"...Leslie moved to Georgia to be closer to her and her children and to help her recover from Lyme disease."

It certainly sounds like this woman could have been a candidate for lyme disease as well, looking at the fact she liked the outdoors and the sister was infected.

You can leave your anger somewhere else. Let me put it another way...get over it.

From time to time people do pass away from Lyme and their names are posted here.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kara Tyson:
Dura,

You can leave your anger somewhere else. Let me put it another way...get over it.

From time to time people do pass away from Lyme and their names are posted here.

[This message has been edited by Kara Tyson (edited 14 January 2005).]

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I guess that lovely reply means it wasn't a friend, acquaintance or family member. Because the causes were "to be determined" ("...honor the memory of Beebe, who at 26 died in Georgia from causes that are still to be determined.") I thought perhaps Ms. Tyson was a personal acquaintance and knew more than was reported and knew that IN FACT this was a Lyme-related passing.

It does appear that the deceased moved to Georgia to be near her sister who had Lyme. This last point is somewhat unclear and if there is anymore information regarding that issue I will certainly be happy to be corrected.

At any rate, I have no issue with postings regarding those who have died from Lyme or its complications. I have a major problem with suppositions of Lyme as a cause of death.

We have many people who die of Lyme every year. And never ever have I seen the "official" record say Lyme is the cause.

This type of posting is the least of them.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kara Tyson:
And there are many things to be scared about in life.

This type of posting is the least of them.

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I am incredibly ill from Lyme (just got back from another hospital stay), and yet you have determined for me that this is the least of what I should be afraid of - death from Lyme?

Life is scary. Lyme is scary.

But there comes a point where you have to face it.

To deny that Lyme patients are passing away does no one any good. Denial is never ever an alternative.

We need for people to understand that this is indeed a serious disease.

Sorry it has frightened you, dura, but the fright it gives me ensured that I keep getting treatment, no matter how difficult it is. And it has been extremely difficult for me.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kara Tyson:
Yes. You can look forward to other obits. That is the reality of this illness.

Life is scary. Lyme is scary.

But there comes a point where you have to face it.

To deny that Lyme patients are passing away does no one any good. Denial is never ever an alternative.

Since I have died, I dont view death as scary. But that is just me.

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A. I do not deny that folks can die from Lyme and its complications. It is also, as someone else cogently said, good to track such things as they are commonly dismissed.

B. You yourself note that you got this from a random paper and did not know the person ("Dont know the person. It was published on a site I check for the latest in Microbiology news").

C. The article says "undetermined causes." What insight do you have to say that this person died of Lyme? In fact, you yourself say you don't know ("I found it a bit confusing.") Why don't you acknowledge the uncertainty at the very least?? A headline that says, "Possible Lyme fatality" or something rather than a decisive proclamation.

D. Her sister has Lyme according to the article.

E. You are a nurse? nursing student? And your level of compassion and empathy around how other's view death is:
"Life is scary. Lyme is scary.

But there comes a point where you have to face it.

Since I have died, I dont view death as scary."

Well whip me into shape!

To summarize (and repeat): I have no problem with obits noting (A) actual documented deaths OR (B) deaths known to be Lyme despite lack of documentation (personal contact/knowledge or even second hand). The obit you posted is neither. It was the death of someone who happened to have a relative with Lyme. And THAT is my issue.

I hope this clarifies my position because the responses thus far indicate otherwise.

I also read it as if it was the sister who had lyme, I guess it could be read either way, but the point is, as long as there was some doubt, it should not have been stated as fact that this girl died from lyme.

I know a lot of times people die from lyme and it's not the "official" cause, but to just assume this was the cause of death in THIS case was way off.

No, no one is forcing anyone to read anything here, but the title of this post entices one to read it. If it wasn't so dramatic, I might have SOB. I think we should try to keep things as factual as possible.

And no one should shoot the messenger either.

And the posting didnt say she died of Lyme. She could have died in a car accident and was a Lyme patient.

Dura doesnt want anyone to post unless the obit says specifically the person died of Lyme disease (which it never ever has) and the person knows the deceased.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kara Tyson:
It could be that it was the sister. I found it a bit confusing.

