Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight: Birding as Therapy for the Chronically Ill

by Robert Bell

Overview

Out of the Lyme Light and into the Sunlight tells of the journey undertaken by the author, Bob Bell, after developing a bizarre set of increasingly debilitating symptoms, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Lyme disease. He describes his experiences, including the various allopathic and complementary medical treatments he received, and his frustrations in dealing with a skeptical Canadian medical system, which resulted in him seeking out-of-country medical treatment.

Amidst an exhausting barrage of medications, fiery nerve pain, overwhelming fatigue, and chronic pain, Bob turned to his love of nature and discovered the therapeutic benefits of birding to his health. He reflects on birding as his ideal therapy for dealing with both chronic disease and chronic pain, and provides tips on how to begin birding, and enjoy it, too, regardless of one's physical ability.

This book is the result of the author's desire to make this potentially life-changing hobby accessible to everyone and to give hope to those seeking to feel better.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780888397508
Publisher:	Hancock House Publishers
Publication date:	12/05/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Bob Bell was born and raised in northern Ontario. He spent thirty-five years as a mineral exploration geologist, working globally as both a field geologist and, later, a mining company executive. At some point in his travels, he contracted Lyme disease, which led to his premature retirement at the end of 2015. He quickly discovered the health benefits of birding, and found himself suddenly immersed in a whole new world of joy and excitement. His passion for birding kept his mind off his ailing body, and facilitated his transition to living and coping with a chronic illness. Bob is passionate about sharing the joy of birding with people of all skill levels, meeting them wherever they may land on the spectrum of health and wellness. You can follow him on Twitter @ThebirderBob.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION . 9

2. ABOUT ME: BACKGROUND AND ADVENTURES . 13

3. THE FRUSTRATION BEGINS . 25

4. LYME DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

5. ADJUSTING TO RETIREMENT . 49

6. WHY BIRDING? . 57

7. BACKYARD BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

8. BEYOND BACKYARD BIRDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

9. EVEN BIRDING HAS POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

10. WHY I LOVE BIRDING . 99

11. BIRDING CHALLENGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

12. CATS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

13. LYME VALIDATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

14. THE RIFE MACHINE AS THERAPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

15. BIRDING AS THERAPY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

16. EPILOGUE . 141

17. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

18. NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

19. REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

20. APPENDIX A: BIRD EXPRESSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

21. APPENDIX B: RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

22. APPENDIX C: BOOKS ON MINERAL EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Editorial Reviews

"Bob Bell's Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight offers the reader a wonderfully engrossing story of personal transformation in the wake of a life upended by a debilitating and enigmatic illness. Although there is no miracle cure for Lyme disease, Bell finds a way to live meaningfully—and joyfully—by immersing himself in the world of birds. Written with humility and a good dose of humour, Bell's journey is inspiring in the way he embraces a new passion with utter curiosity, and reinvents himself with remarkable resilience when life throws him a curve ball." — Julia Zarankin, author of Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder

From the Publisher