May is Lyme Awareness Month, which leads to public service announcements here and there, a flurry of blog and social media activity, protests, and specific action campaigns throughout the Lyme world.Last year was my first year diagnosed during Lyme Awareness month. I took note of it, but not nearly to the same extent as I did this year.
Health and Life Changes May 2014
This year, I restarted Lyme treatment for a relapse this spring. I also left my job to recover. Work stress was the factor leading to the relapse and it had unfortunately become a constant part of the job. With it being the factor keeping me sick, it had finally come down to my health or the job in an undeniable, visible way. I'd gone through so much to keep this job that leaving it had seemed unacceptable. But, keeping it would have meant long term intense pharmaceutical treatment and that is not a good choice. We've had to 'bight the bullet' and become a singly income family for at least the short term.
Lyme and Social Media May 2014
There was a protest in Arlington, Virginia, at the IDSA headquarters that I would have liked to attend. It was ground breaking in several ways and is well worth reading about and watching footage from. Those of us stuck at home helped inundate CDC, IDSA, and the media with tweets and facebook posts. The 'posters' below were posted on my Invisibly Lyme Montana facebook page, but also were posted to various entities on twitter and elsewhere, in conjunction with Lymies around the world through the MayDayProject.
