Welcome to my blog! This is a place of information and hope for fellow Canadians who are suffering from Lyme disease. I want to share with you the knowledge I have gained during my fight with this debilitating, frightening, and misunderstood illness. I hope you will be blessed.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Lyme in Norway

It has been one year now since my Lyme disease diagnosis.  It was great to feel validated, at last.  Two doctors, in two different U.S. states, affirmed what I had been strongly suspecting for months - that I had a borrelia burgdorferi infection.  My treatment could finally begin!  But we had to prepare ourselves for what we would be facing in the coming year. 

Going to doctor's appointments that are 3 hours from my home, that require a hotel stay, that require arranging childcare for the kids, and that require payment for services has been an inconvenience, I'd say.  Taking antibiotics long-term has been a concern, despite the fact that I understand the need for it.  Having a physician who was so far away was a worry, as well, in case something went wrong. 

To put this into perspective, I remind myself often that there are so many people who travel much farther than me to receive treatment, and many people who can't find ANY care at all for their Lyme disease.  Some people suffer for years before they are diagnosed, whereas I was sick for only 5 months before starting treatment.  I really am grateful for the care I have, despite the inconveniences.  Sometimes I stumble across a video that reminds me of these things.  Here is a news report of a man from Norway who could not find the proper diagnosis and care in his country. 

I hope that one day these stories will be history, and that Lyme disease will be properly recognized in the medical community here, and around the world.