I notice in this weeks TV guide that the show Real World will start a
new season, with the group based this year in Seattle.  It mentioned
that Irene, one of the cast members has Lyme disease, so this will be
discussed.  The show airs on MTV, Tuesday at 10PM EST.
  I have never seen this show but plan to tune in to see how it is
addressed. I have read on the alt.tv.real-world newsgroup that Irene was
forced to leave the show due to her illness.  I also vaguely recall
someone posting that Karen went to the studio to speak to the cast
members about Lyme disease as a representative of the LDF....anyone else
remember seeing that post?

Marta

<< I have read on the alt.tv.real-world newsgroup that Irene was
forced to leave the show due to her illness. >>

There is some real irony here.  The show is called the "Real World" but "Irene
was forced to leave the show due to her illness"!

The show might have been much more "real" if she could have stuck with the show
and showed the reality of day- to- day life with lyme disease!  

Thanks for the info though.   I'm going to check it out.    

I went to see Dr Fallon speak last month and he mentioned that someone
from the show called him for advice on Lyme. Dr Fallon first had to be
informed what Real World was.

Now was Irene forced to leave because she was sick and it was her
decision or was she forced out? I remember a while back tuning in while
channel surfing and they had a guy with AIDS make it through the show.

Does anyone have the e-mail address to MTV Real World - we could write
some letters to the producers. Maybe they would air more about.
Just a thought.

Lonnie in NJ (lyme/babesia sufferer)

Now, this actually does sound more like the real world, after all!

How may of us are forced to alter our plans because the lyme disease makes it
impossible to continue?

<<Anyway, story goes that the Lyme disease
combined with unbearable Real World stress of the situation to make Irene a
real pill. MTV staff asked her, and her parents supposedly even asked her, to
go on home and call it a day, but Irene persisted. The culmination of the
nuttiness was a "physical conflict" between Irene and Stephen Williams.
Finally, MTV, the rest of the kids, or for all I know her doc insisted she GO
HOME! Long story short, tick girl got kicked out.">>