Still Rising

There was good news in the scientific Lyme community today. Connecticut physician Sin Hang Lee along with his colleagues at Milford Hospital have developed the first highly specific and sensitive DNA test for early infection with the Lyme disease bacteria.  Traditional Lyme disease tests check for your body's response to the infection.  In most patients these antibodies are not present in large concentrations in early infection.  This results in many false negative serological Lyme tests.  The new test detects the bacteria in the bloodstream in early infection before it has a chance to migrate to the body's organs and away from the bloodstream.  Early detection is important.  It's the most opportune time to treat the infection effectively. 

In another Lyme related development, scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found a gene in the Lyme bacteria that when deactivated, blocks its ability to infect it's host.  This clue about the inner workings of the bacteria opens the door to new vaccine techniques.

We had the great opportunity over Easter weekend to borrow Lynette's folk's RV.  We drove it down to Myrtle Beach for a 4 day weekend.  The weather was beautiful and we had a fantastic time.  Things were a lot different for us last Easter.  Lynette was still having trouble walking on her own.  It was great to see Lynette doing what she wanted to do, without being encumbered by her health.  She spent most of the weekend doing her favorite thing.  Spending time with her daughters.  

A year ago around Easter time I compared Lynette's recovery to the resurrection of Christ.  She continues to amaze me.  She is still rising.