I got a letter recently saying my blurp was accepted, and the book would be for sale in late '05 or early '06!!! Also, they might use a pic of me with my children!

I guess exposure is exposure!!!

I cut and pasted my ramblings below...

My name is Kristin J. I know you wanted an abstract, but at the
present, I'm not sure that I could write one.

I am a 29 year-old mother of two (ages one and five) with Chronic Lyme
Disease, or whatever the latest PC term is. Before I was ever a mother, or
knew what was wrong with me, I was a graduate of Baylor University, and a
Third grade teacher. Writing was a passion, and I was actually good at it.

I was not diagnosed until after my daughter, Abigail displayed three
bullseye rashes on Easter Sunday, 2001. She was 21 months old, and they had
assumed she had been bitten by a tick. I quickly realized how little was
known about Lyme Disease, and as I researched it myself, I realized that
this was the fatigue, joint pain, panic attacks, etc. that had pleagued me
since I was a little girl.

I immediately got tested, and when the results for Lyme Disease were
positive, I was promply and effeiciently told that I was the tick that had
bit my child.

Abigail and I both went on treatment. Hers consisited of oral antibiotics
six times a day, and mine was a lovely cocktail of Rocephin and Heprin that
I recieved through a central line in my chest. By this time, I had shifted
roles completley from teacher to mother and caregiver, and it seemed almost
impossible, as there were days I could not even get out of bed.

After six months on a central IV, and 18 months of oral antibiotics, I felt
better than I had felt in years. The joint pain was gone, I wasn't as
"scattered-brained," and I had the energy it took to take care of my
daughter, as she, too, was coming out of therapy at age 3.

It was at this time, when I felt I wanted another child. My husband and I
consulted Abigail's Lyme Specialist, and my Lyme doctor.

Both cited old, unclear studies on Lyme Disease, and came to a general
concensus that if I was on antibiotics during conception and pregnancy, and
didn't breastfeed, and chose to have another child, the chances were less
than 1% that it would have Lyme Disease.

I became pregnant almost immediately. I was relieved, as I feared this would
be the best I would ever feel. I was 28.

The wonderful thing about pregnancy and Lyme Disease, is that allthough you
have your pregancy-woes, Lyme, for some unknown reason, seems to lie
dormant. I remember being pleased, even though I was having dry-heaves, high
blood pressure, and back pain, because I was experiencing a "normal"
pregnancy.

My son was born on August 14, 2003, four weeks early. He was hypotonic, but
his local doctor dared not mention Lyme. I had done the antibiotics. I was
feeling better. As his pediatrician put it, "We aren't even going to go
there..."

By the time he was four months old, we were told he could have CP, PDD, and
a host of other things. No one would mention Lyme. I mean, really, we had
tried so hard...

It was easy to turn a blind to the possibility. After all- with Abigail, it
wasn't really my fault. I didn't know I had lyme. This time, I knew, and
willfully got pregnant.

Elijah, my son, tested postivie for Lyme Disease at six months of age.

I couldn't ignore the pink elephant any longer, and took him to a nurse
practioner in Austin, who was familiar with the disease. She emailed me the
results.

It was around this time that my symptoms began to return. The joint pain,
muscle aches, and short-term memory problems were back. Some of them, worse
than ever before. Only this time, I had two children with the disease to
care for.

Abigail turned Five in July, and Elijah turned One in August. Both are in
physical therapy, and see a doctor in Conneticuit as often as we can afford
to go (not often enough.) Both are back on antibiotics (Abigail had a
relapse following Elijah's birth.) Their mother takes her meds when she
remembers, and keeps doctors appointments when her children don't have
conflicting ones.

After all, I am the tick that bit them.

It's amazing to me, how I went from an accomplished, young college graduate,
to someone that constantly had to remind others (and herself) "You know, I
was a teacher at one point...."

