Some of the issues here in terms of credence/or not, and receptivity to the
pain message, may be of great interest here.
The Pain here, you will note, is said to be physical and emotional.

Please note from the end of the forwarded post:

****TOIL for Lyme****
T = Teach tolerance
0 = Overcome ignorance
I = Initiate insurance reform
L = Labor for Lyme literacy/advocacy

------------
L. D. Misek-Falkoff, Ph.D., J.D..
.
Today's Signature Line note: New: join
www.yahoogroups.com/groups/pwpi-portal People with Pain International /
and / HRPP Human Rights of People with Pain.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rose" <toil_for_lyme@...>
To: "LymeInfo Group" <lymeinfo@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 1:47 PM
Subject: [lymeinfo] Mystery disease spreading through Florida (FL)


http://www.wtev.com/news/reports/story.aspx?content_id=0011C7A2-2FCF-4E44-B2D2-6\
7F7FB0EBFF9

WTEV-TV - CBS47
Jacksonville FL

Mystery Disease: Part 2
Last Update: 2/14/2005 4:51:43 PM

Video

Join the fight to help doctors find a cure for the mystery disease!

A mysterious skin disease is currently spreading across Florida, and doctors
are searching for answers on how to stop the epidemic.

The disease, called Morgellons Disease, is a parasite-like infection that
literally makes the infected person's skin crawl. The disease has already
been found in thousands of patients in Florida, Texas and California.

Mystery Disease: Part 2

For Anne Dill, standing in her backyard, looking over the lake is physically
and emotionally painful.

This silence and solitude serves as a constant reminder of what her family
is facing.

"We're going to lose everything, our house, our dreams," says Dill.

Five years ago, the dills bought their dream home in Lake City. They spent
most of their free time at their lake with friends, and thought life was
pretty close to perfect.

Then, three years ago, Anne, her husband and their four children all got
very sick at the very same time.

They think they have Morgellons, even though they have no idea how they
would have contracted it.

Morgellons is an unusual parasite-like skin disease, which produces
irritating sores all over the body.

These sores ooze blue fibers, white threads and little black specks of
sand-like material.



The Dills say they're also plagued with a constant, creepy crawling feeling
of bugs under their skin.

However, the most agonizing symptom is the chronic fatigue. The Dills are so
tired and so weak, they spend nearly all of their time, at home.

The father, Tom Dill is the sickest. Along with the Morgellons, he's
developed signs of Lou Gehrig's disease. It's a neurological disorder that
robbed him of his muscle control. He's now bound to a wheelchair and has
trouble speaking. Tom doesn't know if his two conditions are related. That
has him worried about his children.

"I don't want to believe that what happened to me, happened to them."

But answers are hard to come by. In fact, doctors tell them the "bugs" they
feel and sores they see, are only in their minds. In medical terms, they are
delusional parasitosis.

"I don't know how a doctor couldn't see that, it's ridiculous, I can see it,
I know there's something there, I'm like a freshman in high school and I
know that there's something wrong."

Doctor Hardesh Garg is an internal medicine specialist in Jacksonville. He
isn't surprised by the reaction the dills have been getting from doctors.

"A lot of times, not all of us, who feel like, if it doesn't exist in my
medical book, it really doesn't exist and it must be a figment of your
imagination," says Garg.

Doctor Garg has never seen a patient with Morgellons. However, he says this
skin condition needs to be studied.

"Until we know what's causing it, can't say if it's infectious or not or
how dangerous it is."

No doctors on the First Coast or Florida could be found who know anything
about Morgellons. However, not all hope is lost. One medical professional in
Austin, Texas may have found a clue to the Morgellon's mystery.

Ginger Savely is a nurse practitioner who specializes in treating the tick
borne Lyme disease. She also has first hand experience with the mystery
disease.

"Right now I think I have about twenty eight Morgellons patients," says
Savely.

According to Savely, the anti-biotics she gives to patients with lyme are
also working on some Morgellons patients.

But this treatment is also unproven, and since doctors don't know if it's
contagious, the Dills say their home is now their prison.

So, the Dills spend a lot of quality time together. Five year old Hanna has
been one of the dill's secrets to survival, as her love for singing songs
keeps the family entertained.

Recently researchers have been uncovered who have just published a study on
an unknown skin disease with the exact same symptoms.

It is promising research that points to a critter that could be lurking in
your home, and research the Dills may feel that every family should look
into.

To learn more about this mystery disease visit www.morgellons.org.

There are three other parts to this story series:

- Part 1
- Part 3
- Part 4

****TOIL for Lyme****
T = Teach tolerance
0 = Overcome ignorance
I = Initiate insurance reform
L = Labor for Lyme literacy/advocacy