A Pox On Naysayers

[Guest guest]

Lovette:

Last night I finally made my reservation in Gettysburg, too busy,

etc., I got the LAST REMAINING room at the particular Inn. Thank

goodness for corporate rates - it wasn't the least expensive one

either.

So - You Go Girl! Of course we will want to get together afterward.

No one wanted to leave OPMC - it ran more than an hour over, people

were so excited to see one another and had no where else to go. How

thoughtful of you to have arranged a get together.

When I went to NY as MisTick I did so for " street-drama, " not because

a 50-year-old woman didn't get a good costume for Halloween, oncew

upon a time - I have never even dressed for Halloween as an adult so

this was a stretch for me! People loved it and wanted a picture of

MisTick or with MisTick. And those that didn't = nobody broke their

arms.

It brought ATTENTION to the protest, people stopped and looked, same

as with the giant Christmas Stocking I made for OPMC with large " coal

pieces " in it. I had a sign as MisTick - " One Bite Lasts a

Lifetime, " motto courtesy of someone on the boards.

I think it is all about attracting attention. We were trying to get

the attention of the press and the public and still are. After OPMC

the trolls had a field day on the board criticizing MisTick,

(somebody or two didn't realize it was a STUFFED COSTUME) and I

really didn't give a damn, it had cheered some people up at OPMC and

seemed like it brought some attention as was intended.

As far as those other criticisms that *one* person

listed (come on, Jane was it? why not just say " Ima Grouch) -

Lighten up, Jane. Have a drink or some meds.

Let the world see the Lyme community together, solid and supportive

of one another. What's the Beef? What about all of those glittering

events to support AIDS. (And I love all of the acting out that

brought them attention). No one criticized or said " those people look

too good, lets withhold money and support. "

Regrettably with this disease I think it can cause a case of the

grouchies in all of us at some point.

I have moderate to severe brain damage as measured by Columbia

hospital, several brain lesions, white matter, have had a stroke,

often can not coreectly address my children by name, and am

continually making arrangements in case I don't make it. I have been

to the hospital 3 times since Christmas. I was several years

undiagnosed, my case is advanced and I really don't have high hopes

of recovering, in rare moments of truth. In between, in the vast in

between, I tell every joke I know and cut the fool and keep my

spirits up as well as whoever else is around. This is the best

medicine of all.

I damn well will take a couple of minutes to dress the fool and act

MisTick and hope to bring a little street theater - and public

attention - to the cause.

With AIDS, they were smart enough to keep the bicker to themselves

and not to knock the people doing the most.

You have done a great job, dear Lovette, it is nerve-wracking as hell

to sit and wonder if something is really going to work out, and all

of the thousands of details roll around in your dreams. The planning

for this was phenomenal.

Keep up the good work and ignore the naysayers.

Jeannine Der Bedrosian, aka MisTick, aka LunaTick -> -> p.s. ->

P.S. I love " Ready to Rumble. " It says it all - " we're not going to

take it - anymore. " Too many years of being shamefully and

patronizingly misdiagnosed. NO MORE! The New Millenium, Time for

Lyme. Keep those spirits high, everyone, this is the year that will

make the difference. You will be looking back at this year and your

actions in the future. You will know that you made it happen, you

stood up and insisted that Lyme Disease get the recognition - and the

latitude in choice of treatments that it requires.

If all you did was criticize, you may be looking back with regret. No

more division within the ranks! It brings spirits down and our

spirits are so precarious as it is. Please lets join together.