-
Lyme ecology
Over time, I've gained an increasing fascination with systems, how things work in aggregate, and how different systems interact with each other. It's a substantial part of my interest in the social sciences, especially my interest in sociology and not just anthropology. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was a major catalyst of this interest ( Read more... ) -
more health-services things
Just got off phone with Jim from Social Security. Have officially applied for Disability, SSI, and whatever medical program it is they give to younger people. (Is it still Medicare? I don't know.) Either way, next week I should receive some paperwork in the mail, some of which I keep and some of which I send back. Then it will be three to five ( Read more... ) -
It has been a productive week so far
A few weeks ago, I had blood drawn for the Lyme disease and babesiosis tests the internist I've seen recommended. I had an appointment to discuss the results scheduled for today, which got bumped to this past Monday early last week, as I was checking if the results had arrived and confirming that appointment. Friday I went to the local Social ( Read more... ) -
a small step in the process
I had my first visit with a Lyme-literate physician yesterday, an internist who specializes in treating patients with chronic complications from Lyme disease. It was also my first doctor appointment in over three years, not including the ophthalmologist I saw about two and a half years ago. I'm unhappy that it cost several hundred dollars just to ( Read more... ) -
Thank you so much, Mr. Blumenthal
A press release from the Connecticut Attorney General's Office: Attorney General's Investigation Reveals Flawed Lyme Disease Guideline Process, IDSA Agrees To Reassess Guidelines, Install Independent Arbiter.
From the article:- The IDSA guidelines have sweeping and significant impacts on Lyme disease medical care. They are commonly applied by ( Read more... )
-
Full of Fail
There is a bill being proposed to the House of Representatives called H.R. 741, also known as the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2007. The text of the act under that link is fairly straightforward. It grants $101 million over the next five years to fund a new Tick-Borne Diseases Advisory Committee; $1 ( Read more... ) -
Feds Say "No" to Access to Information Request on Serious Health Matter
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation: Feds Say "No" to Access to Information Request on Serious Health Matter; National Security Cited
The federal government denies Access to Information request. They say it is a matter of "national security", so Canadians have no right to records that measure the ability of our national medical laboratory to detect ( Read more... ) -
Health note
I've been getting a strange sort of headache after every Aikido class I attend.. not sure what that means. I was reading recently that they've been finding Lyme disease can effect neurobiology via increased stress hormone release and decreased Tryptophan (which means lower serotonin). So, more stress, less happiness; that about fits what I've been ( Read more... ) -
More on Lyme disease
Wikipedia has an article on Lyme disease controversy now, expanded from the small section in the main Lyme disease article. In the section of the controversy article called Two standards of care, they compare various points of differentiation in the way the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the International Lyme and Associated ( Read more... ) -
OK, this is seriously messed up.
For some time now, I've known about and been meaning to post about recent issues regarding Lyme disease. There's been a lot of controversy regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, particularly since the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) published new guidelines in October, 2006 which severely restrict Lyme disease ( Read more... )