There's No Lyme Disease in North Carolina

Dave Tierney is a commercial airline pilot and former marine.  In 2007 Dave was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and lost his flying privileges.  He went through the traditional MS treatments and his health deteriorated.  Dave suspected Lyme disease and made an appointment with Dr. J.  Dave was treated with IV antibiotics followed by oral antibiotics.  Dave returned to the cockpit about 13 months after his Lyme diagnosis.

Dave lives here in North Carolina where we do.  He has become a tireless advocate for Lyme disease sufferers in our state.  Dave sent emails out to all of the Lyme interested people that he could find.  From that Dave is able to update many of us on matters related to Lyme in North Carolina.  Dave has reported back on trips he's made to Raleigh to meet with state officials and participate in hearings and other forums involving Lyme. 

Today Dave sent an email letting us know that North Carolina now has a county designated as Lyme endemic.  Two cases of Lyme disease in Wake county have been confirmed in individuals with no recent or relavent travel history.  This meets the CDC's criteria for endemnicity.  Here's a link that Dave sent to an article on a local website. 

As I've stated many times before, some of Lynette's worst symptoms are the neuropathy in her hands and feet.  Her left hand is the least affected.  The nerve damage in her hand has affected her motor nerves as well as her sensory nerves.  The numbess doesn't seem to be as impeding as the motor problems do.  If I ask her to hold her hand level with her fingers together and then spread them open they go in all directions.  You should see her trying to put on her jewelry in the morning.  Those tiny clasps are good hand therapy.

The numbness and lack of motor control exists in Lynette's feet and legs as well.  But let's face it, you don't have to hook a necklace clasp with your toes.  But it does affects ability to walk.  Lynette has never been a flat shoe kind of girl but she's been wearing nothing but flat shoes since she left the walker behind.  A week or two ago she bought a low wedge sandal that she thought she would be able to walk in.  Well they seemed to work out ok and today she was in one of her old higherish shoes.  She looked good.