Life after a tick bite

Image from http://randolphcountyhealth.org/images/lyme_tick.jpg

When I started this blog, I had a ton of great ideas for topics that I wanted to write about. My list is still hanging around somewhere, but obviously I haven't gotten around to creating anything new.

There's kind of a good reason for that. The past few weeks I've been sick, and only recently discovered that I contracted Lyme Disease.

When I first got diagnosed, I felt like a bunch of singers should have burst in the door of the doctor's office and treat me to an "It's Lyme Disease" song-and-dance routine. I was happy to figure out why I kept feeling like crap for so long. I had enjoyed the hospitality of a local emergency room and seen every Nurse Practitioner at my family practice. I familiarized myself with the after-hours on-call physicians. As it turns out, the cause was completely unsurprising. Predictable, even.

I mean, I have been running around tick-infested pastures and forests all summer in a county that is an absolute hotbed for Lyme disease. I didn't keep that a secret from my doctors, but it still took a little while to get my diagnosis and treatment on the right track.

It was caught early. Antibiotics have been kicking butt. This will soon be a thing of the past.

However, I feel like the obligatory public service announcement is in order.

Check yourself. Pay attention to your health. If you're sick and not getting better, advocate for yourself. Report all of your symptoms, no matter how inconsequential they may seem.

I got bit on my back, so my regular tick check didn't catch it. My doctors were wonderful, but a simple examination would have revealed the tick bite and bullseye rash long before I was spiking fevers and sprouting red blotches all over myself. Before the blotches, everyone thought it was a particularly nasty cold that would resolve on its own. I didn't mention that I had a persistent headache with neck stiffness that didn't respond to painkillers. I thought that stress and anxiety issues were making everything seem worse than it actually was.

In the end, it was all connected to a nasty little bugger with a nasty bacterial friend.

Fun for Friday

Since we are only just getting to know each other, here are five fun facts about me.

#1 - I am a twin.

As a child I was often annoyed that friends, teachers and parents treated us as a unit instead of individuals. I didn't get my own birthday cake. It took me a while to get my own friends.

Now that most people are unaware that I am a twin, things are much more amusing. We are nothing alike, and we don't even look related. I enjoy divulging the news and showing a picture (or introducing the real person!) The looks are priceless.

She's done beauty pageants and modeling gigs. She enjoys the spotlight, and I can hardly apply makeup properly. I'm more of a "get my hands dirty and get stuff done" kind of person.

#2 - I make things.

Once upon a time, I wanted to go to art school. (Then I did, and it was a small waste of money.) But ever since I can remember, I have been making things. Artsy-crafty bits, clothing, bread, homemade shampoo, the odd hammock.. Not everything has been successful, but it is always a fun challenge.

#3 - Gatos!

I love cats. When I was more seriously into art, I used to have an art website called AngryGato. I now have an angry gato of my very own. His name is Bowser. He bites, but I love him anyway.

#4 - I hate mountains.

Image from: http://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/images/Pierce_Mtn_Trail-1.JPG

Specifically, I hate climbing mountains. I've had lots of bad experiences with them.

For some reason, climbing a mountain always results in pain and suffering for me. It's not like I'm in terrible physical shape and can't handle the workout. I hate the pressure of having to reach the top. I don't care about conquering nature. I especially don't care if I'm "almost there" when I've decided I've had enough.

I've seen mountain views. They don't do anything for me. When I've run out of water and the bugs are chomping at every inch of exposed skin, I'm done.

#5 - The good ol' hockey game!

Image from: http://www.fanattic.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tim-Thomas.jpg

I love hockey. My team is.. yes, the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. Favorite player is #22: fourth-line leader, enforcer and ginger-extraordinaire Shawn Thornton.

I haven't always loved hockey, but I have to thank my boyfriend and his family for getting me into it. They have a rich family tradition with the sport.

I hope to do a fun feature like this every Friday, but we'll see how things shake out.

What's the deal with the imaginary farm?

(Note: This also appears under my "Pages" but I thought it would be nice as its own entry.)

In a real sense, I live in a small apartment with no yard. I dream about green pastures, laying hens and fruit trees. I am studying sustainable agriculture in college, but my everyday life is filled with modern convenience.

As for the blog, this "imaginary farm" is a place for me to share my personal experiences with food, agriculture, research and education. It is a place for me to explore the space between ideas and actions in hopes that my life will more closely mirror my ideals.

I have been interested in sustainable agriculture, "doing-it-yourself," food ethics and the like for years. Most of the people that I share my life with aren't as interested in these issues as I am. We have grown up in malls, supermarkets, in front of televisions and computers. We don't go outside as much as we used to, but I still have fond childhood memories of long summer days under the sun.

I want more than memories. I also do not want to preach or alienate those around me by chanting "SUSTAINABILITY OR DEATH!"

Go do a search on sustainable agriculture news blogs. It's doom and gloom out there. It's not my mission to inform the masses about the evils of GMO's or the perils of budget cuts to sustainable farm services. I might mention them occasionally, but there are plenty of good sources out there. The internet doesn't need me for that.

I want to focus on solutions rather than dwell on problems. Where is progress being made? What can I do to contribute? I want to feel good about doing good things, and I want to share that with others.

I am hoping that my stories can provide a small support to those who find themselves in a similar place. With each small step, we can gently re-work our lives to fit our intentions.

Perhaps someday this imaginary place will be real.