Ladies and Gentlemen, listen up.This is a serious post and you all need to read it.

[avalancher]

It is not often that I post a topic that I am this serious about, but today for the first time in almost a year I have dropped almost my entire sense of humor, and I am going to plead for each and every one of you to bear with another long and dreary post.The life you save could be your own.

For a little over six months now, I have been sick.Not bad sick, but enough to make me wonder if getting up in the morning was going to be worth it.Achy joints, sore muscles, you know the drill.

Three months ago, I had what I thought was a heart attack or a stroke. As I layed there on the hard concrete floor of my shop, I seriously wondered what I was going to do.Then it just vanished. I got up, got me a cold drink from the fridge, and wondered what the heck just happened.I called my family doctor, and he told me to hang up and call 911.Yeah right.I drove myself to the ER, they admitted me to the hospital for the night, and called my wife.Tests were done, and there wasnt a single thing wrong with me.Nothing. I thought perhaps I had lost my mind.

Then started the heart thumpings that would wake me up.Then they would disappear. Then my memory started to fade.I would walk out to the shop, and forget what I was going out there for by the time I got there.I would walk into a store, and by the time I had parked the truck I had no idea what I needed from there.
Then there would be times when everything was okay. Life resumed, and everything was normal for a time, and i would breathe a sigh of relief.Then the headaches started and the blurry vision.

For the past month, I have had to drive into the big city for tests, and one doctor noted a "unusual lump" on my skull. I took a whack to the head last year there, and figured it was nothing but scar tissue.He thought otherwise.Several different MRI's concluded that it was not unlike a tumor, but then again wasnt. But any rate, it was not able to be removed safely, and the docs agreed that it would probably continue to grow, and without a doubt contributed to my strange behaviour, loss of vision, headaches, and everything else.

For the first time in thirteen years, I attended church with my family, and began to look at my life. I had unfinished business with God to attend to, and I had a house to finish for my family before I went, and I decided that indeed I had better get busy if I had a limited amount of time left here on earth.

I am insured, heavily in fact, but during quite conversations with my wife late at night she assured me that she would rather have me around than a lump of cash, and I decided to fight this thing.Reading what I could on the internet helped not at all, all I found was more to confuse my addled brain. I figured that if I had enough time, I really wanted one thing, and that was to go out with some dignity, so I swore my family to secrecy. There was not to be a mention to anyone of my predicament.

By now you are wondering why the sob story now?Am I posting from my death bed?No.I am not.A cure has been found.

I have stage three Lyme disease, not a brain tumor. The last doctor that I saw on Friday was from India, and recognized the symptoms immediately.Ordered a blood test, and yesterday the results came back positive.No tumor, no brain problems, no heart problems, nothing in that neighborhood.

Lyme disease is serious stuff, but with medication it can be cured. It is very late for me now, and there is a chance that I may have somethings that cant be undone, but you have a chance right now to avoid this problem.I am not going to bore you all with the precautions, you all know what they are.But folks, take it serious.

If you get bitten by a tick, write the date on your calender and keep an eye on yourself.If you develop a rash, get help. There is little doubt when mine occurred, I remember the day pretty plainly when I came out of the brush in early spring covered with em, and it was over a week later in the shower I found several that had burrowed under my scalp.Being the macho kind of guy I dug em out with a thumbnail and forgot about it.

Sorry for the long post, but you have no idea how relieved I am right now. I have been facing certain death for several months, and it has clouded every decision I have had to make.My wife has pressured me into buying a new log splitter, and every argument always ended up with, "whats the point?I am going to be dead in a few months anyway."She would walk away crying and I would end up out back of the shop heaving rocks to make myself feel better.Just to get her to shut up, I ordered the damn thing last week, figuring to leave it in its crate so she could sell the damn thing when I kicked off.

For some time now I have been writing my book, and in the last few months shelved it, figuring what is the point?

I have taken little interest in posting here, at least not like I used to.After all, I couldn't help but wonder, "who in the hell would miss me anyway?"

July 2nd was our anniversary, and my wife bought me a lab puppy.I have hated that dog since day one.It would be just another mouth to feed once I was gone.

I was offered a clearing job starting in November, I turned it down. Doc said he didn't think I would be up walking around by then, and surely not in any shape to run a saw.


Funny how life has its ups and downs.It sure is nice to be headed back up, under full throttle!

Everyone! BE SAFE OUT THERE!

 

[cre73]

Avalancher,
For one keep yor head up and stick with us. I am more of a lurker than a poster but I probably have read everyone of your posts, and have the utmost respect for you. Keep a positive attitude and get through this. And please finish your book as I am sure I will enjoy it as much as your posts.

 

[Metals406]

Dang son. . . Sounds like you needed Dr. House on your case.

Glad you're on the uphill side, and YES, you would be missed here.

 

[avalancher]

Avalancher,For one keep yor head up and stick with us. I am more of a lurker than a poster but I probably have read everyone of your posts, and have the utmost respect for you. Keep a positive attitude and get through this. And please finish your book as I am sure I will enjoy it as much as your posts.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, it is highly appreciated. Indeed, I plan on keeping my head up on this, now that I feel I have a doc that gives a rip, has a game plan, and knows what he is talking about I plan on doing just that.I went for a run today for the first time in a long time, and although it probably wasnt pretty it felt good to get out and jog a bit and get the heart racing without some fear that I was going to drop dead somewhere in the weeds.