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You say here that you found it confusing too. So it would be jumping to a conclusion to say she was a lyme patient AND it would be jumping to a conclusion to say that she actually died from lyme. Either way, the topic title is an assumption.

I read the original article as confusing, too. This doesn't clear up the question of which sister had Lyme disease. I rather suspect it was the one with children who lives in GA.

I just hope the family has lots of comforting friends and relatives. Such a loss!

Ann-OH

http://images.trafficmp.com/tmpad/content/netflix/nov/tmp1104_c_2004111618227.htm
(From Harlem Valley Times)
Police term Copake woman's death 'suspicious'
By: Oren Phillips, Staff Reporter

12/30/2004
Police in Fulton County, Ga. are investigating the death of Leslie Beebe, 26, formerly of Copake, who was found dead in her car on Dec. 22.

According to Officer Gary Syblis of the Fulton County Police Department, the death is being labeled "suspicious."

"Right now, tests are being done and we are waiting for toxicology reports from the medical examiners office," he said.
However, according to a statement released from the medical examiner's office at press time, there is no apparent cause attributed to Beebe's death.

"The postmortem examination of Leslie Beebe, who was found dead near Forestwood Lane, does not show an obvious cause of death," the statement said.

"Further investigation of circumstances, including toxicology testing, will be performed. No further information will be available for release until these procedures are completed, which may take several weeks or more," the medical examiner's statement said.

Syblis said there was evidence of trauma found on Beebe's neck, but the medical examiner had ruled it out as the cause of death.

Beebe, who lived in Roswell County, was found dead behind the steering wheel of her car.

The officer said police were notified by a neighbor who noticed the vehicle, a 2000 silver Volkswagen Jetta, parked close to his home and investigated.

"When he saw the white female slumped over the steering wheel, he notified police," said Syblis. "Officers then arrived and found the body."

Police said Beebe was last seen at about 1 a.m. on Dec. 14 as she left a sports bar, named "The Derby," in Alpharetta.

During the time she was missing, her family in the Dover and Copake areas had offered a $10,000 reward for information on her whereabouts.

Beebe's family learned she was missing when she failed to checked in at her job at a private nursing company in Georgia.

She may or may not have also had lyme disease..I doubt they will do testing for that one so we will never know..This will probably not be resolved thru the news..

Do people die from Lyme disease and coinfections? I think we all know the answer even though it is hard to swallow..Are we afraid? We should all be!! But solving it is thru researching and not fighting and splitting threads with those that are in the battle with us.

If this was reported wrong, then it was a honest mistake..Take it at that..Even though I do not always agree with Kara, she does a tremendous amount of research for all of us..As do some of the rest of you.

I think part of the problem of this disease is that on the molecular level there are bad bugs that think it is funny for us to tear one another apart and not fight them..

Rages, bad moods, whatever it is, it happens often.. I do not ever go to off topic because of the anger that is there.

I will also say that if this is reported incorrectly it in no way makes up for all of the ones that are dying from complications of these diseases and not being reported. I have a friend that's father died inBalto. this fall and it was reported as a heart attack only..He had been in the hospital for lyme treatment for a month, just a couple of months prior to the death.. Peace please!!

Hi Kara,

Just want to say thank you for your hard work & the time it takes to post articles for us.

For someone who has gotten well & still comes back to help------well, that's a double gift.

Hope things are going great in nursing school.

Anyway, I recently posted an article from a journal re: lyme because LD was actually getting some exposure. I was in a hurry to post it as I was on my way to the LLMD the next day & didn't take time to read the entire article.

Well, I've read my entire article now and let's just say I had no idea it was from the other Camp. So I know firsthand it takes valuable time and energy to post articles.

Thanks for your work on Lymenet.

I also asked you a question on the post about your health background over in OFF TOPIC. I loved the poem you wrote.

Creating a topic called "Lyme Patient Passes Away--26 Years Old" without knowing if the person was even a Lyme Patient was a bit irresponsible.

Personally, battling confusing, misleading, and contridictory information on both sides of the tracks has been the most challenging aspect of this disease.