I have been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme since 1993 probably had it since 1991. I was diagnosed with Lyme Menengitis. The doctor that finally diagnosed me with it in '93nsaid I had it for at least two years before I was diagnosed. My white blood cell count was over 200. Within the past four years I have been in relapse, (who knows maybe even longer), and the doctors where I live treated me like an idiot who is simply a hypochondriac. Two years ago, when getting up to go to work, I fell straight to the ground. My wife forced me to go to the hospital, and I eventually lost all strength in my legs and can no longer walk. The first time I went to the hospital before this incident, they took my blood work and gave me antibiodics. When I went back a week later after this happened, they lost my blood work. They said I had Conversion disorder, Never mind the fact I was about to get married in a year and I loved my job. I tried to pull up information on the web for them, showed them my Aunt's book on Lyme, "Coping with Lyme Disease," by Denise Lang. One doctor went so far as to say I should go see her then. They discharged me in a wheelchair with no treatments, and almost a year later I finally got them to redo my bloodwork. Surprise of suprises it came back with antibodies for Lyme. Great! finally the proof I need, they can't deny it now! My doctor tells me it just means my body has built an immunity to lyme. You can't build an immunity to lyme, hence the reason you can get reinfected! I tried to tell him this, but no again I don't know what I"m talking about. They simply dropped me off at Social Services doorsteps with no where to go (the apartment I was living in before going into the hospital was a second floor with no elevator). As a result of the failure of the health care system, I am bound to a wheelchair, detieriorating daily. Me and my wife just had a baby, and I am worried that my condition may limit me in caring for her.
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
I received this recently, please read:
Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Oprah & Friends Network aired a 45-minute interview with director Andy Abrahams Wilson and medical correspondent Kathy Fowler on his nationally syndicated talk radio show November 26, 2008. Dr. Oz, a renowned surgeon and health expert, said "I was so moved!" and called Under Our Skin "a beautiful film...a whole different way of thinking about reporting on health."
Moved as he was, Dr. Oz expressed interest in trying to get Under Our Skin on Oprah, where he is a regular guest contributor. But first, in order to gauge viewer interest, Dr. Oz and Oprah need to hear from you. Here's what you can do -- and please remember to praise Dr. Oz's coverage of the issue and the film.
So now we know that we are on Oprah's radar... that is a big deal. But so far, there has not been an impressive enough response to Dr. Oz's show.
We need more. Get your friends, family, co-workers, doctors, nurses, anyone and everyone you know to write Dr. Oz. There are Lyme groups around the world - everyone needs to be passing this info along and getting everyone to email in. Can everyone post it everywhere.. email in. Ask friends and other people who know what you are going through to contact Dr. Oz.
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