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We’re really not out there for long and we’re never out of cell phone range, so we pack a backpack with water bottles, granola bars, bug spray and sunscreen, and a First Aid kit. No tent or water filtration system for us! We wear jeans, long sleeves, and hiking boots. We are also in tick central here, so we wear gaters from Outdoor Research (no one is paying me to say this!) that have been treated to seriously destroy ticks, as well as Outdoor Research hats that have been treated the same way. Some people might say we go overboard with our gear for an afternoon hike, but I say those people hiking in shorts and tanks have not been treated repeatedly for potential Lyme disease.
(This is not a paid sponsorship: I purchased the Lowa Renegade hiking boots when we first moved here and I spoke so highly about their support and comfort that Dr. BB went and got the men’s version. These boots are amazing. Also, if you do ANYTHING outdoorsy at all, an REI membership is worth it. It’s a $20 lifetime membership, you get a 10% annual refund, and they have free classes for members, equipment rentals, and the membership paid for itself after our first use. They have free shipping if you spend more than $50 when you order online, so even though the nearest REI is over an hour from our house, we really make use of the membership through their online store.)
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To see what Bestest Friend wrote about the theme of the day, check out her blog, Too Legit To Quit.
I know a woman whose life was devastated by Lyme disease after a simple picnic. It compromised her immune system and nervous system to the point that ever since then she is constantly, terribly sick. Because she didn't know she had it for a long time and so she didn't get treatment (she just thought she was a little run down). She had had a deer tick on her after the picnic and really didn't think too much about it since they got it off. Finally she went to the doctor (after about four months of feeling sick). This was a while ago before the explosion of the internet and we didn't have as much information at our fingertips. She lives her life on constant medications to deal with the aftereffects of waiting so long. Sometimes, if I see her during a rougher patch, it's very sad.
ReplyDeleteYes, we had a professor in grad school who had Lyme disease and it took him years to get back to his "old self." I know that sometimes we look like we're seriously overdressed for a hike in this particular state park, but it's a hotbed of ticks here and the consequences could be dire. Plus, since Dr. BB has a compromised immune system already, I can only imagine what LD would do to him!
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