LYME DISEASE
I'm fighting Lyme Disease, along with thousands of other infected people.
May is Lyme Awareness month. All over Canada and the USA, people will be bringing attention to this disease, to the lack of treatment available, to the fact that we have to advocate for ourselves and that the doctors who treat us, literally put their jobs on the line.
If you feel passionate about this, please join us at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 6, between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm!
LYME RALLY at PARLIAMENT HILL in OTTAWA on May 6, 2011. Wear green and be seen!
Click for a bigger view of the above flyer, please.
Get the information sheet about Lyme disease here from the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation.
My summary:
Infected Date: August 2007: I was taking pictures and was bitten by something, but did not pay much attention, thinking it was a spider.
Place: Near Picton, Ontario: Taking pictures of Dragon Boat Races in Bloomfield, in pretty Prince Edward County.
Diagnosis: Years later, Feb. 2010: Been sent from doctor to specialist to test to ER over months, with various diagnoses, medications and getting sicker.
Symptoms: Early on, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, headache, low-grade fever, stiff neck, knee pain. A rash appeared a week after the bite, but I did not connect the two, only took pictures.
Problem: Doctors are not trained to look for Lyme disease; there are no conclusive tests; in Canada, many doctors refuse to admit it exists.
Treatment: In March 2010, I started antibiotic treatment, which has to be long-term to have any effect. Things started improving and I was optimistic and grateful.
Update: On March 17, 2011 - abandoned by the Ontario Health Care System, because of a complaint against the specialist for "treating something which does not exist in Canada."
Result: Infections coming back, symptoms becoming noticeable, quality of life affected.
May is Lyme Awareness month: Please be aware of Lyme disease, that it is the fastest spreading infection in North America, and that everyone is vulnerable, even in their own back yards or city parks. How many more people have to be sick, disabled or even dying before something is done to protect patients and the doctors treating them?
PREVENTION:
Simple precautions can be taken, like wearing insect repellent with DEET, or using lemon and eucalyptus creams. Check for bites. Pay attention to symptoms. If found early, antibiotic treatment can prevent long-lasting symptoms and damage to organs. Fight for doctors to be aware, and for parks to put up warnings and information! Knowledge is power.More information: Please visit the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation's site for more: CanLyme
SATISFACTION NOT GUARANTEED
A single bite might change your life!
Website design
- Initial interview to discuss
- The colours of your choice
- Layout of your choice
- Follow-up as needed
- Monthly adjustments
- See Gallery for some samples
Photography
- Taking new pics
- Editing and adjusting,
- Removing blemishes,
- Enhancing, cropping,
- Fixing red-eye,
- Changing background
Camera and Software
Photography:
- Nikon DSLR
- 18-55 mm lens
- 70-300 mm lens
- Macro lens
- 18-105 mm lens
- Filters
Preferred Software:
- HDR programs
- Dreamweaver
- Write some HTML code
- Corel Photo (used since version 4)
