Washington State is looking for our
help to gather statistics on ticks…by gathering ticks to get statistics on. The
state wishes to put together a tick distribution map and check said ticks for
infections, such as Lyme. This is
something the Lyme community in Washington has wanted for a long time, excited
about the education it will bring. When
my daughter was first showing the symptoms of Lyme, almost fourteen years ago
now, we were constantly told by physicians that Lyme did not exist in this
state. Today, you will still be told
that Lyme is extremely rare here, most cases coming from out of state, by most
physicians you see. As we searched for
another doctor for Anna, the ignorance and panic was palpable in so many who
rejected her as a patient. One doc,
hands in the air, said, “I don’t know anything about Lyme’s disease!” (that’s Lyme disease, folks, not Lyme’s!)
“I don’t want to learn!”
Residents of Washington are being asked to submit any ticks we find to its tick identification program in Olympia. Use the online tick identification submission form at doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/333-179.pdf
If you find a tick, follow these steps:
1. Keep the tick alive, if possible.
2. Use one or two blades of grass, or you can moisten a small piece of tissue paper with one or two drops of water. Place the grass blades or moistened tissue, with the tick, into a small plastic or metal container (an empty pill bottle works well). Close tightly.
3. Put the container holding the tick into a sealed plastic bag. Place the bag into a padded envelope for mailing. That’s pill container, plastic bag, and padded envelope, around the wee bugger!
4. Provide the location and county where the tick was collected and mail it with your tick to:
WA Tick Identification
Zoonotic Disease Program
P.O. Box 47825
Olympia, WA 98504-7825
If you wish to be notified as to what kind of tick was submitted, provide your telephone number and/or email address.
Residents of Washington are being asked to submit any ticks we find to its tick identification program in Olympia. Use the online tick identification submission form at doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/333-179.pdf
If you find a tick, follow these steps:
1. Keep the tick alive, if possible.
2. Use one or two blades of grass, or you can moisten a small piece of tissue paper with one or two drops of water. Place the grass blades or moistened tissue, with the tick, into a small plastic or metal container (an empty pill bottle works well). Close tightly.
3. Put the container holding the tick into a sealed plastic bag. Place the bag into a padded envelope for mailing. That’s pill container, plastic bag, and padded envelope, around the wee bugger!
4. Provide the location and county where the tick was collected and mail it with your tick to:
WA Tick Identification
Zoonotic Disease Program
P.O. Box 47825
Olympia, WA 98504-7825
If you wish to be notified as to what kind of tick was submitted, provide your telephone number and/or email address.
Getting statistics is so important
in this fight…however…should that tick be found after attaching to you, or a
loved one, my advice remains the same as it has ever been. That tick should be packaged and sent to one
of the country’s best labs for tick-borne infections, like Igenex, Frye, or
Clongen labs. Your health is the
statistic to be most concerned about.
2 comments:
What good news that Washington State is finally getting on board with researching Lyme Disease. I saved the link to the document to have it on hand when I do find a tick. Such an easy thing to do and I urge all readers to do the same as well. Lorraine and Anna have worked for years to keep us informed of this life altering disease. Please honor them and do your part to help with this research. Keep your eyes open for those tiny buggers!
Thanks Gigi! You'll never guess who started all this on the west coast...an insurance company. Google KaiserPapers and Lyme...I'll try to get a link....
Our fourth year of nursing students are doing their Lyme project on animals, making an educational brochure for vets! Every year they have come up with a great way to push awareness, and help Lyme patients.
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