Oh that elite main stream media did it again.

It's Lyme season everyone!  Technically May is Lyme Awareness month, and the month of my birth.  Oh irony my truest friend.  The New Yorker and NPR both recently ran stories on Lyme.  I hope that by dropping those two news sources it will help reaffirm that I haven't been totally lost to trashy TV.

My initial take away from these articles was that I feel lucky.  I tested positive for Lyme.  Being in public health I am so used to 'testing positive' being a scary thing.  However, in my case it has made this painful journey a bit easier.  Many people don't test positive initially for the disease for a variety of reasons.  The main reason is that there isn't an accurate and reliable diagnostic test to determine if indeed someone has Lyme disease.  Let alone determine how advanced the disease is.

They state over and over that their isn't any empirical evidence to support long term antibiotic treatment of Lyme Disease.  Well no shit.  To have empirical evidence you would actually have to conduct a study.  No study = no evidence.  Funny how that works.

My favorite part is when the author says, people who continue to feel sick become desperate and seek alternative treatments outside of main stream medicine.

I date.  Not right now obviously.  Hey, nice to meet you I have a disease, am not working, and live with my parents.  But I have dated an array of men in my time.  Desperate was not one of the words uttered in that final conversation.  There have been plenty of words spoken, but not desperate.

Yet, somehow that is the word the medical community wants to characterize me with.  Well, homeslice its time to look in the mirror.  This is a two way street and its time for you to acknowledge your short comings as well.  Maybe, just maybe you should ask yourself what makes so many people seek alternative treatment?  Oh my, could it be?  Could it be that you have no Fing idea how to heal me so I go elsewhere?

Let me break this down.  Say you have worked at a job for 5 years.  Despite your stellar performance your boss continues to deny you raises or promotions.  Now you did your part, you 'Leaned In' and showed initiative.  You worked hard, did everything right, but weren't given what you needed or deserved.  So you decide to seek a new place of employment.    When parting ways with your boss she says that you are desperate.  Not the correct word, right?

Frustration that main stream medicine is unable or dare I say unwilling to help 'cure' what ails you is not the same as desperation.  Seeking out alternative treatments to stop a disease from ravaging your body is called Advocacy my friend.  #SocialWork