Out of the Lyme Light and into the Sunlight tells of the journey undertaken by the author, Bob Bell, after developing a bizarre set of increasingly debilitating symptoms, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Lyme disease. He describes his experiences, including the various allopathic and complementary medical treatments he received, and his frustrations in dealing with a skeptical Canadian medical system, which resulted in him seeking out-of-country medical treatment. Amidst an exhausting barrage of medications, fiery nerve pain, overwhelming fatigue and chronic pain, Bob turned to his love of nature and discovered the therapeutic benefits of birding to his health. He reflects on birding as his ideal therapy for dealing with both chronic disease and chronic pain, and provides tips on how to begin birding, and enjoy it, too, regardless of one’s physical ability. This book is the result of the author’s desire to make this potentially life-changing hobby accessible to everyone, and to give hope to those seeking to feel better.

Bob Bell was born and raised in northern Ontario. He spent thirty-five years as a mineral exploration geologist, working globally as both a field geologist and, later, a mining company executive. At some point in his travels, he contracted Lyme disease, which led to his premature retirement at the end of 2015. He quickly discovered the health benefits of birding, and found himself suddenly immersed in a whole new world of joy and excitement.His passion for birding kept his mind off his ailing body, and facilitated his transition to living and coping with a chronic illness. Bob is passionate about sharing the joy of birding with people of all skill levels, meeting them wherever they may land on the spectrum of health and wellness. You can follow him on Twitter @ThebirderBob.

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"Bob Bell’s Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight offers the reader a wonderfully engrossing story of personal transformation in the wake of a life upended by a debilitating and enigmatic illness. Although there is no miracle cure for Lyme disease, Bell finds a way to live meaningfully—and joyfully—by immersing himself in the world of birds. Written with humility and a good dose of humour, Bell’s journey is inspiring in the way he embraces a new passion with utter curiosity, and reinvents himself with remarkable resilience when life throws him a curve ball." — Julia Zarankin, author of Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder