posted
I love to garden, but since being dx with Lyme I have NOT stepped foot in to pull a weed or plant anything this year.
I want to get over the fear, but another bite terrifies me. I cover up, spray up, but that doesn't help my fears....I have the feeling that when i brush up against something, a tick is looking for lunch, and these *******s are almost invisable!! what to do?
are there any plants that ticks won't hang out on? or are they just everywhere...even in our gardens?
Posts: 501 | From Hudson Ticky Valley, NY | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
No way. I used to grow beautiful perennials. I would have flowers for about 10 months of the year. Now I spray the weeds with Roundup so I don't have to step in the beds and my son cuts the grass. I even planted a couple yews (actually had someone else do it, I told them where they went), which I hate, to be able to do even less in the beds.
It's just not worth taking the chance. I KNOW what happens when I get bitten.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I do. It is the only reckless thing I do. I am one of those super-careful people. My daughter has even teased me about wrapping my son in bubble wrap.
Now, my garden today is nothing compared to what it was a few years ago. I used to have perrennial garden, and beds of annuals as well.
Then we moved and the new garden never really got off the ground. The lyme was diagnosed.
Fast forward. Now my health is much better. So I am back in the garden, which will never be what the other one was.
It's something I love to do.
Posts: 797 | From New York | Registered: Feb 2008
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17hens
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
The fear is really something. Overpowering. Overwhelming. Fear has taken over my life for the past year and a half.
What's the song? Something about whatever you think about more than God is your idol... Lyme has been my idol for way too long.
I just got back from a 5 day trip to Nashville with hubby, daughter and friend - daughter wants to know how to get a career in country music so we took her to see.
For 5 days, I barely, rarely, hardly ever thought about lyme, ticks, fear. It was wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love to garden. I love flowers. Haven't gardened in 2 summers. My flower beds are spilling over with weeds but do I care? Will I care ever again? Will I garden ever again? Don't know but I hope so. Someday.
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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bcb1200
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posted
I do. I take precautions but I won't let this rule me...otherwise "lyme wins" (just like the terrorists win if you stop flying.)
Dr. M in CT had lyme also and his direct quote is "I live in the woods"...you have to go on with your life.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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TF
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posted
They are definitely in my gardens, shrubs, you name it all throughout my yard.
So, my gardening is now very minimal. It is just not worth the risk.
And, any time I DO do any little bit of gardening, I put on Avon Skin So Soft or spray with DEET, etc. and I keep looking for ticks while I am working.
Then, I do a thorough tick check when I am finished.
I completed my lyme treatment over 5 years ago and I am still symptom free, enjoying my life. But, I found an attached tick on my stomach 2 weeks after completing my lyme treatment. A doctor had to cut out the head. And, I got a bite with a bulls eye rash in August 2008 and had to go back to lyme doc for 30 days of treatment for lyme, babs, and bart.
I have had other ticks on me also since completing treatment. So, we have to accept that we that have or have had lyme are tick magnets.
The premier pediatric lyme expert in the world, Dr. J, has said this.
We can't behave like other people because our bodies produce pheromones that attract ticks. That's what Dr. J says.
My now famous lyme doc told me I had to change my lifestyle. He even told me to sell my house and move since I live in such a tick infested area.
So, no walking through tall grass on the side of a road, no picking berries in the wild like I did all my life pre-lyme, no walking in the woods, NEVER sit on a log or lean up against a tree (these are the 2 activities that cause the most people to get ticks on them), and on and on.
Plus, we sprinkle tick killer granules throughout the yard and on flower beds, shrubs, everything, you name it about 3 times per year.
My next door neighbor pooh-poohed all this when he moved into the neighborhood about 6 years ago. Now, he has tested positive for lyme through Igenex. Instead of wanting to put out a salt lick to draw more deer to the yard, he is now paying someone to come and treat his yard to kill ticks. And, he is putting deer repellant all around.
It was depressing to me at first to have to give up gardening and picking berries and other things. But, after you mourn the loss of these things, you eventually don't see it as that big a deal. You are using your intellect and making a wise decision that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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TF
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Lyme isn't like terrorists. Terrorists do things purposely to make you feel fear. Terrorists know if they are terrorizing you, if they are winning.
Diseases don't think or know or get satisfaction from scaring people. And, neither do ticks.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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17hens
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No, that's true TF, but I understand what bcb is saying. For me the fear is the same.
I remember for a year after 9/11 I would wake up in the night if I heard an airplane. I got to the point where was sick of the fear and I had to choose to trust that the Lord was in control and I gave up (or handed over) my fear.
My fear of ticks is much the same. It has been ruling my life, my thinking, my decision making. I know I will reach the same point with this, knowing that no matter what, I can't control the ticks, my kids, my husband, myself and I just need to hand over my fear to the One who is in control. I'm just not quite there yet.
And please know that I am not, never was, a fearful person. I have chosen to live my life w/out fear and worry. I have fought to keep them away and to live my life with joy and peace. But this monster has been bigger than me.
