Thank you for publishing such valuable information about Lyme disease ("Lyme Disease: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention," April). I am a nurse, an author, and a survivor of late-stage neuroborreliosis (Lyme disease) plus five coinfections. I am in my seventh year since being diagnosed. For years prior to diagnosis, I had gone from physician to physician with a variety of mysterious complaints, often being dismissed as a woman of a certain age. As a nurse, the whole process was completely maddening.

Understanding the system, advocating for myself, knowing my own body-none of those got me very far until I went to an out-of-network internal medicine physician who carefully looked at all the signs and symptoms of my case. Within an hour, he diagnosed me. My whole body was ravaged by infections. I've gone through arduous treatments for years. At this point, some parts of my body are simply broken beyond repair.

My experience with Lyme and coinfections has caused me to become a strong advocate for Lyme education. I was so encouraged to see AJN include a Lyme tutorial with CE credits. I appreciated the authors citing the importance of paying attention to the overall clinical presentation (beyond the erythema migrans rash). Lyme is truly a disease in which the "art of medicine" comes very much into play, as we anxiously await more accurate and targeted testing. I echo the authors' discussion of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society guidelines, and would add http://www.LymeDisease.org and http://www.MNLyme.org to the resources list.

Nurses are a frontline resource to help all people at risk for Lyme disease. Prevention is primary, and early diagnosis and treatment can be lifesaving.

Cynthia Dainsberg, RN, FCN

Laporte, MN