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Within the last 6 months a friend was diagnosed with neuropathy and treated with mega doses of steroids. Finally tested positive for LYME and after an 8 week course of antibiotics (Doxycycline)is now recovering. At age 80 they thought it was just his age.

A second friend who lives near him, on the same mountain, has been diagnosed. Vague symptoms of aching joints, fatigue, occasional fever, etc.etc. demanded to be tested and is also now in recovery from Lyme. She said she felt foolish complaining about vague symptoms but is now glad she asked to be tested.Testing for Lyme is not an easy call and sometimes doctors have no choice but to begin treatment based on symptoms only.

Case three is even more dramatic. A young woman who owns a shop that we frequent, has been ill for 2+ years. Her coordination failing, speech becoming slurred, was told that she probably has MS. Finally she found a LYME literate MD who took her seriously and began intensive IV therapy via a PICC line. Insurance will not pay for the antibiotic so she pays out of pocket in order, as she puts it "to get my life back".

The Lyme spirochete is illusive, making treatment and diagnosis difficult. One must go by presenting symptoms only in many cases. When the nasty spirochetes are attacked by the antibiotic they secrete toxins that make you sicker before you begin to get better. That is where she is now. I pray for her.

If diagnosed early and treated with Doxycycline it can be cured. You do not build immunity and can get it again and again. Nasty stuff. It was first named in Lyme Connecticut,very near where Beck resides, and if truth be told is probably wide spread and often misdiagnosed as Chronic Fatigue, arthritis, MS (in its late stage), and can be fatal.

Several states have laws now which require insurance coverage of the antibiotics. PA is not one of them but has pending legislation. CDC and our state Medical Assn does not condone the use of long term antibiotics as they can be harmful....well DUH...so is LYME.

I don't know how to best alert Glenn Beck. Perhaps his people will see this on FR.

New York City has a very high rate of Lymes and as there aren't many deer roaming the streets it may give credence to the theory that the ticks are carried by infected RODENTS. The typical bullseye redness surrounding the tick bite that they rely on to some extent, does not always happen.

Let's pray it is treatable Lyme disease the Beck has and that his physician will pick it up and begin treatment NOW.