Sleep is something that we often take for granted. For some people, going to sleep is just a matter of lying down and closing their eyes, but for others, it takes a lot more work and effort. Then there are those who suffer from sleep disorders and whose life revolves around trying to get to sleep.

Narcolepsy is perhaps one of the most misunderstood conditions out there, and for many their first point of reference is a cartoonish depiction of someone who sleeps all day or who falls asleep mid-sentence while hilarity ensues. But in reality, it can be a serious condition that can greatly affect one’s independence, abilities, and overall quality of life and is thought to affect more than 200,000 people in the United States and three million people worldwide.

As if you don’t have enough to worry about with a tumultuous economy and unprecedented political strife, a number of old-world illnesses are on the verge of a comeback. Today, we take a look at the numerous infections, diseases, and viruses that the medical community believe may make a comeback.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. As these white blood cells multiply, they leave little room for healthy cells. They can also damage the bone marrow, develop into growths or destroy the bones. Multiple myeloma is not a common cancer – the lifetime risk is about 1 in 143, according to Cancer.Net. There is no cure for multiple myeloma. Early detection can help you seek treatment to manage the disease and avoid any harmful side effects of the condition, such as kidney failure, bone fractures, numbness, weakness, paralysis, and infections.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and is usually spread by ticks. However, it’s important to note that not all ticks carry the disease. Ixodes ticks are the most common kind to carry Lyme, but black-legged ticks also spread it on the West Coast.

After a devastating diagnosis and when facing a grim prognosis, it’s important to keep one’s spirits up. Although we may not ultimately overcome the long medical odds put before us, we still might. As any gambler will tell you, even the longest odds will sometimes pay off!