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Posted by MN~Sue on 12/6/2004, 12:44 pm Local man suffers from Lyme disease By Morgan Winsor James Johnson says he’s been bit by too many ticks to count. A life-long deer hunter, Johnson says ticks are part of the experience The 43 year old never thought a tick could infect him with a serious The disease attacks the nervous system and can make a person The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 23,000 In Iredell County, there were 13 total cases of Lyme disease reported “The reported number of Lyme cases are continuing to increase,” said Johnson had never heard of Lyme disease and thought of ticks as just “I’ve found ticks on me all my life,” he said. “A lot of times I’d take Aside from severe arthritis, chronic joint pain and sleep disorders, “I can’t see that TV,” he said, motioning to the big screen inside his He walked over to the television and positioned his face three inches “OK, I can see that motorcycle,” he said. Johnson said symptoms of the disease began showing up three years ago. He was prescribed seizure medication and pills for high blood pressure. “They didn’t diagnose me with anything,” he said. “They just gave me Johnson spent much of the following year going from doctor to doctor, “I don’t know what all of those doctors did with all that blood,” he Doctors, he said, couldn’t pinpoint a specific illness. He even spent nights at the hospital with electrodes attached to his “I got so confused, as many doctors as I’ve seen and as many tests as Without a diagnosis, Johnson became frustrated. Each passing week his In August, Johnson’s wife, Vicki, read a story in the R&L about a woman “She read it and turned to me and said, ‘That’s what you have,’ ” he He went to the Jemsek Clinic in Huntersville, the same clinic that Johnson tested positive for having the disease. He was prescribed anti-biotics, which he says make him extremely sick. He’s waiting until after the holidays to take his next round of Johnson says life is a lot different than it was two years ago. Once an outdoorsman who couldn’t wait for deer season to begin, he His wall calendar is filled with doctor’s appointments. “Here I was a healthy man and then here I got Lyme disease,” he said. Last month, a friend took him fishing on Lake Norman. Johnson said the “It was frustrating ... A 43-year-old man who couldn’t tie a fish Johnson says he’s trying to focus on the good in his life, like his two “My wife is the rock,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Nobody would
Statesville Record & Herald
Statesville NC
November 30, 2004
Record and Landmark
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
while staking out wild game in swamps or wooded areas. And it’s
especially hard to keep the blood-suckers away while you’re crouching for
hours in thick brush.
illness. Then he was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a bacteria that’s
transmitted to humans by infected deer ticks.
chronically ill.
infections of Lyme disease in the United States in 2002.
in 2002 and 2003. So far this year there have been more than 14 cases
reported.
Donna M. Campbell, the county’s health department director.
annoying little critters.
a big ol’ tick off, grab a cigarette or lighter and burn it until (the
tick) popped.”
the disease has left him nearly blind.
Statesville home. “It looks like a big light bulb.”
from the screen.
A seizure during his day shift at J.C. Penney’s warehouse in
Statesville “was the start of it,” he said.
medication.”
specialist to specialist. He underwent CT and MRI scans, a spinal tap
and had numerous blood tests.
said.
head to test for sleep disorders.
I’ve had done,” he said.
vision worsened, his bones ached and joints got more stiff.
who was battling Lyme disease.
recalled. “And I told her, ‘You’re crazy.’ ”
diagnosed the woman in the story with Lyme disease.
medications because “I’m not ruining my family’s Christmas.”
can’t drive a car and stays home most of the day.
“But I’m a realist. This is what I’ve got and this is what I’ve got to
live with.”
experience was both pleasant and disturbing.
hook.”
daughters, ages 12 and 22, and his wife “who I owe the world to.”
believe what this woman has gone through. If it wasn’t for her, I’d never
make it.”
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