Just for the record -- county commissioner Chris Reilly was back at work today.
To tell you the truth, I was a little surprised when I saw him at the county commisssioners' work session this morning. He said he intended to be back today, but I wasn't sure if he'd pull it off. Lyme disease can really kick your butt.
I spoke to him afterward. He said he's still feeling a little shaky, but much better than he was a week ago. A week ago, he couldn't even get out of bed.
Beware the tick. I say that only slightly in jest. My recent health problems related to Lyme disease have given me a whole new perspective on the issue. Lyme is a significant public health problem that York County residents should take very seriously.
I am amazed at how many York Countians have, or know someone who has been, affected by Lyme disease. Since I was diagnosed, I have received dozens calls and e-mails and heard numerous personal recollections from people with a first-hand knowledge of the devastating physical impact a bite from a deer tick can have.
What struck me most about these stories was how the young and old seem to have been disproportionately affected by Lyme disease. Thirty or forty years ago Lyme was a much more obscure condition. The older folks recounted how, in many instances, they didn't seek immediate medical attention or felt their symptoms were misdiagnosed. Today many complain of subsequent chronic health problems they directly attribute to the initial infection.
Children seem to be hard hit as well, particularly pre-teens, which makes sense given their high level of involvement in outdoor activities. The good news is, that while kids in many cases develop more acute symptoms, they are diagnosed accurately then treated and recover more quickly. I can't help but think this is because doctors by and large have "mainstreamed" the disease and view it as a serious medical condition.
I applaud Tom Joyce for more closely analyzing the perception of and politics surrounding Lyme disease. I also hope my experience will make York Countians more aware of this public health specter which lurks as close as our own backyards.