Garsham Robertson - my storyLyme Disease is widespread across Europe as well as the USA, although relatively uncommon. The disease comes an infection with a bacterium called Borrelia which is transmitted by ticks feeding off 'carrier' animals such as small mammals, deer, sheep and even birds. The ticks themselves are about the size of a pin head and reddish brown in colour, thus often hard to spot. I have no knowledge or recollection of having been bitten so cannot say for certain where I picked up the disease. At the time of my infection - determined by the change in my medical condition - I spent some time in the USA but I was also a frequent visitor to Thetford Forest in the UK, which is one of the UK's 'hotspots' given the prevelance of deer. Prior to my illness I was a very fit and active person. I was at that time a football referee at semi-professional level with virtually no illness to speak of. The next three years were simply awful, including the lowest point where my GP felt I had only three weeks left to live. At that point I could barely shuffle a few feet and needed a wheelchair to get around. Finally after three years of hell I was diagnosed as having contracted Lyme Disease although by that time the illness had left me with a permanent disability.
After diagnosis I spent 3 weeks in hospital taking high concentration intravenous anti-biotics followed by a month on extremely high dose tablet form. I then began a series of 'rehab' programmes where I had to literally learn to walk again, combined with an unsurprising period of unemployment. Six months after diagnosis my neurologist described my circumstances as "...you have been ill but that is now past. However, that illness has left you with a serious spinal injury similar to that of an accident victim". Since then, I have continued to work hard at my physical rehabilitation. Although I am disabled, have a very obvious difficulty in walking and need a stick to do so, I am very well off compared to where I was in the really dark days. I am pleased to say I am currently in very good health, and strong both physically and mentally. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with Lyme do not despair - and this is the whole point of this site - as there is a way back, no matter how desparate the situation may appear. Treating Lyme at any stage is fairly simple - it invloves anti-biotics and that's it. When found very early, eg if you develop a 'bullseye' rash it can be treated by your GP with high dose anti-biotics. However, as in my case if left untreated it can seriously effect your nervous system and leave you physically badly damaged but even then the 'fix' to the disease itself is still anti-biotics, albeit in extremely high dose. | 
