Former Sault resident Bob Bell tells story of suffering eased by birding in new book
The former Sault Ste. Marie resident who now lives in Ancaster, Ontario credits that to taking up bird watching - also known as birding - in his retirement, having formed friendships with a group of Hamilton-based naturalists.But that passion and new friends were discovered only after contracting Lyme disease, a serious illness transmitted by tick bites.
The typical ‘bull’s eye’ rash associated with Lyme disease didn’t appear on his skin but Bell went through a great deal of suffering. After a six month leave, he noticed some improvement in his condition, but not enough to allow him to keep working.He still suffers from the lingering effects of the disease. His muscles and joints ache and he struggles with fatigue, those symptoms easing to an extent when spring and summer return.Having to be his own doctor and conducting his own research while suffering from severe symptoms, Bell discovered a physician - Dr.
Bell has also taken naturopathic treatments but has found birding to be the greatest comfort in his ongoing ordeal.“I always had bird feeders at my various homes where I had lived, but when I retired in Ancaster I became aware that I was seeing birds at my feeder that I hadn’t seen before, birds that aren’t up in the Sault or Sudbury. I started researching them and that’s what made me start to feel better, when I was reading up on them and watching my feeders.
“To be honest, I wrote this book for myself. It was cathartic to get it off my chest and then on a whim I submitted it to a few publishers. I’m still in shock but Hancock House Publishers in Vancouver said ‘this is great’ and they picked it up.”
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