Coping with Lyme Disease, 2nd edition
Denise Lang
Henry Holt & Co., 1997
“Coping with Lyme Disease”, subtitled “A Practical Guide to Dealing with Diagnosis and Treatment,” is exactly that. It is filled with accurate information about most aspects of Lyme disease, and the author has not avoided controversial issues and politics of Lyme, although she does not mention the vaccine (now off the market).
Lang is billed as a reporter and editor, now a TV producer. However, her interest in Lyme disease came about when her teenaged son developed an illness that for many months was said to "be in his head.” Sound familiar? And she notes the struggles with finding a correct diagnosis and then treatment, the fact that no group appears to be working in a focused way on better treatment, and that those Lyme-literate doctors who do treat Lyme are frequently censured for "overtreatment". At the conclusion of her introduction, Lang states: "My hope is that you will view the information in this book as a weapon of war. And always remember: you are not alone."
She has educated herself about Lyme Disease well. In her readable style, Lang's book includes sections on Recognizing the Varied Aspects of Lyme, including what she calls the "politics" of diagnosing it; Special Ages, Special Problems, an area I have not seen specifically covered in other works; and Getting Treatment and Support. This final chapter contains harsh word directed at insurance companies and HMOs. There is also a brief section on nutrition and alternative therapies.
In short, Coping with Lyme Disease, 2nd ed., is a valuable resource for families and individuals who are beginning their struggles with Lyme and are seeking to become better informed. The book contains a wide variety of information about Lyme as well as some tips for dealing with "the system". For those of us who have ‘been on the battlefield’ for some time, it provides a good review, but probably contains little new information for us. I hope Lang plans to offer a 3rd edition of her book before too much longer.
Debbie Kliman, Ed.D. -7/4/2001