J kob, what sort of symptoms did you develop that mimicked ALS? My brother had the needle-shock-test thing and general neurological tests (standing on foot, etc), as well as general tests to rule out strokes, diabetes, heart disease, etc. He started having symptoms in the spring of 2009, and he is now almost helpless, and should be in a nursing home. He said he suffered from many cramps and vibrations, emotional sensitivity, weakness in one hand, etc. Now he can barely walk and hold his head up. Maybe I'm grasping at straws, but he has always resisted medical intervention and has never had follow-up tests or second or third opinions. He also told me he'd suffered from muscle issues and emotional sensitivity for SEVEN YEARS before his hand gave out. Then the symptoms moved in fast-forward. My father had Parkinson's (we think) but he died young, so who knows for sure? Maybe you can guess what I'm getting at. As a member of a family with neurological problems, I'm terrified but hopeful. My own anxieties are causing twitches and strange vibrations in my muscles, but I also got a strange bite on my foot about a month ago that resulted in a small bull's-eye, which eventually cleared and now I still have an itchy, crusty area. I've had some fatigue on and off and a few days of low-grade fever, but nothing like what lyme sufferers describe (sore throat, headaches). Like I said, I'm grasping at straws, hoping to save my brother's life...