When I was going to girls' camp when I was 12, I came up with a brilliant plan to protect myself from ticks. At all times I would wear leggings (before they were so popular) tucked into my socks under my jeans (often tucked into another pair of socks) and I would always wear an undershirt tucked into my pants and a long sleeve shirt. Then to top it off I doused my ankles, waist, wrists, arms and neck in bug spray. I was beyond prepared.
I am not ashamed to say that to this day I am still terrified of ticks and still take some of the above precautions, if you go camping or hiking with me don't be surprised when I show up with leggings tucked into knee socks under my jeans and I am dying of heat, it makes me feel safe.
At camp they taught us about Lyme Disease, and I know this seems crazy but at the age of 12 I had a feeling that I would come close to the disease (even though the counselors persisted that it was very rare). I thought that I would be the unlucky one to receive this lovely gift from my nemesis.
Some of you may know the relevance of my twelve year old feelings about Lyme Disease. My future husband was serving an LDS service mission in Cochobamba, Bolivia when he first felt the symptoms. He eventually got a medical release and came home before his two years were up. After a long 7 months of not knowing what exactly was wrong with him, he was diagnosed. Lyme Disease, most often transmitted through TICKS. Can you believe that! Luckily, Patrick never had a tick (I think it was a bed bug or mosquito that gave it to him) but he still got that pesky disease... and 5+ years later... still has it. We are working on getting rid of it, for good!
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