On Lyme Disease and the 5th District Race

Richard Johnston is so right in advising Voice readers that Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, if diagnosed quickly. [Lyme Disease Can Be Dangerous for Dogs, Too; June 14] At the end of April, my dog Shana became lame. The next day I took her to Candlewood Animal Hospital in New Milford and Dr. James E. Howell saw that one of her hind legs was swollen. He diagnosed Lyme, prescribed antibiotics and assured me that Shana should be better in 48 hours. By that afternoon, the antibiotics began their work and Shana was again walking on all fours, thanks to Dr. Howell.

On a political topic, I stopped in Sherman on June 17 to get some Guida’s milk and, heading to the car (and Shana) I was met by a gentleman who said he was running for Congress. When I learned that he was running against the incumbents now vying for the 5th District seat, I suggested that he write about his candidacy in The Voice. He told me that William Barrante had a piece about him on page six of the current [June 14] Voice, and indeed there it was: "Joe Zdonczyk Running for Congress."

Mr. Zdonczyk assured me that he is "running to win," and he criticized the incumbents as lacking in "foresight" and "vision," but who "go along to get along." We chatted for a few minutes and I indicated my concern that our officials are too distant from us, concerned with their political ambition and not with the common good.

That Joe Zdonczyk spent a few minutes with me and listened to what I had to say is a new experience for me, having gone so many years with public officials not only ignoring me, but keeping their doors shut to me. With Joe Zdonczyk willing to hear what we have to say, maybe we should press the media to make it possible for us to hear what he has to say.

Editor’s note: See Mr. Zdonczyk’s article "The Dance of Politicians" in this issue of The Voice.