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A woman scratches her legs with redness, irritation and pimples from insect bites. Close-up. The concept of protection against mosquitoes, ticks and fleas.

Is Lyme Disease only a summer thing? The answer is No, Lyme disease is not just a summer issue, though the risk is highest in late spring and summer. The black-legged tick (deer tick), which spreads Lyme disease, can be active whenever temperatures are above freezing. In warmer climates, ticks can be a risk year-round. Even in colder areas, mild winter days can bring out ticks, so it’s important to take precautions whenever you’re in tick-prone areas. Read up on an article I wrote back in 2012 when my daughter starting experience symptoms in December and was not diagnosed until March. Lyme Disease, an Accidental Diagnosis

Lyme Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

3d rendered close up of a tick on the skin

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and, in rare cases, Borrelia mayonii. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks (also called deer ticks). If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.

How Is Lyme Disease Transmitted?

Lyme disease spreads through the bite of an infected tick. Ticks become infected when they feed on infected animals, such as mice or deer. Humans typically get bitten in wooded, grassy, or brushy areas where ticks thrive.

Ticks are most active from late spring through early fall, but in some regions, they can remain active year-round, especially in mild winters.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease progresses in stages, and symptoms vary depending on how long the infection has been in the body.

Early Stage Symptoms (3–30 Days After a Tick Bite)
    •    Bullseye rash (erythema migrans) – a red, expanding rash that may resemble a target
    •    Fever and chills
    •    Fatigue
    •    Headache
    •    Muscle and joint aches
    •    Swollen lymph nodes

Later Stage Symptoms (Weeks to Months After a Tick Bite)
    •    Severe joint pain and swelling (Lyme arthritis)
    •    Neurological issues, such as facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy), numbness, or tingling
    •    Heart palpitations (Lyme carditis)
    •    Dizziness or shortness of breath
    •    Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord (in rare cases)

Diagnosis and Treatment

Doctors diagnose Lyme disease based on symptoms, exposure risk, and sometimes blood tests. Early-stage Lyme disease is typically treated with a short course of antibiotics, such as doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime. Most patients recover fully if treated early.

If Lyme disease is left untreated, it can lead to chronic symptoms that require extended antibiotic treatment.

Prevention Tips

Since Lyme disease is caused by tick bites, prevention focuses on reducing tick exposure:
    •    Avoid tick-prone areas: Stick to trails and avoid tall grass or brush.
    •    Wear protective clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, and light-colored clothing can help spot ticks.
    •    Use insect repellent: Products containing DEET or permethrin can deter ticks.
    •    Perform tick checks: After spending time outdoors, check your body, clothes, and pets for ticks.
    •    Shower and wash clothes: Taking a shower and putting clothes in the dryer on high heat can help remove or kill ticks.

If you find a tick attached to your skin:
    1.    Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
    2.    Pull upward with steady, even pressure—avoid twisting or jerking.
    3.    Clean the bite area with alcohol or soap and water.
    4.    Dispose of the tick properly by flushing it or sealing it in a bag.
    5.    Monitor for symptoms of Lyme disease and contact a doctor if needed.

Conclusion

Lyme disease is a serious but preventable illness. By taking precautions in tick-prone areas and recognizing early symptoms, individuals can reduce their risk of infection and complications. If you suspect a tick bite and develop symptoms, seek medical attention promptly.

Hamptons Mouthpiece; Spill the Tea – Allura Leggard speaks with New York State Senate candidate, Skyler Johnson to discuss the upcoming election.

Johnson ‘Spills the Tea’ on his plans for healthcare; the environment; education; Police Reform and that was only a fraction of the Bold Plans he has for the future.

Unlike many of the other candidates who have other full-time jobs, Johnson tells us that his full-time job is being a student, continuing to learn more about how he can bring about change and focus on the many issues that concern Americans in the 1st district.

19-year-old Johnson is this year’s youngest candidate running for State Senate.

Johnson expressed that his use of social media and his command for the facts is important to discuss issues that many people in Suffolk County are concerned about.

Johnson is one of five Democratic candidates running this year for Senator Kenneth LaValle’s NY State Senate seat in the First District in Suffolk County. Senator LaValle has held this position for 43 years and decided he will not be running for reelection this year.

Johnson says, one of his most important issues for his campaign is providing everyone in the state with free and quality healthcare. Johnson says this can be achieved by “rebuilding our healthcare system by passing the NYHA, New York Health Act-Including: free testing, treatment, and telemedicine for everyone.”

You can read more about Johnson’s Bold Plans for a Bright Future on his website. https://skylerforsenate.com

Election day is June 23; (Voting polls).
After June 16th, voters may apply in person (over-the-counter) through June 22nd or by Early Voting from June 13-21. Primary Elections POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM – CLOSE AT 9 PM

Register to Vote or update your voter information online: Click here:

A Town of Bandits: Tombstone never looked like this. Wyatt Earp would have gone crazy. The line in front of King Kullen in Bridgehampton, NY and countless other supermarkets in the country are full of people wearing masks, bandanas of every color and stripe, waiting on line (6 feet apart) to swipe that Lysol spray. They are on line (6 feet apart) to get that last roll of toilet tissue in aisle 9, on the left behind the Bounty. “I refuse to use the Bounty to wipe my As…….. Too rough on the butt, but plenty absorbent!” 

The Bandits are on the loose! From Montauk to Flatbush, from Sag Harbor to Bed-Stuy, the Bandits are everywhere. Who would have thought? You can’t tell the good guys from the bad. “Oh look at that bad desperado over there in the shadows, leaning over to the side, with that slow purposeful walk; slight glint in their eye. They are heading right toward me. I’m getting scared now. Of course they have a mask on, hiding their face. What am I to do? Nowhere to run or hide. Here they come, reaching in their pocket, taking out a…. set of glasses…. oh she’s smiling….it’s Grandma. Damn I feel foolish now. I guess I’ll just have to trust my neighbors more”.  There are some bad people in the world but overwhelmingly good people are around us. Just look at the heroes in every Hospital, Nursing Home and providing Home Care services. The GOOD GUYS are fighting the good fight and will win this war!

Photo credit: Hamptons Mouthpiece

We are all Bandits now. No time to look at each other with jaundice eye. Our plight is the same. Social distancing in an age of disease with imposing names, SARS,  Corona Virus, Covid-19 or as it is known in the inner city….”The ‘Rona.” We are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! We are all Bandits now, faced with the same circumstance, forcing us apart but bringing us together like never before. 

I was taken aback the other day when I was getting ready to order door front service from a local store in Southampton in an effort to support a local business. I witnessed multiple people going into the store, opening the closed door with their bare hands; no gloves on, no masks on (hey businesses, leave your doors open when possible to prevent the spread of virus on door handles). I left the store not ordering anything knowing that it was a risk. EVERYONE has to take this seriously, accept their responsibility for each other’s health; this is about life and death.

Photo credit: Cindy Warne (made by Cindy Warne)

To all my fellow Bandits, please continue to wear your masks, wear your gloves, wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Let’s #flattenthecurve. Practice social distancing, keep in touch with the elderly shut-ins, call a friend, ZOOM videoconference with the proper safety and privacy features enabled to stay connected. 

We continue to pray for your safe travels!

WE CAN DO THIS!!!

TOGETHER

Sag Harbor: Katy’s Courage 5K April 13, 2019 Rain or Shine

Water Street, Sag Harbor
7:00 – 8:15 am check-in
8:30 am start

$25 pre-registration
$30 day of race
https://katyscourage.org/upcoming/katys-courage-5k-april-13-2019/

Sag Harbor: The race starts on Water Street and finishes adjacent to the water and a beautiful harbor. The course is flat with only a few small gentle hills.

Content provided by Katy’s Courage organization:
The race was originally organized by the East End Road and Trail Runners Club, RRCA to benefit Katy’s Courage 501(c)3 with net proceeds of this year’s race going toward local scholarships and in support of the newly formed partnership: Katy’s Kids @ CMEE Center for Grieving Children and Their Families with the goal of continuing the program started in the summer of 2015 to offer play and expressive peer support opportunities for East End children and adolescents in collaboration with the Children’s Museum of the East End. The focus of the peer group support will be grief or loss and will utilize modalities such as art, music, poetry, dance/movement and drama in a friendly, familiar and supportive environment.

Sag Harbor 8th Annual HarborFrost 2018 …. Get Your Freeze On!
The Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce hosted The 8th Annual HARBORFROST on February 24TH 2018 in Sag Harbor, New York. It was a beautiful day in the harbor, not as icy cold as it had been in previous years. It was a perfect day for many brave people to take a dip in the frosty water.

A benefit for the Sag Harbor Ambulance Corp. Rich Daly who holds the record for the fastest ice carver in Guinness Records was present entertaining the crowd with his incredible artistry of ice sculptures.

Photo and video credit: Kurt Leggard, Photography by Kurt
https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-b584PJ/i-wnDB48d