Interesting that Sally Thorner is the one reporting. I have a letter from her that she wrote a number of years ago. She wouldn't do a news report on Lyme disease prevention to warn folks like we requested because she said basically it wasn't a big deal.
I have since been told on several ocassions over the years ... by their extremely unpleasent Health Watch reporter... and Marty Bass... that Lyme disease wasn't important and/or wasn't "news"... blah blah blah.
I guess we have to die first? That is sad.
Enjoy watching....
If you want to comment on the show... here is the form to fill out..
[ 04. May 2007, 12:29 AM: Message edited by: Tincup ]
Posted by mojo (Member # 9309) on :
I wish I could watch the show. I did write in with a comment.
Thank you for posting this.
Molly
Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
I guess we have to die first? That is sad.
While on my evening outing with Rosie, I saw a white nicely printed "In memory of (and then the persons name) on the back window of a vehicle.
I thought, this just might be an idea for lyme disease.
"In memory of ______________ Who died of lyme disease ignorance.
Or who died of lyme disease.
Or something along those lines.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
Thanks Tincup for putting up the link
Glad to see the news is getting the information out to the public.
Very sad though that the man died from it Wish the primary docs knew more about lyme & could treat it right away. Hope some of them tune into the news tonight.
Am hoping alot of people get to see it too.
I don't get this channel, after it airs is there a way to put up the link?
Thanks again Dana
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
Most TV stations put links to their reports on their websites after the clip has aired....We can look after tonight and see if it's there....
Posted by wilsongal22 (Member # 11210) on :
Would I be able to watch this? I have never heard of that channel. And I don't have a 13. But, it could be on something else. I just don't know the time it would be playing here.
Anyone know?
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Turn on the tv NOW.. if you can get the station.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
http://wjz.com/ Web Extra Thursday, May 03, 2007 | 11:47 pm US/Eastern Lyme Disease Cases Skyrocket In Maryland. Could It Be Fatal?
Lyme Disease Skyrockets In Maryland Sally Thorner Reporting
(WJZ) ANNAPOLIS, Md. As Lindsey Thomas reflects on the life of her husband Peter, she wonders what if? What if her husband's Lyme disease was not misdiagnosed for five years?
"Besides walking down this horrific road we were treated with the utmost lack of compassion," Lindsey said to WJZ's Sally Thorner. "He firmly believed that he had a severe case of Lyme."
Peter Thomas was an accomplished sound engineer who traveled the world making commercials and movies. In 2001 he was working in the hills of western Maryland on the set of the film "Gods and Generals" when his wife says he was infected.
"He told me every night. He would go into his hotel room and do head-to-toe tick checks," said Lindsey.
Peter soon developed an oval rash. At first he wasn't concerned because it looked nothing like the bulls-eye rash he believed was the disease's "smoking gun."
Still, he took a Lyme blood test. The results came back negative. False negatives are common.
About a year later he started exhibiting night-sweats. Later he developed slurred speech, muscle pains and other symptoms synonymous with late-stage Lyme disease.
Peter was misdiagnosed with everything from ALS to arthritis. He was given various medications to treat these conditions, but they had no effect.
"In the spring of '05, Peter said I just don't feel right about this and I really want to get another Lyme test," said Lindsey. "I said let me do some research because I was not going to send him back to the same lab."
Peter flew to Colorado where six weeks later a doctor confirmed his worst suspicions.
Within months, he died from a disease few think can be fatal. On his death certificate, one of the causes says Lyme.
"Ultimately his body was weak starting the medicine, and it made him weaker," said Lindsey. "He never could regain his strength."
Peter's story is a warning to others. For every detected case of Lyme, between four and twelve others go misdiagnosed.
Lyme disease specialist John Aucott says Lyme is a growing problem in Maryland.
"Maryland is clearly one of the top states for transmission of Lyme disease," he said to WJZ's Thorner from his office in Lutherville.
According to data obtained by WJZ 13, in 1990 there were only 238 confirmed cases in Maryland. By 2005 that number spiked 418% to more than 1,235 cases.
Lyme disease is named after the Connecticut town where it was discovered in the 1970s. It is caused by bacteria that is typically transmitted to humans by deer ticks.
The illness is rarely fatal. In fact, if caught early it's very treatable with oral antibiotics.
However, according to the Center for Disease Control, if left untreated Lyme can lead to major chronic problems including severe arthritis, fatigue, fever, headaches and muscle pains.
Symptoms of early stage Lyme disease include fever, headache, weakness and a skin rash.
If you ever notice a localized rash, you are urged to contact a physician.
Symptoms of late-stage Lyme include stiff neck, irregular heart beat, hearing and vision problems and paralysis.
The virus trademark is the bullseye-shaped rash, which usually occurs within a month of the initial bite.
But only 68% of people develop the bullseye. However, only one in two people bit by an infected tick will contract the disease.
