#lyme

We always want the bad things that are happening to be the result of someone’s plan, because if they are, we can simply stop them by disrupting that plan. The more sinister and evil and masterminded we imagine the enemy, the easier it is to justify our failure to beat them, and the easier it is to daydream heroic solutions. But the reality is that most of the harms in the world are not planned for, they are simply the byproduct of people with money trying to get more money, and of power trying to sustain itself.

So, let me give a very simplified overview of what’s happening with ticks and mosquitoes.

My understanding is this:

There are a lot less predators for them. Insect populations overall are dropping, meaning there isn’t enough food for birds and small mammals to reproduce. These insect populations are falling due to habitat loss primarily, and loss of host plants (basically, there is a lot less land for them to live on. Even when they have land to live on, they might not have the right plants to live on, because there are so many invasive species and monocrops).

In general, the few insect species that have rising populations are those that feed on humans and livestock, which is mostly things like ticks and mosquitoes. Humans and livestock are the most abundant food source left around. A lot of the things that feed on us have had more opportunities to adapt to the ways we’ve changed the world, so they can survive things other insects can’t

Most predators can’t survive on ticks and mosquitoes alone, so there aren’t many other bugs and animals left to eat them.

Also, most of the things we do to kill mosquitoes and ticks kill their predators more than they kill them. This means that every time we spray insecticides, we end up with more mosquitoes and ticks, because we kill the bugs that eat them.

We know it will be pre 74th games because they end after the 75th and we have seen both of them. we also know that there are no more tributes from district 12. and we know that we have seen the 10th, the 50th, the 74th and the 75th games.

That leaves 71 possible games. but i think we will probably not be seeing the nine before Lucy Gray’s game because that’s when the games became a commodity.

Now we have 62 games left. i think we can assume it will be someone we know of or something we have heard of. That leaves us with about 19 games total, plus two games I think are interesting enough that despite not knowing the names of the victors could be interesting. so 21 options.

of thoes 21 options, i don’t think we will actually see 2 of them because they were created by the movies. (porter millicent tripp and augustus braun) so back down to 19 again.

Now I don’t think we will see some of them for obvious reasons. we won’t see Mags because her game is so close to Lucy Gray’s and there is very little to add to what we already know with her. I don’t think we know enough about Woof, Palladium, Lyme, or Blight. I also don’t see her using a district 1 or 2 victor unless there is a specific reason (and I have two of thoes I will mention) just because her ideas seem to be focused on the more poorer districts (but I could be wrong) so I will also not be counting Brutus or Enobaria. this brings us down to 12 specific games I think we might see.

I recently got an email from a family member who was looking for info and/or doctor recommendations for lyme disease, because of my son's battle with lyme.

Which made me take a deep, deep breath (I'm frustrated about a lot of things, today, and I don't want to unload on him) and write out a small essay about tickborne illnesses. IlnessES. PLURAL! My son didn't have lyme, he had babesia (also spelled babesiosis.)

I have posted here before, but it bears repeating. There are quite a few tickborne diseases. Anyone who has gotten a tick bite or is frequently outside and at risk for getting bitten should:

Read the CDC website to find what diseases may be in your area of the US (I don't personally have info for other areas of the world)

and check out the various symptoms of those diseases BEFORE even asking a Dr because

Many doctors don't even know this stuff, and you may very much need to do some research on your own before asking for a diagnosis.

tw: chronic pain

I've mentioned this a few times before, but I just need to vent and rant and bitch about this for a bit. My therapist got an ear full yesterday. He said I should sit with it sometimes instead of ignoring it. So congrats, you get to read about it. Or not. Up to you.

If I don't have my pain meds I live my life at an 8/10 pain. I take meds and they help lower that to like 5 or 6 most days. So I can exist and do shit and feel like a human. No matter what I have a numb right leg, below the knee on the outside mostly. I have a strip of numb on my left inner thigh. It burns sometimes, too.

And now, because fuck me, I guess, I got diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

I took Little Miss to her first concert like 15 days ago. She wanted to see Insane Clown Posse and they were playing not too far away so I took her. I spent a couple extra bucks to have a spot with a chair so I could sit if I needed to because of the pain. We have a past, she loves it. The folks were great and every one of them helped make her first experience good.

Anyway, the day after I notice my left outside leg is a little sore. Whatever. The chairs were weird and probably just sat wrong. Gets a little worse the second day. No biggie, that's how those things work. Then worse. Redness swelling, overall pain levels increasing. Then worse. Finally drag my ass the Urgent Care thinking maybe cellulitis or something. Urgent Care folks see it, say I need to go to the ER and get some bloodwork.

Go to the ER, Doctor Lady cones in, takes one look at my booty cheek and leg and blood work and says, "that's Lyme"