My only comfort is knowing that my God is bigger than this monster! And He will get me to the right place in His time, with a few learned lessons under my belt no doubt!
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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quote: Lyme isn't like terrorists. Terrorists do things purposely to make you feel fear. Terrorists know if they are terrorizing you, if they are winning.
True enough, but that's not what it's about. It's about control. If I want to garden I'll garden -just use precautions like those you mentioned.
I totally get it that some people lose the "taste" for it, but some of us don't.
You also said:
quote: NEVER sit on a log or lean up against a tree (these are the 2 activities that cause the most people to get ticks on them),
Depriving myself of gardening may not prevent a tick bite. Just like someone else might say that staying away from horses won't guarantee anything either.
Posts: 797 | From New York | Registered: Feb 2008
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TF
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All we can do is make changes that lower our risk. That's the amount of control we have over getting lyme disease again.
Read up on activities that are most likely to get ticks on you--like sitting on logs and leaning against trees. Then, if you want to lower your risk of tick bite, you know how. It is up to you.
There is no guarantee that someone will not be bitten again. You can get bitten in your house, especially if your house has mice. It happens in NYC high rise apartments.
One person who used to post on here was bitten by a tick that came off of her cut Christmas tree that was brought into the house. She has uncurable lyme from that bite that happened so very long ago. Something to know and consider.
The fear of being bitten again is high at first. But, you calm down as time goes by. Just don't get forgetful and lazy about tick bite prevention.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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just don
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for 10-15 years after I had it I 'gardened'.
Course my definition of a garden differs from yours.
Mine was 1500 acres or so.
I doubt you meant THAT size.
At last being all alone with the three of us, Me ,Myself, and I it was hard to get things done.
Long walk home from 10 miles away when things went south. (like every day)
I could have been laying out there dead or pinned under something for a week before somebody found me.
Today I would probably kill more flowers and garden than I plant.
Tried a couple potted tomatoes last year and they both got stem blight and died.
Thats why they invented the farmers market.
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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lou4656
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I absolutely garden (well, not so much this summer -- too hot!)Digging in the dirt with my hands is like meditation for me. I have 3 perennial gardens.
I also go camping. Walk in the woods. Sit in the grass. I am not sitting at home while the rest of my family is off enjoying a weekend together camping. Life is too short to live it in fear.
I know the risk, but the joy of nature is worth the risk for me. I just pray that the ticks stay away.
-------------------- LouLou Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote: Just don't get forgetful and lazy about tick bite prevention.
So important and worth repeating!! ...............................
17hens:
quote: My only comfort is knowing that my God is bigger than this monster! And He will get me to the right place in His time, with a few learned lessons under my belt no doubt!
I admire your faith.
Posts: 797 | From New York | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
i buy vegetables but grow flowers- not tons, but just enough to enjoy a small splash of color-
i still enjoy the woods- i'm not afraid of ticks- or sitting in the grass- but i don't like spiders ... or snakes ... or scorpions ... or jellyfish ... or bears ...
Posts: 94 | From shaker heights, ohio | Registered: May 2010
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posted
Never even liked the thought of camping or hiking in the woods to begin with, so don't miss what I never had. Pre-Lyme, didn't see much joy in being surrounded by bugs and dirt, possible wildlife, and living in a tent, not to mention having to walk to a bathroom in the middle of the night. Can take the girl out of the city, but can't take the city out of the girl
But I used to garden a lot and enjoyed it so much. Now...no way. Been thru too much with the family to take the risk. Won't even pull a weed much as I hate them. I have the yard sprayed for ticks and I do have some nice shrubs/flowers, so I cut flowers for display in the house.
If I want other types of flowers that badly, I'll buy them at the supermarket for a few bucks. Used to do the pick-your-own strawberry thing. Now I just go to a farmstand or even a good supermarket.
Cement is my friend these days.
-------------------- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
---Eleanor Roosevelt Posts: 748 | From somewhere | Registered: May 2010
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1500-acre garden, Just Don? - haha - you'd get lost in it and weed have to come find you -
Ok - I be putting on my thinking cap - tools to help us garden that keep us and ticks separated. That's the concept.
I saw one such tool here in a flower and garden show - it's a long-handled cut-and-pruner tool. You cut veg from a distance, the tool holds the cut veg away from you as you walk somewhere to deposit the cuttings. www.wildflower-seed.com
And that's the idea - now how to find something to pull up weeds for us...
Posts: 13117 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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sammy
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I grew up helping my mom in the garden. Now I just walk around the yard looking and smelling and enjoying the flowers (and the veggies too!).
When I am well again, able to work, and have a place of my own I will grow a garden. I'll get some guinea hens to eat all the ticks from my yard. Then I will enjoy being outside without worrying about the bugs.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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seekhelp
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Gardening is my one joy out of life. I'm not sure how to respond, but I do know it comes with risks. Life's not fair, huh?
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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![[Smile]](smile.gif)
so we took her to see. 
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I'm not sure how to respond, but I do know it comes with risks. Life's not fair, huh?
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