Please wake me from this real estate nightmare, or just give me your advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't matter where you are in the D.C. area anymore because the deer are everywhere including D.C. proper. If you're on 4 acres you should be able to have guinea fowl on the property. Google those birds. They eat ticks. I have heard people say their properties in Loudoun Co. were cleared of ticks after they got guinea hens. I've also heard chickens will eat ticks too. I don't have guinea hens mainly because my DH is adamant that we won't get them. Watching guinea hens work a field is really cool. They line up shoulder to shoulder, and methodically walk across a field, pecking at the ground, eating whatever bugs they locate. Guinea hens might just be the answer for you, and give you peace of mind about the ticks. I don't know if your location would be too cold for them, though. I believe they originated in Africa, but really not sure.

This is a great idea. They are kinda cool too for the kids even if they are a little stupid.

[Anonymous]

Can you keep the area around the house mowed to an 1/10 an inch? Have you researched other ways to minimize contact with ticks?

I totally get the anxiety. Tick diseases are really scary-- Lyme is just one of many. I just think that you should research to see what precautions you can take, before jumping ship.

[Anonymous]

Get a flock of Guinea fowl. That's what my brother did after his wife came down with Lyme. There are downsides, but they do love to eat ticks. You can google it.

Contrary to what a PP said, Lyme is not necessarily a mild illness even if treated right away. My SIL recovered fairly quickly, but she was knocked very low and in a lot of pain for some time.

[Anonymous]

I would move. I grew up in Fairfield County CT and it is beautiful so I understand the appeal, but it sounds like you aren't happy there. It has been 18 months. I am surprised so many people recommend that you stick it out. In you are in a lyme disease hot spot jsut treating your land won't be enough - you'll be paranoid about picking it up at friends' houses or the playgrounds. And to those who say "you can get Lyme anywhere", yes that is true but it is a bigger risk some places than others. If the OP had decided to move to the South Bronx and was hurt in a mugging and it took months to recover, would you tell her to stay because you can also get mugged in Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can put a 6 foot (or even 8 foot) fence around the perimeter of your property to keep the deer out.

A deer can jump a 6 foot fence without even getting a running start. An eight foot fence might discourage them, but not stop them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can put a 6 foot (or even 8 foot) fence around the perimeter of your property to keep the deer out.

A deer can jump a 6 foot fence without even getting a running start. An eight foot fence might discourage them, but not stop them.

There may be zoning rules against high fences in that part of new england

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can put a 6 foot (or even 8 foot) fence around the perimeter of your property to keep the deer out.

A deer can jump a 6 foot fence without even getting a running start. An eight foot fence might discourage them, but not stop them.

We've had deer in our current and former neighborhoods, never saw or heard of one jumping over a fence. I'm sure that they could do it if they wanted to though.

We also have dogs so it's not a very deer friendly yard to begin with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- just two points in our defense!

-Yes, you can get Lyme disease anywhere. (It's still pretty rare in California though!) However, there are definite Lyme hot spots -- like, houses with large fields where deer graze, near water sources, surrounded by ancient stone walls where chipmunks and mice live. That's our house. And this town in general has a measurably higher Lyme Index then most -- yes, the state keeps track -- and we have met many people who have been incapacitated by the disease.

-Are we being immature and impulsive? I'm quite worried that we are! However, it's so hard to separate what is the experience of the disease and what is just "the suburbs didn't turn out like we thought" syndrome. Would you say that longtime city people who moved to the far-out 'burbs and hated it after 18-months and wanted to move back were impulsive? Because that happens all the time. We might have gone crazy with boredom and isolation even if we were in the pink of health. It's impossible to tell. That's a huge part of this puzzle for me.

I'm sure you had a bad year, but this sounds a bot over dramatic.

I've gotten ticks twice and was indoors both times!

[Anonymous]

I am very curious where this house is. CT?

[Anonymous]

I don't think you are overreacting at all. Lyme disease is scary and your family has grappled with its effects. Only you know what is right for your family but if it were me, I'd have to move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go see someone about your anxiety.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you are overreacting at all. Lyme disease is scary and your family has grappled with its effects. Only you know what is right for your family but if it were me, I'd have to move.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go see someone about your anxiety.

This.

This seems to be the new thing on DCUM. Is everyone else just konked out on Xanax at all times because worrying about getting lyme disease after you husband has suffered a debilitating illness because of it seems, to me, a very legitimate concern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG. You should make sure to NEVER leave your home. There is a giant ball of fire in space that is irradiating ALL of us every day! In the daytime, you can even see it burning bright in the sky, but don't look too closely at it for too long--it might make you blind!

aaaaahhhhhhhshaaaadup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would move. I grew up in Fairfield County CT and it is beautiful so I understand the appeal, but it sounds like you aren't happy there. It has been 18 months. I am surprised so many people recommend that you stick it out. In you are in a lyme disease hot spot jsut treating your land won't be enough - you'll be paranoid about picking it up at friends' houses or the playgrounds. And to those who say "you can get Lyme anywhere", yes that is true but it is a bigger risk some places than others. If the OP had decided to move to the South Bronx and was hurt in a mugging and it took months to recover, would you tell her to stay because you can also get mugged in Bethesda?

It's odd because Lyme is an extremely mild and preventable disease so log as you are educated about it. Spray deer ok your feet and legs when you are in the woods in summer time. Keep an eye out for rashes and body aches.