 

[audible fart]

Ticks used to drive me nuts until i became completely hairless.

 

[046]

hmmmm... stage 3 Lyme disease
glad you figured it out in time!!!

 

[howard270]

Glad to hear you found a cure for what ails you. I have never met you in person, but can tell you that I, for one, would miss you on here.

My dad was diagnosed with depression last year, which is one of the reasons I have moved back home, and reading him some of your posts made him laugh again and a few even made him laugh so hard he had tears in his eyes cause he can relate to what you were writing.

So, THANK YOU and please keep posting when you have something to say.

 

[Mike PA]

Glad you know what is happening. I started reading your post and knew it nearly right away. wish I had known about your troubles earlier, as I know I would suggested it (not a doctor, but sometimes play one at home). You had pretty classic signs for later stages of Lyme. Not trying to be a know-it-all or anything - I've had my own run ins with Lyme. My daughter has had it - twice. We caught it both times early enough that there were no long term complications from it. The first time required hospitalization (long story...). Second time was just a few weeks ago and she just got finished with the meds. Caught early, it is relatively easy to deal with.

Not everyone gets the classic rash. Some people just get a mild fever, feel like crap for a while, and then get better, only to have the symptoms you describe pop up a year or so later. Unfortunately, there may be lingering effects when Lyme is not treated quickly. Some people say that you will never get rid of it. You will, but you may have to deal with the damage. There are a lot of horror stories on this subject and a lot of bad information on the net.


It is amazing how many doctors are still missing this disease. It has become so common that it should be on the top of everyone's medical chart to look for. glad you found a good doctor. Hope everything goes well. It is so much easier to cope when you know what you are dealing with. You can prepare for the bad aspects of it while working to minimize those problems. I'm guessing the joint issues will give you the most problems. Keep excersing and work on it. I'm sure you will work it out.:msp_thumbup:

One more thing - check for ticks all the time, even when just out int eh yard. Also, use DEET. As much as you ccan find.

 

[woodman6666]

First of all thank you for your meaningful post! I am glad you will be ok as well. Now I am no religous nut or anything but my take on your situation is God needed to get your attention and this was how he did it I mean you said yourself you hadnt been to church in a long time and you had some unfinished business with him so I am sure that is your answer at least you figured it out. Anyway I am sure you know what is important in life and what isnt. Good luck and keep swinging.

 

[olyman]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, it is highly appreciated. Indeed, I plan on keeping my head up on this, now that I feel I have a doc that gives a rip, has a game plan, and knows what he is talking about I plan on doing just that.I went for a run today for the first time in a long time, and although it probably wasnt pretty it felt good to get out and jog a bit and get the heart racing without some fear that I was going to drop dead somewhere in the weeds.

my mom,,was mowing the lawn,,and a tick dropped on her..she didnt realize it,,till she got in the house,,and showered!!! she then went to the quack doctor next town over........................:censored::censored:...... i was reading in outdoor life,,thank God,,and it talked of a doctor in springfield mo..i got the number,,and haranged her for days on end..she finally called him,,they drove down the next day--10 hrs...she went thru various meds,,as they kept changing them,,as the lyme would get resistant to whatever she was on at that time..she still has slight bouts of tiredness...but shes ok,,at 78!!!! if she would have stayed with the quack,,shed be dead by now!!!!! thats been over three years ago..she had the tick in a medicine bottle,,for over 8 months..and it was STILL alive!!!!

 

[slowp]

Sounds like menopause...
Get better.

 

[avalancher]

To be honest, I never gave Lyme disease a second thought.Like everyone, I have pulled more ticks off me in my life to fill a wheelbarrow. Never even thought about getting sick from them.Like everyone else, I would pull em off, burn em with a lighter, or anything else I could think of to make their last moments as miserable as they made me. Never gave it a second thought.

When the doc asked me about rashes, I said, "sure, who doesn't?" Poison ivy rash, poison oak and sumac, you name it.Rash from lacquer thinner, rashes from Aunt Monna's nasty potato salad, rash every time Treeco replies to one of my posts.Hell, who doesnt get a rash?

He showed me some pics, and again, I said sure, wanna see a dosey on my nads? Figured it was a heat rash coupled with some walmart underwear in the bargain bin.

Then I did some reading.Rash on the site of a tick bite is a warning sign, and although I couldnt see the back of my head after pulling them suckers out, it sure itched for 600 weeks. Another bad sign.
I hate Deet.I hate bug spray in general.I can guarantee that if I spray bug spray anywhere on anything, I will forget come lunch time, and there is nothing worse than a slightly dried out sandwhich coupled with a nice film of Deet to make it even worse.You ever try and talk to a homeowner and try and sound intelligent when your tongue is numb from bug spray?You come across as a complete moron, not to mention you end up spraying half your lunch all over their shirt. Nothing kills a job faster than orange marmalade and bologna all over a homeowners shirt, even if the orange marmalade is homemade.

