Second Opinion...

[angelicminx]

*Hug*

 

[BlackShanglan]

Ah, Will. The sheer lack of human decency is just appalling. I hope that justice will prevail.

 

[neonlyte]

Ah, Will. The sheer lack of human decency is just appalling. I hope that justice will prevail.

One wonders quite where it has gone.

Legal position looks promising though my legal insurers currently insist they will not cover my legal fees since 'I have no actual bodily injury caused by a singular event', my accidental encounter with a tick ought at least to have resulted in physical injury ie: the damn tick ought have been big enough to break my leg!! Where does this logic come from?

At the moment, I'm going have to fund specialist reports myself though my lawyer will take up the issue with insurance underwriters to try to get them to cover the cost. Full case review set for early August.

Curious session with my family doctor, I think he knows there is no way he and his practice are going to avoid being brought into any legal action though we both choose not to mention it.

He asked me how I was feeling, I ran through a list of fifteen different symptoms affecting me this week.
- Debilitating leg cramps, lower calf (both legs), upper thigh (left leg)
- Severe knee joint pain (both knees) making climbing stairs/slopes difficult, occasionally difficult on down slope
- Increased and continual pain left lower arm, associated joint pain in 3 fingers with recurring finger tremor in small finger
- Joint pain, sometimes crippling severe, in big toe r/h foot (same one as dead nail)
- Deformed nail growth (two toe nails severely deformed – blackened – during last year, minor deformation in nail growth on some finger nails
- Severe digestion problems, reflux of stomach acid – night time leading to poor sleep – and including inability to digest certain foods (I avoid bread, salad, all pre-made food products)
- Recurring slurred speech / inability to form words
- Recurring balance problems, occasionally severe
- Recurring facial paralysis – largely r/h side
- Occasional severe mental confusion
- Loss of memory
- Inability to concentrate
- Severe lack of energy – maximum two hours work per day
- Blemishes on skin
- Irritability – occasionally very severe

He as much as admitted a mistake was made and that I should have been given antibiotics immediately, the only possible excuse being Lyme is so rare in the UK he'd never before dealt with a patient showing Lyme symptoms. Fortunately the law says ignorance is not an excuse, he might find himself unwittingly drawn into the legal case even though he was actually doing his best to help me find treatment.

The net result of todays medical meeting was as follows:
1) despite my reminding my family doctors office and the hospital where I receive Lyme treatment to liase ahead of todays meeting on future antibiotic treatment, neither side spoke to the other;
2) several surgical interventions have been discussed, primarily knees, left elbow and stomach, we agreed (at my insistance) not to proceed with any surgery until the Lyme situation is clearly understood by me, my family doctor and the hospital - this will not happen before first week of August.
3) I am now clinically certified as 'depressed'.

Well... depression is a state of mind

He wants me to begin medication 'it will improve your quality of life', he tells me. 'Will it anti-depression medication mean I can walk tomorrow without fear of my legs locking up, or that my knees will be pain free? Will the paralysis in my face stop, and will the medication restore feeling to my left hand?'

'No,' he answered, 'but you'll feel better in yourself.'

I guess one needs seven years of medical training to be able to square this circle and convince yourself (and the patient) that black truely is the new white.

I've signed up for the medication to make it a matter of record that the persistant Lyme symptoms have left me clinically depressed, I guess it was the least he could do for me.

The wife (bless her cotton socks) 'He said you're depressed? For God's sake... has he only just noticed.'

You've got to love her.

 

[kendo1]

I presume you had a list to jog your memory of the symptoms?

Remembering 15 items negates the 'memory loss'.

Just a thought for when you need to see a lawyer.


Best wishes to you, Neon.

Ken

 

[Selena_Kitt]

oh for pete's sake!!

I feel a lot better about my own symptoms, seeing your list...!! :x Does that make you feel any better?

Have you see this? About herbal protocol for Lyme? It can't hurt...

I guess lymph drainage is very important in healing from it... although yours is so late-stage now... *sigh*

There's also hyperbaric oxygen therapy... if they have it (and you don't have to pay for it) it also can't hurt, and could help...

HUGS, Will. Big ones. Here for ya.

 

[neonlyte]

I presume you had a list to jog your memory of the symptoms?

Remembering 15 items negates the 'memory loss'.

Just a thought for when you need to see a lawyer.


Best wishes to you, Neon.

Ken

Maintain a daily log, handed the doc a print out.

 

[neonlyte]

oh for pete's sake!!

I feel a lot better about my own symptoms, seeing your list...!! :x Does that make you feel any better?

Have you see this? About herbal protocol for Lyme? It can't hurt...

I guess lymph drainage is very important in healing from it... although yours is so late-stage now... *sigh*

There's also hyperbaric oxygen therapy... if they have it (and you don't have to pay for it) it also can't hurt, and could help...

HUGS, Will. Big ones. Here for ya.

Actually, I always feel better after seeing you

Thanks for the link, I've not seen that trial, it will be worth discussing with my homeopath though I'd like to know exactly what symptoms they claim effect over. Unfortunately, there are almost as many different types of Lyme as there are patients. Latest conventional medical guidelines divide classes of antibiotics between different strands of Lyme targeting specific sub-types.

Lymph drainage was never an approach in my case. The Lyme invasion is in my spinal cord, which is why I have such a variety of symptoms, they change according to bacterial interference in the spinal cortex, and it is also why treatment is potentially hazardous from toxin release as the bacteria are eliminated.

If you know of anyone who is receiving Lyme treatment, make sure they are aware of the IDSA 2006 Guidelines (Infectious Disease Society of America) and American Association of Neurology - Practice Note May 2007 (I'm having trouble pasting links!) These notes are particularly relevent to anyone with Late Diagnosed Lyme.

ETA: AAN Link: http://www.neurology.org/cgi/rapidpdf/01.wnl.0000265517.66976.28v1.pdf

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Does anyone else have the urge to go out and squish the HELL outta some BUGS!?!?