Michigan woman still feeling impacts of Lyme disease decades later
(CBS DETROIT) - Following a turn from some of the driest conditions of the summer to now damp aftermath of numerous storms throughout Metro Detroit, tick season is in full force.
"Every day is different. I never know. I could wake up one day and not feel good, and the next day, feel pretty good," says Linda Lobes, the president of the Michigan Lyme Disease Association. Lobes is someone who still feels the aches and pains Lyme gave her after a bite in 1989.
When she was bit in Traverse City, she says it was a rash just like the ones shown in the video above. The doctors say it was a spider bite and sent Lobes on her way.
"Six months later, I sneezed and broke two ribs. The muscle in my left arm concaved, and I went paralyzed on my left side. And then I started having seizures," Lobes says.
A laundry list of unthinkable issues led to misdiagnosed conditions of MS, fibromyalgia, and even a trip to the psych ward, which Lobes says saved her.
"The doctor there told my doctor I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired," said Lobes.
It wasn't until three years later that she found a proper diagnosis and treatment in Long Island, New York. That journey of adversity led her to advocacy in 1995 when she joined the Lyme Disease Association to help others avoid the horrendous experiences she faced.
"If I can prevent one person from having to do that, then that means more to me than anything," Lobes told CBS News Detroit. "I've just got to keep pushing the education and letting people know that proper tick removal, looking for ticks, what ticks look like, the areas they're in, things like that, it's just very important that we keep getting that message across," Lobes said.
She added that the Michigan Lyme Disease Association is in dire need of volunteers. Those interested can inquire here.