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Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Safety- Lyme disease

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower Safety- Lyme disease
From: Robert Chudek - K0RC <k0rc@citlink.net>
Reply-to: k0rc@citlink.net
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:12:54 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
You can add me to the list of people who have contracted Lyme disease. 
This happened about four years ago. I became extremely sick. This was in 
contrast to my 60+ year life experience where I seldom have been sick, 
and if I did get sick, I recovered very quickly. (I owe this DNA to my 
mother, 89 and still going strong!)

Dick, K9OM, describes the condition well. I would add to his "tremendous 
fatigue" that I didn't care whether I ever got out of bed again. I was 
ready to order the headstone. Add disorientation, dizziness, can't focus 
your eyes. I had to crawl on hands and knees to the bathroom.

The next day I went to the regional hospital, told the doctor of my 
symptoms, and when I lifted my shirt he had an instant visual diagnosis 
"Lyme Disease". It was the common "red bullseye" on my chest. He ordered 
a blood test which confirmed it. I was put on a two-month antibiotic. 
Since then I have had several milder recurrences of the symptoms. Last 
summer I wandered into some poison ivy which flared up the Lyme Disease 
symptoms again. That slowly cleared up.

More recently I've had issues with my fingers breaking out in a rash. 
Can you say "quickly going to hell in a hand-basket"? I'm not used to 
these kinds of medical issues. Fortunately I went to the hospital 
quickly (probably within the week of being bitten) so there hasn't been 
the severe damage that can happen if left untreated.

By the way, I can "usually" feel things crawling on me, even in my 
sleep. But this rascal, obviously, went undetected and I never found the 
actual tick on me. Oh, and last year, our dog became lethargic and 
couldn't stand up to walk. We had him tested and it came back positive 
for Lyme disease too. He was put on medication and has recovered since then.

Sorry for the long message, but I did wanted to add FIRST-PERSON 
knowledge about this problem. It's a REAL problem. It's debilitating, 
even in a mild case that is diagnosed and treated quickly.

73 de Bob - KØRC in MN

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 4/26/2012 11:14 PM, rlvz@aol.com wrote:
> Hi Guys,
>
>
> While Lyme disease may seem "off topic"... our ham friends need to be 
> informed about Lyme as it's becoming more and more common and can totally end 
> one's tower and antenna work.
>
>
> 7 years ago I got Lyme disease and was in complete misery due to intense 
> headaches, tremendous fatigue, extreme sensitivity to light, and aches and 
> pains all over.  Unfortunately, I had to visit several different doctors over 
> a 12-month period of time before I got diagnosed with Lyme.  By then, 
> long-term damage had been done to my joints and central nervous system.  Lyme 
> has seriously changed my life making antenna and tower work which I once 
> loved... now to be extremely difficult.  Getting quick treatment for Lyme is 
> very important!
>
>
> If anyone would like more information about Lyme they are welcome to contact 
> me direct.
>
>
> 73,
> Dick- K9OM
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: Andy<ai.egrps@gmail.com>
> To: towertalk<towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Thu, Apr 26, 2012 7:31 am
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Antenna/Tower work safety - Lyme Disease safety
>
>
>> ... The state and
>> most Doctors were denying it was even present. ...
> There remains much controversy in the medical community over Lyme
> disease.  Most if not all doctors now know it exists, but the debate
> is over its treatment and whether it goes away when treated or may
> sometimes become chronic.  IIRC, the doctor to first recognize Lyme
> disease, believes it lasts in some patients and treats a number of
> them on an ongoing basis.
>
> Earlier I brought up DEET vs. Picardin.  You probably want to keep any
> DEET-based product away from your climbing gear.  I have seen it
> dissolve things readily, when touched by someone who used a DEET-based
> repellent (a lower concentration consumer-grade product, not the
> high-octane DEET the Military uses).  You are supposed to keep DEET
> away from clothing, so don't risk it on anything designed to save your
> life.
>
> Andy
> kb1nxm
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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