For our family reunion this year, my Mom has rented a 6 bedroom house on a NC lake. I have to say the whole idea of this trip makes me a bit skittish--from the woods around the house to the activities on the water.
In my pre-Lyme days, I used to love swimming in lakes, but I'm wary of it now. Am I being too overly cautious? How about white-water rafting? Is that feasible?
I haven't posted a lot here recently, because I've been getting acclimated to my new job. Part of my hesitation re this trip is that I don't really want to do anything to set myself back. I finally feel I'm able to cobble some kind of a life together, and I don't want to jeoparadize that!
I'd be grateful for any thoughts or other people's experiences!
Thanks!
Andie
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Never heard of ticks swimming but you never know*)!
Just kidding*)!*)!
Sounds like a lovely vacation!!! I never heard of leptospirosis as an issue out there- or those other microbes-!!!*)!
The water sounds like the SAFEST place re ticks to me!!! Just don't put your clothes on logs!! And be careful in the woods!*)*)!
Sounds like a great family vaation- Best wishes, Sarah
Posted by pq (Member # 6886) on :
one thing i can think of is NOT to go swimming if anyone has an open wound, including a scratch, or a recent puncture wound, say, from a splinter for example.
imo, given a wacked out immune system, this could mean another infection.
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Enjoy life! The house on the lake sounds wonderful. I spend all summer on my lake and away from the ticks in the woods. When I do venture off pavement or off the water, I have a tick suit "bug shirt& pants" gaiters, permethrin, and a magnifying glass! Lake swimming is safe unless there is a local advisory warning you about a chemical spill, or a pesticide application, something like that. Lakes are great, and I prefer them 1000 fold over the giant toilety bowls of the blanet (swimming pools) bleach bath...yuck! Please, enjoy the lake!
Make sure you wear a PFD when you go in the water if you are feeling weak. It's an important safety measure no matter how old you are. If you happen to be on Doxycycline or other photosensitivity increasing drug, be careful of the sun, and use a high SPF sunblock. Be careful of pets coming in and out of the house and make sure to check yourself for ticks several times daily. Most important...have fun!
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
I second Wild Condor!
Have a wonderful time. So glad to hear things are going well for you!
Michelle
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Sounds like a wonderful time!
Relax and enjoy.
Don't let the ticks win! You've come to far to let them rule your life now.
Take this time to get your spiritual self back.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
take some good water Ski vests and use them to- Just Float-- Super Relaxing-- and it will straighten out the kinks -Jay
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Thanks, everyone, for your posts about this and especially your own personal experiences.
I don't know where I got the idea to be skittish about lake swimming, but clearly, it's not as awful as I'd feared, at least based on the responses so far.
I generally tend not to let Lyme rule my life, but I also try to be careful. I really don't want to do anything to set me back at this point.
Andie
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
We used to have a house on 19 acres with woods and a large pond (not together). The kids never got ticks when they were around the pond, only from the grassy areas or the woods. I wouldn't worry about the lake, I think the chlorine in the pools is a much bigger hazard.
Our family reunion is at a state park in NY. I've been being treated for Lyme for two months, there is no way we're going. I'm not as afraid of getting exposed again as I'm afraid of hubby or the kids being exposed.
Posted by lemonhead (Member # 6267) on :
go for it andy, but use a life preserver until you feel like you have the strength to swim. Floating on a lake is calming but like the others said, if you are on doxy, sunscreen or lightweight clothing. Have fun, Lemonhead
Posted by James H (Member # 6380) on :
Around here, every now and then we hear of a couple of kids going for a swim in some smelly stagnant pond in the hot part of the summer.... and dying a couple days later from an amoeba infection that went from their sinuses directly into their brains. Perhaps that is what you were thinking of.
But... You didn't say 'a house on a stinking, stagnant, disease infested swamp'. You said 'a house on a lake'.
That sounds very pleasant to me. Enjoy!
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Thanks again for your responses.
Sixkids, I've really been torn about this reunion. My mom's 81, though, and she's told me how much this means to her to have us all there together. I honestly don't want to disappoint her, esp since I've been so absent for the past two or three years.
Lemon, thanks for the heads-up about getting my strength. I used to swim competitively, so I've never thought twice about either my strength or stamina in the water. But of course, everything's changed now. I'm completely lacking body strength and should absolutely be careful, until I see just how this disease has affected my swimming.
James, your post just made me laugh out loud (thanks for that!!!) Actually, this is a huge, man-made lake in E. NC (national geographic called it the most beautiful man-made lake in the country, I think).
Anyway, one thing I made sure of was that house was on the main part of the lake, NOT one of the little fingers. I know things can get pretty swampy in those areas, depending on the amt of rain they've had.
Chances are, I'm going to just read, take it easy, play it very very safe. Actually, the more I've thought about it, the more cautious I've felt.
Part of it, I know, is having finally gotten back to work and back into my life socially (at least a little bit). I'm so grateful for that and really don't wnt to do anything to jeoparadize it. I saw my LLMD yesterday...found out my CD57 count is 2, despite my progress.
Anyway, thanks again everyone. You're the BEST!!!
Andie
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Andie, I'd go if I were you. We plan on visiting my grandmother in NC this summer ... she lives in the woods.
I know you can get Lyme in a non-endemic area (I did) and we'll be careful in NC, but I'm mostly worried about the NY vacation because when I was up there to see my LLMD, the people there referred to it as the epicenter of Lyme Disease!!
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
I absolutely plan to go; I really don't wnt to disappoint my mom.
But I'll just hang out on the dock or on the decks and in the house. Maybe take a day trip to the Biltmore.
Despite the fact that I'm from PA, I don't avoid the outdoors here. I just tend to shy away from the trails and stay on wider roads. Not really scared...just cautious
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Have you been to the Biltmore House before? It's BEAUTIFUL!! I've been there several times as my Grandmother lives near there, but one time we went at Christmas. It was so pretty to see it all decorated. It's worth the time to see.
So is the Grove Park Inn and Spa. www.groveparkinn.com Of course, Grove Park isn't a big trip, but maybe a side trip to your Biltmore tour.
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Thanks, six!
I haven't seen Biltmore and am looking forward to it. And one of my colleagues just told me about Grove Park...now I'll have to check it out!
Thanks for your thoughts...
Andie
Posted by maestro (Member # 11458) on :
One other little thought. My kids swim competitively year-round. They have only had "swimmer"s ear" (infection of the outer ear and ear canal) a couple times in their lives--but ALWAYS from lakes. And, the warmer the lake water the greater the chance of getting it. So....after we swim in lakes we always rinse the ear with a diluted alcohol/water mixture. You can make your own or buy a little bottle at your local drug store. Our Wal-mart carries it too--it's actually called "Swim-EAR." Use only as a preventative. If you actually have swimmer's ear the stuff will really, really sting when you put it in.
Have fun Andie333!
maestro
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
Maestro,
I think the swimmer's ear treatment is a good precautionary thing...and it can't really hurt.
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