by Heidy Ramos
Ixodes scapularis
Everyone, this poem is dedicated to LYMIES everywhere. This was written through my experience….how people are affected by this disease. What we encounter, how we are misdiagnosed, all the miscommunications, and how doctors don’t know how to properly treat us. This poem was inspired by true events. This poem doesn’t mean I will succumb to it, this is just to inspire LYMIES, that they are not alone. This story is not singular.
Doctors, nurses, NP must be properly educated to diagnose this illness correctly, because I would not be in this situation if only I was not
denied with proper antibiotic treatment. I beg to get antibiotics!!!
So read on.
LYME DISEASE
I was awaken with sudden jolt
Stars, twinkle, cloudy eyes
Sleep like in turbulence
Unnerving feeling
I feel like dying
I woke up
My whole body is numb
I couldn’t move both my hands
I freak out
My complaint
Chest pain, heart palpitations
Sore throat, low grade fevers
Joint pain, swollen joint
Back pain, I can’t explain
And left side
Facial numbness.
I call my doctor
Explain my illusion
He diagnosed me with Anxiety
Prescribe me with Xanax
To help me relax.
I call again
And this time
He sends me for a second opinion
I was told
That my problem is joint disease
I went back to see my PCP
He performs all kind of blood work
Everything came negative
Except for Lyme Disease.
He prescribe two months of antibiotic
I came back for a follow up
He said I was treated.
I went through
Battery of test.
They all came negative
Non diagnostic.
One year pass
My right ears is ringing
My vision is failing
My shaft of my legs
Bone pain I couldn’t explain.
I went to see, for a second opinion
A Neurologist I must see.
Arrogant as he is
Ask me questions
Like am in court of justice.
I have Anxiety
He ask me to breath
Couple of times
He ask me to look straight
At the sharp dispense
And ask me to breath
In and out…
He ask in a badgering voice
Is this what you feel?
Is this what you feel?
In confusion
I just wanted him
To leave me alone
And I said, yes.
I feel humiliated
He didn’t give me a correct diagnosis
He forgot he is a Neurologist, not a Psychiatrist
Telling me, my Anxiety is
Far worst than I think.
I drove miles, long miles
Countless bends
To see a Lyme Literate.
As I enter the office
I felt the humility
The look of understanding
Of the Secretary
I was seated in the room
My mind is roaming
My Anxiety arise
My palms were sweating.
As She enter the room
Her skin as dark
But She smile
Her teeth as white
I left with dignity
She doesn’t have all the answers
But she listens to me
And my spirit rise and intact
I am ill with Chronic Lyme.
All I could say
Doctors who practice
Use your own caution
Please just hear us.
Put a little compassion
Be in our shoes.
Heidy Ramos is recovering from lyme disease and hopes that her poem helps others who have been misdiagnosed and mistreated by health care professionals to know that they are not alone.
May 2010 is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. It is also MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) Awareness Month. If you have a story, essay or poem to share about your experience with either illness, please send it to us and we will publish it here during the month of May. Thank you to all who help spread awareness and understanding.
Beautiful! I can relate so much! Blessings to you.
Thank you.
Peace & Blessings, Heidy. Thanks for sharing your heart & soul in rhyme.
I haven’t written a poem in sometime. Then, after my fifth week of finally getting treatment for Lyme’s (undiagnosed for years), I suddenly woke & wrote. It took a few short minutes with no revisions. Amazing how the light can shine through the clouds after a big bad rainstorm … Just happy to find some peace to be creative again, at least for the moment. I’ll take it as it comes.
Sonya the sun does shine through us, Im lucky to have supportive friends and family. Peace and Blessing to you too. I would like to share this poem about Lymies.
Lymies
An unknown origin
It invades your insides
Attacking your emotions
Destroying your physical being
You look back
How life was then…
You hike the hike
Nature loving person
Physically fit to endure
The challenge of miles
Vibrant spirit
Outgoing, doing everything
Dancing with glee.
Strong as an old tree
Bark as hard
Roots are embeded deep
A storm was passing by
Breaking all the branches
Bending its bark
Strong winds
So unstable
Your about to let go
You hold on as hard
Burying your mind deep.
You woke up with a rash
You thought as a spider bite
It crippled your branches
Your physical nature
Attacking you from the inside.
You wonder
And wonder
What is wrong with me?
You search for the answers
Asking all specialist
Knowledgeable brains
Who couldn’t give you, the correct treatment?
A battle is going through
Inside of you
Antibiotic is your source of weapon
Specialist is telling you
They can’t prescribe it any more…
Your mind is going insane
Losing a battle
That everyone is helping you, to lose.
Your heart is breaking
Your mind is losing
Physical being trying to stood strong
But your insides are falling apart.
It even attacks your dreams
Nightmarish figures
Your hallucinations are real
As you woke-up
You’re jolted
Your whole body is feeling numb.
You also woke-up
As you look out
The sun is shining bright
The birds are singing with delight
Your daughter’s
Your son’s
Your friend’s
Your husband
Are hugging you tight
Letting you know
That there with you
And you embrace them, with gladness and sorrow.
And there is a world,
And there is a way,
And this I know
This very day.
A new world it be,
One where I and all can see
That the music’s in me
That the music’s in you,
The music’s in everything
That we all say,
And that we all do.
And there are roads out, that lead to places I’ve rarely seen before. And a new world it be.
Lane
In our lives sometimes the road we take is not all straight, but we must learn to jump over puddles and learning the curves of every turn. Then sometimes it feels, like your not going nowhere, but we must keep looking straight ahead. Life is full of clouds overhead, but this clouds when the the storm downpour, all the ……damages it will caused will pass and the light will shine above us.
BY:Heidy Ramos
http://popup.lala.com/popup/1657606159707286556
(listen to link abpove)
I belive this could be a theme song for us with lyme, whether intended to adress lyme or what we go through, it kind of hits home. I feel good when I listen to this song, like someone is hearing us. Thank you Gordie Downie.
Rob Burnett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WytbLVkqDYE
Sorry about that, the previous link doesnt play the whole song, try this you tube link for several live versions
Rob Burnett
Thank you for sharing this memorable song. Its awesome.
Thanks everyone for all the creative contributions – so great!!! xx Julie