It's official, got my culture back and I'm +

I understand, Asada13, and I'm sorry you're feeling so overwhelmed. I,too, was recently diagnosed, and have yet to stop being in denial! I want another test (the third) just to make certain before I begin antibiotics. It has been a slow process, and to say to someone that "I have Lyme Disease" has been a very uncomfortable thing for me. I must continue to work! We will both make it through it, though! Hang in there!

Asada13, I'm newly diagnosed as well. Lyme is a horrible thing, and there is a lot of work to help ourselves get better, not to mention the financials stuff. I have found that this forum is a God Send for me. The positivity and support are so helpful. And it's nice knowing that everyone here truly understands what you're feeling and going through. God Bless!

Something that you can look into is certain states have temporary disability - just for things like this! There are only a handful of states that participate in this, so check on it carefully.

If things do get too tough to continue to work, see if you can get on SS disability because of severity of symptoms. Once you are able to work again, they would be more than happy for you to discontinue benefits!

Some of us couldn't work even if it meant starving to death! I know I was that way. I could work for up to 3 weeks - but then I had to have 4 weeks off because I was bed ridden. It didn't take long to run out of job opportunities with a schedule like that!

But remember, it's different for everyone! Although your doc said you may not be able to work, he may have just been giving you a warning that he gives to all his patients.

No matter how this affects your work though - congratulations on the positive test result!! Yep!!! We are definitely the 'cool kids' group!!! Giggle!

And to be honest? Now shouldn't be that scary - you now know what you are battling, so it's just a matter of finding what your body needs to heal. Although that's not easy for all of us, at least you know now what you have and that healing from it is just a matter of time!!

Thank you so much for responses guys! So, my Doc asked about working only a couple days a week and when I told him that wouldn't work for my perspective employer, he mentioned disability. I just got hired but haven't started yet. The job is a restaurant server position, so I have to be on my feet running around for 5-6 hours a day, which might get pretty tough. I know from my herxing with Bart that it gets pretty bad with the muscle cramping in my legs.

I'm a pretty hard headed chic and toughing it out has always been my way. I don't like negative attention and I DON'T like asking for help.

Financially, my family can help with the expenses (which I know is a blessing) but I hate to have to ask them. Especially because I'm not even sure if I will get bad enough to not work at this point. So I can either take the job and potentially quit or get fired for being unreliable (or be fine and prove to be a good employee), or I can ask my family to take care of me (which makes me a little queezy).

I have a feeling my employer will call today to ask me to come in for my first shift this week. What would you do?

I agree--take the job! You can always quit later, if you really have to. Sometimes I think that having the work, the kids, the house, the pets to distract me keeps me going. If I had the luxury of quitting my job and staying home all day to rest, I might spend all my time wallowing in my own misery. That's just me, though. There are people with Lyme who suffer extremely severe, debilitating physical symptoms. For them continuing to work is simply not an option. I've been "lucky" enough to experience the worst of my symptoms psychologically, so keeping my mind busy and distracted is a help, I think. In some ways, the route my Lyme symptoms have taken has been a blessing--at least I can still function physically. Though I sure wouldn't wish this psychological pain on my worst enemy, that's for sure!

Asada, try as long as you can, but please don't be hard on yourself if you have to ask for help or go on disability. I believe I have had lyme disease for over 15 years. I was healthy horse showing every weekend gardening working 5 days a week. I am A RN and take alot of pride in my profession.

My health slowly deteriotated until in 2007 I had suffered for so long, without getting the proper diagnosis, and help, I applied and got disability. but It was not for lyme. I had had several psychiatric hospitalizations, and my mother had mental illness. I could not hold up to a full time job and had to go part time. then I ending up going thru several jobs because I just could not physically hold up due to the debilitating symptoms I was having. I was not suffering or had a mental illness in 2007 that interfered with my job performance. I had a real physical illness that was treated like it was a mental illness and misdiagnosed.

I was first put on benzos, then antidepressants, all kinds of drugs, I had fibromyalgia, this and that. my hashi disease was missed and not treated right. I had teeth abcesses. It has been horrible.

so I am happy you have a positive test and at least you know now you have a disease that can be treated before you ever had to go thru what I went thur. Nobody should have to suffer like I did. and I still am suffering. but since my lyme diagnosis and starting treatment, I am starting to heal. I feel so weak, but am just now getting out some now. I am no longer on any drugs like for mental illness except lamictal. All the rest I take are for Lyme disease. I am off the antidepressant I was on too. and I feel mentally like I am my old self except for some mild memory loss.

take one day at a time we will heal.

My experiences have been a lot like Mystery1's - do if you can't hold up to working, do not beat yourself up!! It's not like we are just giving up, our bodies are just too ill to carry on with that kind of pace - no shame in that!

Yeah, you're right Traveler, I have no idea what's in store for me within the next few months, so I want to take it easy. I think I'm going to try and find a desk job for now until I start grad school next year. Thank you for the support, I never know if I'm making the right choices.

Mystery- I am so sorry that you have suffered so much. I can't imagine the pain that you have gone through, but I am so glad to hear you're feeling like yourself again. Like someone wise once said, figuring it out is the hardest part- now it's just time to heal.

Christi- I know the feeling. My husband gives me that deer-in-the-headlights look often. I know he is very concerned, but has no clue on what to say or do. I just try and give him some slack. Honestly if it were him and not me, who knows what I would do! lol