean and the mountains. Always have. Now, the heat bothers me as I get older and sicker-so the beach is something I can drive 4 hours to and enjoy as long as I have a air conditioned hotel room to retreat to--ha ha (with losing my income that is not going to happen any time soon)--however the foot hills are just 1 1/2 hours drive from Charlotte. i used to take drives and pull off and hike all the time before getting too ill=--now I am moving around better than I was pre abx treatment--but am scared to be reinfected.

When I sit here and think about it --it is really stupid. I have been ill for 15+ years now. I should enjoy life as much as I can.

i will go to the mountains again here in NC--yes lyme can be caught here--daughter got it 3 years ago up in the Smokies-bull's eye rash and all--thank god so far she seems fine. Was on 3 months of orals and doing much better imediately after and has been well for two years now.

The bottom line is we can get hit by a car, run over by a bus, die from a stray bullet etc etc--Enjoy your life--perhaps see if some neighbor kids want to earn a few bucks to rake up the leaves for you.

I have a dog and love her and do not even give it a thought that she could bring ticks in the house. It is just the woods thing that gets me.

take care

Cathy

ps all men think they are invinsible and never ill--I think my husband has lyme too and he will not get checked out. He is the one who turned me on to backpacking in the woods for days at a time. He grew up hiking the AT in upstate NY, NJ, PA and that is where we went--to his old haunts. We eventually hiked over 400 miles of the Northeast end of the trail--heck we planned to hike the entire thing from Georgia to Maine until I found out I was pregnant with my first child.

Posted by daniella (Member # 6753) on :

I cover myself in natural repellant, especially my shoes...

I too am very paranoid of bugs, mice, germs.
Please know we all get it here...

Luckily I live in a town so not to many animals, or grass for that matter!

hang in there,
daniella

Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :

It's scary. After 20 years of living h*ll, diagnosis in '02, and little, ineffective treatment since, I do not want to add more to my misery!

I am seeing a PA who knows what he's doing, fortunately. (Daniella: you know that I now go to Dr. H's office, right?) I can't believe the arsenal of drugs I now have. Just trying to schedule them was quite a feat!

I want to get the natural repellant. I do want protection, but not of the poison kind! I think I'll inquire next month when I go there again. I think I'll ask about the Sevin for the yard, too.

I love living in the country, but I hate being afraid of my own yard and what it holds!

Steph

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

What's up with Sevin?

Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :

Dr. S in Maryland said that Sevin is too toxic to apply to the lawn. Toxic to people and the environment. But it's so wonderfully toxic to the ticks, so I want to use it!

I wonder what my new PA will think. I trust their opinion there since they are well respected and treat comprehensively.

They offer a natural repellant for people, but I don't know what they suggest for lawns.

Steph

Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :

Steph, I think Sevin is one of the things that contributed to my MCS. I'm with Dr. S on this one, I think it is too toxic, especially if you are already sensitive. It's too easy to carry it in on your shoes, and have it in the house.

Have you looked into those mouse things where they have pesticide saturated cotton in tubes for mice to build their nests with? That way they carry the toxic stuff back to their nest, and it is much more contained.

I've also heard that you can set up a border around the yard of gravel in the sun, that gets too hot for the ticks to cross. You need to make the yard unfriendly to mice and ticks, so there is no place for them to hide. Not as pretty, but safer for you, and better than lots of toxic chemicals.

I understand your fear, but you don't want to trade one problem for another one.

Posted by Starphoenix (Member # 2402) on :

Riversinger: You have good points!

Well, we can't put a border. You'd have to see our property to understand why. It's hard to explain.

We have all manner of animals here. I wonder where we could get those mouse tubes? I've heard that the mice are the major problem, more so than the deer.

I want to get the natural repellant from my PA's office, too. I know someone who said she uses it. She puts it on, particularly on her shoes. At least, then, we'd be protected while in the yard. I make it a habit, too, to avoid areas of yard near the trees and woods behind.

Steph