It's been the highest rated article from "The Atlantic" this week. It's from Yale graduate, Meghan O'rourke. She gives a perspective from a chronic lyme sufferer's perspective.
It has a ton of views so it's a flat palette of frequent The Atlantic readers...So you get some perspective in the comments section about what the layman thinks about this disease (and about her writing).
Everything from experts claiming it's from a deer biting you to people suffering. But I've spent a good part of my weekend defending, explaining, and educating people. I got through to a few.
Feel free to chime in the comments section or just thumbs up or down. It's very interesting to say the least. You can also use any number of anonymous logins: yahoo, disqus, gmail, or facebook and twitter if you like.
Thank you for posting this. I will definitely read it. Always raises my spirits when a major mag gets it right. That happens so infrequently.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
Having now read it, I thought it could have used a sentence or two more about what it was like to have waited so long for the correct diagnosis, and why that did not happen.
The comment section, at least the first part, because I gave up after a while, is like a lot of comment sections these days. People who like to criticize and apparently have nothing else to do with their time. I'm sorry this is standard now, because intelligent comments can add a lot to journalism online. And tell the editors how the piece was received. Doubting that editors bother to read comments anymore, and probably it would be discouraging for a writer also.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- poppy,
I've not yet had the courage or energy to read the above article and cringe with "Yale" mentioned (as Yale, itself, has been a huge insult to those with lyme) but glad droid says it's good. Later for that, then.
You say: "intelligent comments can add a lot to journalism online"
I agree. It's really hard to find those yet in some comment sections, I've found true gems of information and insight. Please don't give up on comments. I don't have the mental capacity to really write in those places as clearly as I'd like so I encourage all who do, to keep at it. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Okay, I got just into page 2. Excellent so far, just excellent. It will take several sessions to read it all but I just want to encourage others to read this.
It's not about lyme, though it's mentioned (and in good "space" so far) but about the state of medicine and how doctors are feeling about this, too.
thanks, droid -
Posted by droid1226 (Member # 34930) on :
I didn't like the Yale part either but I thought it was important because she's alumni who hasn't toed the line.
You're right Keebler, it's not about lyme but it's premise is. I guess anymore it's subjective whether health articles are lyme or infection related. But her experiences were all based on the fact that she had been on the merry go round of specialists due to undiagnosed lyme disease.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Oh, what you (anyone) posts need not be about lyme. It just helps to know going in how much to "wake up" the brain in this way or that regarding whether compression and memory will work at that point in time -- like doing homework.
Often, we need to read what's current even if it is distressing. Although you already told it was good (whew!) . . . likely, my mention of not about lyme, so much - was just to let others know a bit more of what to expect energy wise.
While I've not yet finished it, it touches on many important points so far. -