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May 16, 2008 7:03 pm US/Central
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Man Lives With Untreated Lyme Disease For 10 Years
(WCCO)
May is peak time for adult deer ticks in Minnesota. The pests are responsible for transmitting a number of diseases, including Lyme Disease.
A Milaca man knows first-hand just how dangerous the disease can be.
"Lyme Disease is probably one of the most miserable things I can imagine, and I wouldn't wish it on anybody," said Chris Richter.
In 1996, Richter noticed a deer tick on the back of his left leg, and shortly after he developed a fever and a rash.
"I saw a doctor. He wasn't too concerned at the time," said Richter.
Months after that doctor visit, Richter came down with symptoms of Lyme Disease.
"You wake up just absolutely exhausted. I had headaches all the time. I had a hard time reading things and comprehending them," he said.
Richter lived with those symptoms for more than 10 years. Finally, last summer, a doctor in Duluth made a proper diagnosis.
"I have the proof, I can hold it up. I have the test. It all was a big relief to me," said Richter.
Richter is part of an alarming trend. The number of Lyme Disease cases in Minnesota have more than doubled since 2000. Last summer the state set a new record with 1,239 cases of Lyme Disease being reported in 2007.
The Department of Health said there could be a number of reasons for the increase. Deer and rodent populations have risen in recent years and they are prime carriers for deer ticks. And more people are living near wooded areas, which is a natural habitat for deer ticks.
With medication, Chris feels the best he has felt in 10 years. Still, he knows that he is not out of the woods yet.
"I'm improving steadily. Hopefully it's gone, but there really is no way to know that the Lyme Disease is gone," said Richter.
There are many symptoms of Lyme Disease, the most distinctive is a rash that looks like a bulls-eye. Fever, fatigue and joint aches are other symptoms.
Richter will be taking part in a
Lyme Disease walk in Wyoming, Minn. on May 17.
You can get information on avoiding tick-transmitted diseases at the
Minnesota Department of Health website.
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