Dealing with pain is personal

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Thank you for thinking I have courage and strenght but I don't feel I possess

anymore or less than anyone else. Everyone deals with circumstances

differently, especially with Lyme disease you have to learn to deal with

pain, illness, change of finances, activities, handicapps, ignorance, being

both shut in and out at the same time, etc. To keep my pain under control and

my brain active I just choose to focus my attention on working toward finding

better methods of treatment and/or a cure. It really helps to keep your brain

active developing areas you never would have ever used to take over the

damaged non-functioning part. I think everyone in the group is doing this in

their own way.

> I hope that treatment protocols will soon be

> developed that will benefit you and others who suffer from these extremes.

>

Yes, the Lyme Disease Association of NJ of which I am so involved is funding

research in this very area. We are very hopeful.

> It's just too criminal

> that our government has all but ignored Lyme and the many thousands of us

> who have been striken with the disease and or our families who are victims

> too.

We have been working in this area also with the Lyme Disease Initative 1998 HR

3795 that of NJ introduced into the Congress this year. If passed

it will provide $100 million of new money over a period of 5 years toward

development of an effective test, creation of physician education program,

examination of CDC criteria for reporting Lyme disease cases, and more.

Senator Dodd of CT has sponsored a companion bill to the Senate, S-2034. The

LDANJ urges everyone in the country to call their Congressmen and Senators

from their respective states to urge them to sign on if the haven't already.

We have a list of those representatives that have signed on in the newest

issue of TickTales. If you want a copy please send me your name and regular

postal address.

This is all a drop in the bucket but I am encouraged that things are moving in

the right direction. Granted, not fast enough for everyone suffering so but

at least it's moving and we are gaining some recognition out there. (my

opinion only .. in order for the drug companies to sell the vaccine they must

first admit Lyme disease is serious ... hence, recognition is coming our way

via the strangest of sources ... even lennyboy is doing flip flops)

>> netiquette << That's it ... great word and exactly what I need to

learn!?!?!?!

Please excuse and forgive me I will be pretty much out of touch until after

our annual fundraiser, The Great Imitator Masquerade, Oct 25.

Keep well,

Liz