When my son, Jake was three years old, he was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. He had what is called a SED rate blood test, and the numbers came back high. For a few years he had some difficulty. I actually had a Faith Healer pray over him, and he had no symptons after that.
Flash forward to about an hour ago. Jake had gone to the Doctors office. His weight-bearing joints (knees, ankles, hips) are very painfull. The Doctor suspects Lyme Disease, not Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis as the cause of his complaints. I went on Yahoo Health and looked up the symptoms of Lyme Disease. Lo and behold they mimick other diseases, like Arthritis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Symptoms of Lyme Disease are chronic fatigue, poor memory, loss of the ability to concentrate and weakness, paralisis in the face and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
Lyme disease is spread by ticks. Either the Deer Tick in the Northeastern and Midwest regions, or the Western Black-Legged tick in other regions of the country. It is actually a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and can be treated with antibiotics, with no long lasting disabilities. The bacteria can cause issues with the heart if not treated early.
I hate the idea that Jake might have been mis- diagnosed, and has to suffer with pain. Yahoo Health also said that Doctors don't run these blood tests unless they strongly suspect Lyme Disease.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 9
love norene
..
U wishing you both laughter
Make sure that you include your PPQRSTTTAM in there standing for: palliation (what makes it better), provocation of symptoms (what makes it worse), quality (is the pain sharp, dull, achy, etc.), radiation (is the pain in one spot or does it star at the elbow for example and go down to the fingers), severity (how strong is this symptom), timing timing timing (frequency, duration, when it began), associated symptoms (like having stomach pain lead to vomiting), medications (prescribed drugs, over the counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, recreational drugs, etc. For example, if you eat spinach or take Vitamin K, you may have just made your blood thinners not work. It's sad but people have gotten a stroke simply because their family member thought they should be more healthy and made them start eating salads which led to the blood thinner they're on not work and lead to a clot).
Essentially, whatever you can do to help be as descriptive and concise as possible, the more likely you are to have the best care.
Help us and it helps you!