Before I move - Maine Questions...

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by 221B

I'd estimate that at least every 3rd person we meet here in the Midcoast area has had Lyme disease.
The tick-born disease issue is like the 800 pound elephant in the room here in Maine that few people discuss for some reason. Quite the bummer.

On MDI almost 1/2 the people I know have been infected. And despite what the CDC says, more than 1/2 of those have chronic Lyme, like me. My daughter was the second diagnosed case in Pennsylvania in 1988. I take a huge herbal protocol for it, and if I fail to keep taking the herbs, the symptoms return.

I also had anaplasmosis to start. While Lyme is not acutely life-threatening, anaplasmosis IS. I was on doxycycline for 30 days. It kicked the Lyme into a temporary remission, and killed the anaplasmosis. I had a friend locally who died of Anaplasmosis. By the time they discovered what it was, it had gone to his brain. I ran a fever of 103 for three days before I went to the doctor. But they put me on doxy before the tests came back.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by jdhpa

Is it generally cured, or do people just live with the symptoms?

50% of us are not cured, and must take all kinds of things for it. The symptoms are horrible. The bug has two phases: the active spirochete that can bore into tissue and into organs and the brain and the prostate and even bone, and the cyst form which is a hiding form impervious to any treatment.

Basically any weak body system you have will get worse, in addition to exhaustion, headaches, and continuous pain.

I know more about this that I ever wanted to know, even when my daughter had it.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Maine is a big state with over 900 towns. MDI is but one. A person could rent a house somewhere else. The idea is to be able to still explore Maine.

Certainly true. But if you want to decide if you want to live on MDI, then renting a cabin where you live won't be very helpful.

I never wanted to live anywhere but MDI. And due to some circumstances especially with the sale of my house in Mid Atlantic, I was able to buy an old farmhouse on MDI. BTW, I could not afford to buy my house now. I could have purchased the same size property outside of Ellsworth for much less, but then I would not be on the island.

[SilverSass]

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to comment on the tick situation. I had planned to move to Maine when I started reading about the tick situation. I do a lot of long distance walking and have two dogs as well. I could not bear the thought of worrying about ticks, spraying myself and my clothes, and doing tick checks on my dogs and me. I’ve decided after reading so much that I can’t move to Maine. I don’t want to live somewhere that I would have to worry. I love it in Mai e, but just can’t do it.

[UpTheCreek]

Originally Posted by SilverSass

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to comment on the tick situation. I had planned to move to Maine when I started reading about the tick situation. I do a lot of long distance walking and have two dogs as well. I could not bear the thought of worrying about ticks, spraying myself and my clothes, and doing tick checks on my dogs and me. I’ve decided after reading so much that I can’t move to Maine. I don’t want to live somewhere that I would have to worry. I love it in Mai e, but just can’t do it.

Each to his own and we all have our personal reasons, but this tick thing seems too inconsequential to me to prevent a move somewhere. I walk a good bit with my two dogs and find ticks on all of us from time to time. I find it quite easy to find a tick on myself. Yes, dogs are more difficult but as long as you get that tick in a couple day’s time, risk of contracting Lyme’s Disease is quite low. I don’t spray, just remove the tick when I find one. Not a big deal. But in the end you’re correct, the very best way to prevent it is to avoid the ticks altogether. I’m just not as concerned, obviously.

I moved here from NC in 2015. Ironically, I contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever down there from a tick! But I left there because of the heat, the poisonous snakes and alligators, not a tick!

[OutdoorLover]

Maine swimming is better in rivers, lakes and ponds. The North Atlantic is pret-ty danged cold. Jumping in for a quick "refreshing" plunge on a hot day is one thing. Hanging out in that water is another.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

NC has gators? I had no idea.

That said, I have never seen a tick in the greater Lincoln area or around Danforth. I know there are pockets of them in Baxter Park that were brought in from down south. This is the year that I will buy my first tick spoon though. Can somebody recommend a good brand or style?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

NC has gators? I had no idea.

That said, I have never seen a tick in the greater Lincoln area or around Danforth. I know there are pockets of them in Baxter Park that were brought in from down south. This is the year that I will buy my first tick spoon though. Can somebody recommend a good brand or style?

I have not experienced any ticks in this area either.

The Cooperative Extension Office has those spoons. Whenever you see their booth at the Ag Trade show, or Spring Garden shows stop by and ask for a spoon.

[UpTheCreek]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

NC has gators? I had no idea.

Oh, you bet. We lived on a river in New Bern, which was actually brackish water. We had a couple that would routinely visit us. This happened just to the south of us in Jacksonville, home of Camp Lejuene. This guy wasn’t the norm for the area. Was no smallish dog either:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nc-offi...-80-pound-dog/

Oddly enough, we have also spied bull sharks and porpoises off our dock as well! Along with the very common water moccasins, which were actually quite aggressive and would go out of their way to attack you. Copperheads were prevalent to our area, as were black bears. We bordered the Croatan Forest, which was crazy with carnivorous plants. Interesting place to live, but the novelty eventually wore off.