For all that is known about the illness a lot remains unclear.
"The one thing we know is the sooner you get the tick off the less likely it is to transmit Lyme disease," said Aucott.
"It's an area where we need to do a lot of research because one thing I can tell you is that it's not going away."
Neither does the pain from losing a loved one. It has been one year since Peter died. Now Lindsey and her two children are trying to move on.
"My husband, the father of my children, was taken away from us. But life presents you very difficult hurdles and you have to figure out a way to overcome them and move on."
I just read some of the IDSA guidelines (BS) that was on a link from the news show. It makes you want to vomit.
Thanks for posting the video!
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
I'm with you vanilla. I was ok till I saw that garbage.
My heart goes out to the family. And I so appreciate them doing something to help others. They did a wonderful job.
Posted by lou4656 (Member # 10300) on :
I saw the story last night on TV. I have sent the following comments to WJZ-TV:
THANK YOU so much for your story regarding Lyme Disease. It is so sad that someone had to die to bring attention to this topic.
I have only one disagreement with your coverage. Your information on the WJZ website states (CDC Guidelines), "longer courses of antibiotic treatment have not been shown to be beneficial and have been linked to serious complications, including death."
I was diagnosed with late stage Lyme Disease in December. I had a bullseye rash in 2000, but my lyme tests were negative, so I was not treated.
As you reported in your story, false negative tests are common. Had I been treated in 2000 based on the bullseye rash, the 4-8 weeks of antibiotics probably would have cured me of the illness, and I would have probably been spared many of the complications of late stage Lyme Disease.
I have been on antibiotics since December, and I am improving. This longer course of antibiotic treatment is the reason that I am improving.
Doctors routinely prescribe long term antibiotics to our teenagers for severe acne. In the eyes of our physicians, long term antibiotics is an acceptable course of treatment for acne, and yet, many Lyme Disease patients are denied the same course of treament for a potentially life threatening infection. I do not understand this.
I do appreciate that you have included information from the Lyme Disease Association, so that information in contrast to the CDC guidelines is also presented.
I believe that there are many people in Maryland who have been infected with a Tick Borne Disease that have not been diagnosed. Educating the public about what symptoms to look for, and educating more physicians about the treament of Lyme Disease will greatly benefit the citizens of this state.
I applaud you for your part in this education process. You may never know the lives that you have changed by presenting this story on Lyme Disease. I am sure if Peter Thomas was still with us, he would thank you personally.
I look forward to seeing this topic revisited by WJZ in the future.
Sincerely, Lou
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
lou, great feedback letter!
tincup, thanks for posting; i saw the early clip you sent me last night. i have dialup so it took forever and a day. later...
Posted by humanbeing (Member # 8572) on :
I wrote to them asking if they could push to make the story national news.
Thanks Tinny
Posted by klutzo (Member # 5701) on :
Great video clip!
My idea may seem morbid to some, but I like to be prepared.
As some of you know, I've had Lyme for over 21 yrs. and am allergic to all the ABX, so I've had nothing but herbals, and am steadily getting worse. Last year I had to give up driving, and this year I developed yet another abnormal heart rhythm, one that can cause sudden cardiac arrest.
I have written my own obituary and saved it in the drafts section of my email program, so all my husband has to do is print it out and send it in.
The only reason I care about having an obit in the local paper is because all those people who read the obits daily will learn that someone died of Lyme Disease. Our paper is one of the biggest in the country, so that should be a lot of folks. I also ask in my Obit that people make a donation to ILADS.
Klutzo
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
klutzo, we're of the same mind! after my mother-in-law died in 1979, i started writing obituaries for me, hubby, and both of my parents.
used them for both parents and have updated mine and hubbies every 5+ years.
memorials will be going to LDA to a special fund i'm establishing for adults needing lyme treatment and it will be named after me with additional funds from my estate plus 2 other funds for:
LDA education fund and CHRONIC LYME CENTER at columbia university, nyc Posted by Vanilla (Member # 11155) on :
Great letter Lou!
The obits sound like a good idea.
Posted by livinlyme (Member # 3773) on :
Thanks for the post TC!
I just caught it ealier today and didnt get to respond..
It makes me think that maybe there is more hope around the corner.. but then again with cancer that is wishful thinking.. and I doubt as complex as this bug is, that an answer will be an easy find.. but then again, look how they discovered Penicillin and a wonder of other major break throughs in life.. by accident!!!LOL
I never knew that late stage chronic was best treated with IV.. no wonder no one in my family is getting better with orals.. UH DUH>> someone inform these llmd's when a pateint has coverage to act on it,,, instead of waiting until they have nothing!!!
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Wish the primary docs knew more about lyme & could treat it right away. Hope some of them tune into the news tonight.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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someone inform these llmd's when a pateint has coverage to act on it,,, instead of waiting until they have nothing!!!![[toilet]](graemlins/toilet.gif)
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