Lime vs. Lyme

Lyme Awareness Patio

Not really a competition.  Limes win, hands down.  Lyme sucks and Heather refuses to let it win.  Sadly the poor innocent lime, that is a frequent garnish to so many wonderful cocktails, is now a color that I use to help spread awareness to Lyme disease.  Who knew that lime green would be a focal color in our lives. 


In May, there were numerous pictures showing people taking a bite out of Lyme.  Puckered faces galore were biting into these bitter limes.  I too have shared pictures of family members with lime green painted nails, Heather with her green ray ban sunglasses, shells on the beach spelling out L Y M E, and a vase of limes.

Aunt Ruthie and Lisa - 1959

Recently I have decided to add "artistic" painting to my "oh so few" creative art projects.  The back story to this is that I live in a family  home built in the 1950s.  One of the patios was made with these beautiful colored cement circles.  Over the years, the color on the cement has faded and the cement is crumbling.  

 
Many years ago, I decided to slap on a new coat of paint.  The best part is that I use up random colors that have accumulated over the  years from indoor paint jobs.  I also frequent the Home Depot paint department for cans of returned paint that they resell for $5 a gallon.  

Keep in mind I don't care what type of paint it is (gloss, satin, outdoor, etc).  I would like to say that I have a color pallet theme, but the reality is anything works.  

The painted circles last for a few years and then they fade.  Then, just like magic,  a new coat of paint makes it all look better.  Sort of like my hair dye - did I just admit to that? HA.


So, this year for Mother's Day, Heather told me that she wanted to paint the patio and use a lime color for Lyme Awareness.  Off we went to Home Depot to pick out a bright and happy lime green paint (that we paid full price for - a great investment I might add).   

The painting project has begun.  I will be adding Heather's painted hand prints when she comes home.  The hand prints will make me smile, just like the her plaster of paris hand prints from preschool.  Lassie may also "accidentally" walk in some non-toxic paint and step on a few stones to show his support too.  

Before 2015

I don't think I will be quitting my day job and becoming a painter, but this little project brought me a lot of happiness.  

Check out our progress.  

I think this lime is a reflection of the happy times to come - a Lyme free Heather.

 

After 2015

The 21st Century Cures Act, HR 6, passed the US House of Representatives with a vote of 344-77 today, July 10, 2015. The text of  HR 789 (Gibson),  Tick-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act (2014), was included as Section 4061 of the Act.

http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4543892/rep-chris-gibson-speaks-support-hr-6-21st-century-cures-act

In the current 2015 Congress, the House Energy & Commerce Committee incorporated virtually intact that Lyme bill's language into its 21st Century Cures, an Act which addresses many health issues, but originally did not include Lyme. 


The Lyme Disease Association (LDA) had extensive input into the development of the passed Lyme language and was integral to its 2014 passage  after LDA amassed  a nationwide effort to unite Lyme groups behind the Lyme bill (HR-789 Gibson, 2014), which saw House passage in September 2014. 

21st Century Cures  now goes before the US Senate. Contact your US Senators today and request their support for 21st Century Cures with the inclusion of Section 4061, the Lyme language.

  6 Attached Images