In the meantime, I look at my children, and thank God that he saw fit to
bring these two georgeous creatures into this fallen world. Yes, they will
suffer because of their mother, but everyday, we focus on all that has been
given to us.

I can walk. I can drive. I can lift my son out of his crib (granted, some
days more easily than others...)

Abigail is an ice skater and drama queen. Normal. Like her mother was at
that age...only this child sleeps more than her friends, and lays her head
on her mother's shoulder and sighs when no one is watching. She just started
Kindergarten. I am holding my breath.

Elijah is my miracle. He took his first steps at eleven months. The Lyme
pediatrician told us that if I hadn't done the anitbiotics, "He probably
wouldn't even be here."

Suddenly, the glass wasn't just half-full... it was overflowing.

quote:

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Originally posted by KJ:
Suddenly, the glass wasn't just half-full... it was overflowing.

---

Congratulations.

I'm so HAPPY that your submission was accepted and WILL BE PUBLISHED so others can learn about this devastating disease and especially on undiagnosed pregnant women having children born with lyme!

My heart goes out to you/hubby on what you have endured from both pregnancies. You followed their rules, and still it was given unknowingly to your son.

I hope you will contact Marcus Cohen, the writer of the recent Aug. 04 newest lyme book, LYME DISEASE UPDATE: SCIENCE, POLICY, AND LAW, about your experience relating to children especially on your 2nd birth where you took abx the entire time!

I just received it, and it's the best thing I've read of the 3 books since my dx 2 months ago. I've been misdx for 34 yrs.

Best wishes to all of you, and may your abx kill off these nasty bugs we have in us.

Again, glad to read some HAPPY news of getting more lyme awareness out there.

I have had a long-sleeved GREEN sweatshirt forever that had nothing on it. After my lyme dx, I printed on both sides of it:

LYME PATIENT ... folks ask me what that means and I tell them about our tick disease.

I was tearing up at the end=).

YOur story is inspirational. The idea that you've spent your entire life living with lyme pain (I"ve only had it for 2 months and consider it to be the most difficult thing I've ever endured) and became a teacher, got married and had children, is the standard. No more feeling sorry for myself, I"ve got it easy, you've proven that a live can be lived through pain.

It is a very well written article.

What a curageous lady.

quote:

---

Originally posted by KJ:
Thanks, you guys! You just helped make a rough day better =)
Kristin

---

Here's something I hope will make your rough day even better....

~Lessons~

In April, Dr. Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah for Dr. Angelou's 74th birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was "exciting."

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day ... like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist first, she said. The audience laughed so hard they cried.

Dr. Angelou also said: "I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Your final lines hit me very hard. I didn't know I had Lyme when I became pregnant with our third child, though I suspected it beforehand and asked to be tested before trying to become pregnant. The result was "neg." At my four month prenatal appt. there was no longer any heartbeat.

Perhaps if my dr. had understood lyme, I would have been on antibiotics and our third child--who would have been two in two weeks--would be with us. And I would feel more like the cup is overflowing.

Sorry...this is a hard time of year for me.

I really was moved by your piece and wish you all the best with your children.

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing story and the wonderful way you told it.

Out of your tragedy, you have given a gift of prevention to countless others. You are an example of how one person can make an enormous difference.

Peace and prayers to you and your children.

Wow...I am so sorry....I almost lost Abigail in the first and second trimesters, and then went into preterm labor with her....they just chalked it up to "one of those pregnancies..."

When she was was finally diagnosed at two, I remember crying half out of "I told you so!" and the other half out out "You mean this could have been prevented?"

When Jones told us that Elijah probably would have been stillborn, it nearly killed me...I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and can only offer you the trite "I somewhat understand what this disease puts mothers through-"

It's like Russian Roulette with our children's lives....I hate it and won't go through it again. Every letter to the editor I write, every letter to a congressman, EVERYTHING, I save, so that one day, my children will know that despite having given this to them, their mother did all she could to help find a cure, or just raise awareness.