About 7 weeks ago, with my girlfriend back home from uni for the summer the plan was to train as much as I could and get out to Dumby and Dumbuck as much as possible and to tick as many of the sports route there, not too much to ask really but this hasn’t really turned out to be the case. I wish the reason for this was the classic “Scottish summer” that we seem to be experiencing but sadly not. At least if this were the case I could have retreated indoor or at least to my beastmaker. Nope, the reason is a lot less talked about that and a hell of a lot smaller. Ticks, or one tick to be precise.

Lyme disease is muttered about now and then by the climbing community most years when summer comes around, usually on climbing forums, but it’s not something I’ve ever really considered being much of an issue. I’m sure you’ll see where I’m going with this. I think I have Lymes disease, as does my doctor and a couple other doctors I know who I’ve talked to. I say think only because there’s not really an accurate test for it but I’m pretty certain.

About 8 weeks ago I got bitten by a tick at Dumbuck of all places, so if you are venturing up there keep any eye out for them. Think this is really more of a warning for Dave Redpath since, as far as I can gather, he’s one of its only regular visitors. Anyway, I found a tick a couple days later and then 3 days after that starting to feel pretty rubbish. Symptoms came on slowly for the next couple of weeks until was feeling awful. Symptons included: Aching muscles, joints, headache, chest pain, back pain, stomach ache, dizzyness, tiredness, shortness of breath and the ability to do pretty much nothing other than lying on my bed watching films, which is fine for a little bit but gets boring surprisingly quickly.

So, I’ll give you the quick version from there. I went to the doctor and told him I thought I had Lyme disease, so after a bit of persuasion he gave me two weeks of antibiotics which made feel better after about three days but the minute my two weeks was up, I instantly felt worse again. He then gave me some more, and then after some research by myself, I told him I needed a stronger dose. He agreed, doubled the dose for another 4 weeks. This takes me to now, just under 3 weeks into the second lot of antibiotics. Still some symptoms kicking around but feel okayish. The main problem is I have no energy to anything, which means no climbing and has meant no climbing for the past month. To be honest, I really don’t think the dose I’m on just now is going to be enough to get rid of it either, both by how I feel almost 3 weeks in and by the large amount of reading I’ve done on the subject (albeit on the internet).

So I’ll see what happens in a just over a week’s time, I’m not holding my breath. I’ve been referred to the infectious disease department to see some men in white coats (this is how I envisage it anyway and will be a bit disappointed if it is not marginally like the end of E.T.) So hopefully they know what they are talking about. I say hopefully because the chances of catching Lyme disease is tiny, so trying to find good sources of information on the subject and doctors who have even come across is easier said than done. I found only one clinic (private sadly) in England who specifically say they treat Lyme so I may even make a trip down south to try and track down some proper advice. You can’t put a price on your health I think the saying goes.

So, my new priority for the remaining part of the summer is to get better, the getting myself up font and french 8a+ this year will just have to wait.

Looking on the brightside, I’m not dying and no, you can’t catch it off me. I don’t even look ill, which is something I’ve heard from a few people which I guess is a positive. On the antibiotics I’m really not feeling too bad either, I’ve just not been able to climb or do anything that requires any amount of energy.

Another good thing is that from suddenly stopping from climbing about 5 nights a week to none, leaves you with a massive amount of free time on your hands. To be honest I don’t know what non-climbers do with themselves. So with my reclaimed hours in the day I have been getting through lots of work I’ve been putting off for a very long time, websites for various people and myself as well as some design work for Lyon Equipment. I’ve even got around to updating the Dumby site although, to the untrained eye, it just looks the same, but trust me it’s better. I’ve even half-created a Sport climbing section for the Dumby site too which I now need to just make some topos for so watch this space.