I grew up on a farm in a small town in Minnesota. I left the farm for New York with training in medicine and epidemiology.I opened a practice in an area highly endemic for Lyme disease in 1987. It has become a hot topic. I have shared my understanding of the science of Lyme and related tick-borne illness with my colleagues as president of a medical society, as author of evidence-based guidelines, and as a clinical epidemiologist. My colleagues have criticized me. I keep writing and speaking up.I have faith that a better understanding of the science of tick-borne illnesses will help my patients.