Can we please create a success story section?

Can we?? We have to at this point!!
Have u noticed the number of people
That look in and read this sight? There is about 20
Regular chattere and hundreds looking in
For answers to all our same
Problems.
How do we set this up.

Well .... the goal of treatment is to get well enough that we don't have to focus on our health so much.   The success stories just move on.

There are some people who have done well with treatment.  A couple stop in to post from time to time - Denise comes to mind.

But mostly people who are doing substantially better post for another month or two and then get on with their lives.  The people that hang around are those of us who are continuing to struggle with recovery.  And it's like my Dr says - she doesn't have any patients with just one thing wrong - everyone has two or more conditions that make treatment more difficult.  We often talk about "beating Lyme" - but it is the rare person who is ONLY treating lyme.

So don't assume that there aren't success stories.

But I do have a couple of success stories.  There is a couple that live nearby.  They contracted Lyme when they were visiting their son who was in the Army - Ft. Bragg I think.  Took forever to get diagnosed - and he had classic bullseye rashes.

So he had pancreatitis and these horrible rashes that kept coming back - sometimes covering most of his body.  She had the joint pain problem and fatigue.  Both were under treatment by Dr R here in Seattle for 1 1/2 yrs.  Last time I saw them, they had just stopped treatment.  Both were very upbeat and feeling well.  And if they start to relapse - well ... they know exactly what to look for.

I consider myself a success story although I still have some problems. I was diagnosed and treated for Lyme over 20 yrs ago. At the time of my diagnosis, I could barely get out of bed, couldn't remember anything nor could I think, my left leg could not support all my weight and my left hand didn't work. I was severely fatigued and ached all over. I really thought I was dying.

It took almost a year to get a diagnosis. I tested positive for Lyme through a regular lab. my diagnosis was based on the positive test and my symptoms. I lived in Connecticut at the time and actually spent a lot of time in the town of Old Lyme.

I ended up on various antibiotics, including 3 weeks of IV Rocephin, for about 4 years. I improved a lot over time and stopped the meds when I stopped improving. It took about 4 years for me to be able to stop meds and not have symptoms return.

I never went back to where I was before physically or mentally. I still have memory problems and chronic pain that is now called fibromyalgia. My worst pain is caused by severe endometriosis and abdominal adhesions. I had to change careers, I could no longer be an engineer, I lost the required skills and they never returned. I have inflammation in my small intestine that may or may not be Crohn's.

I consider myself a Lyme success story because I can work and do most of what I want to do, most of the time. I have a great life and a wonderful family. People who didn't know me before Lyme do not believe my story. They see me as a healthy, intelligent, active person.

I still test positive for Lyme through regular labs, Quest gave me positive results just a few years ago. I have been on antibiotics a few times over the years and haven't' herxed nor have I gotten better or worse.

Hope this helps a bit.