 

[TreePointer]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Avalancher. I'd say we firewooders are a higher risk group than the average Joe.

In return for the favor, I stole a pizza and Gatorade from some quirky lady and am having it delivered to your house.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Wow Av, that's some heartfelt story; I'm glad that you are getting to the bottom of it. It sure makes things easier to handle when you know what you are dealing with.

A few weeks ago, I had posted about ticks/Lyme disease and had been amazed that I have never gotten bit, epecially going into the woods mostly in shorts over all of these years. But I decided a few weeks ago to wear the long pants and boots when going into grassy areas, not shorts and sneakers; this story just reinforces that idea...

I have the forgetful episodes too but try to blame it off on "having too much on my mind", but it's probably senility, insanity or a little of both setting in lol...

That lump on your head that they found, is that the same spot that you got hit on years ago? If so, that's some coincidence!

Get well and keep posting!

PA. Woodsman

 

[mybowtie]

So glad U figured it out and are on the road to recovery.
After reading the first paragraph of your symtoms, a new it was lyme.

I have had many faimly and friends infected w lyme over the yrs, and Had a very good client that lost his battle with lyme because it wasnt
caught in time.

I have had dozens and dozens of tick embedded in me over the yrs, but have never been infected.

Some of u may remember around late 1990's or early 2000's there was a three shots sreies vacination available for lyme. I hade those shots, and
that may be the reason I never been infected with lyme. The vacination was pulled due to severe problems and side affects soon after it came out. And yes I did have some bad side affects from those shots.

Be safe everyone..

 

[CrappieKeith]

Avalancher...thanks for your story 1st off. It is good to hear you got to the root of the problem and that your on the mend.
Taking ticks off has always been a thing I took for granted but I always got to them asap...even had a few dug out by a Doc over the years. I for one will be aware of the signs...so far knock on wood I've never had any issue.
I guess I took them a bit for granted with my dog Buck who recently passed because of them.

Your story started out like you had depression or had given up. I have a friend that just committed suicide because of depression. I can't imagine what would be so bad to make you want to off yourself ,but she did by way of a noose.Her oldest boy found her.
What a loss of a beautiful person.

I can say this for sure Avalancher...you have a gift...well several actually. I would hope that you share them with the world and not become a recluse.
It sounds as though you will be around for awhile albeit a bit hobbled, but I can tell you that you will endure and become acclimated to whatever it is that hangs on you from being so late in the remission of lymes.

God has a plan for you...I happen to be of good authority on this. You'd have surely passed if HE did not. So look to each day that is filled with promise for not only you and your family ,but for those you will be able to effect.

I fully expect to be hearing more from you in the future...any update on that city boy you taught to cut wood and his wife that was not so thrilled?

The road to hell is wide and easy to follow...your road however is narrow,twisty and sometimes hard to see ,but keep on task Avalancher...Heaven will receive you when you get there...but it ain't your time yet.......at least I'll pray that it is not.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Wow

Av sorry to hear about the Lyme Disease. Glad your wife is tougher then you, you need a strong support team to help during the rollcoaster of treatment. If feel you can not talk to some one use the dog as a sounding board, they judge you not at all. Prayers for your recovery.

 

[redheadwoodshed]

Praise the Lord God all mighty!

Yes do!

Avalancher, glad to hear you found out what was ailing you.I think we'd miss you around here.I had a similar experience with rocky mt. spotted fever about 20 years ago.I almost kicked the bucket before they finally figured it out.Not common in Louisiana, I guess.Take care.

 

[Whitespider]

Well thank you very much avalancher... because of you I am now being treated for Lyme disease.

I read your post a couple of hours ago, which made me think about this round itchy rash I've had on the underside of my arm for the last two/three weeks or so... a rash different than any other I can ever remember having (it's not like poison ivy and such). That got me thinking about how I've been feeling tired and a bit off lately, a little nausea, etc... nothing I couldn't attribute to this horrible heat and humidity, but still...

Well, your post scared me a little (guess I'm a wuss) and I called the clinic. They had me come right in, looked at the rash, asked me how I was feeling, etc. Anyway, I was told the rash is a classic example of the Lyme Disease rash with what appears to be a infected insect bite right in the center of it. Told me it was way too early for any blood test reliability so they weren't gonna' waste time and money on it, just started me on the antibiotics.

So, ya' know what? Your post ain't even a day old and it may have prevented someone (me) from getting real sick... 'Course we'll never know for sure, but the Doc did think there's real good chance it's Lyme Disease. According to him, the confirmed cases of Lyme Disease in Iowa is three times higher this year compared to last year.

In all seriousness... Thank You for the warning... I always figure I'm bullet-proof until someone gives me a bit of a scare.

 

[MiracleRepair]

Glad they finally figured it out AV. I was in the same boat almost two years ago, just not as advanced a case as you had. Let me tell you, when the meds start working, you will feel 15 years younger than you do now. Thankfully, my wife is very patient, and could put up with the increased energy and testosterone. The feeling that you could wade through hell, just to fight a circle saw was something I thought was gone forever.