March 27, 2012

why i sleep with my underwear on.....


i woke up yesterday to a horrific pain in the back of my leg. 
when i reached down to touch the area that was screaming, my hand grazed over something small and hard. my first thought was that i must have been bitten by a spider and what i was feeling was perhaps a dried scab. the pain became worse while my fingers were investigating, so i jumped out of bed and grabbed a mirror. what i saw horrified me. i had a large mottled red area above the back of knee and in the center of it was a deer tick. 
~
deer ticks are tiny. 
tiny, about the size of a dot, with black legs. i quickly grabbed my tweezers and removed him while reeling in pain. instantly, after cleaning the area with rubbing alcohol,  i was on my computer searching everything under "deer tick/tick bites/lyme disease." 
the number of pages with information overwhelmed me.
~
amazingly some people get deer tick bites and never feel a thing. i'm not one of those people. 
i also read that finding a deer tick on you that's only been visiting and found in the 24 hour range makes a huge difference compared to those that aren't found for 48 to 72 hours.
~
as soon as my doctor's office was open, i ran there. with my tick in an envelope.
unfortunately, as if my day wasn't bad enough already,
a police officer caught me "running there" and slapped me with a speeding ticket.
~
{let's take a moment here so i can tell you that i have been driving for thirty one years and that that speeding ticket is the ONLY ticket i have ever gotten. no parking tickets, no failure to yield tickets, no inattentive driving tickets...etc. nada, nothing. no tickets for me. except for now}
~
once my doctor took a look, she gave me a heavy one day dose of doxycycline. 
that's the antibiotic they give you when battling lyme disease. 
she thinks i'm in the clear because of the 24 hour ruling, 
but i have to watch myself and keep notes. in six weeks, even if i have absolutely no symptoms of lyme disease, they recommend a blood test.
~
my leg continued to hurt all day yesterday. 
by last night the bite area had the true bullseye look to it and was finally feeling a bit better. this morning, the bullseye is gone, but the area {the size of a nickel} is strawberry red and is still tender.
~
so now this is where i back up just a bit. 
sunday i was in the woods. 
taking photos of the wild violets that grow on the hills behind our cottage.
i had on jean capris with a rolled cuff {wrong} and my all around slip on mesh trek shoes {wrong} because i was out there to clean, not hike. 
but with the warm weather, everything is "early" this year including the violets and i wanted to get up there and welcome them like i usually do.
~
i wasn't thinking. usually if i'm in the woods, i'm in tick mode. 
long pants. socks. my hiking boots. bug spray. 
and then a full body check and a shower when i'm done. 
unfortunately i did none of those things. my mind just wasn't in the right mind set. it's only march.
~
they say ticks like warm and soft areas, including the groin.
all i know, from what i read, is that my tiny deer tick used my body as it's own personal landscape, 
taking all day to decide where to settle down, 
and since he didn't decide on a spot until i was sound asleep,
well thank god i had my underwear on.
*



42 comments:

  1. First, I had no idea where the headline was going to lead me ... so I LOVE your last sentence!
    Secondly, it is very good your body is sensitive to those little burgers ... I probably could have one for weeks and not know it. Ugh. All joking aside, it is serious and you message is timely for all of us heading out into the woods are doing yard work.

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  2. Deer ticks are so common here in RI that I fear I am becoming rather nonchalant about them. They never went away at all this winter:( And still Lyme disease is often mis-diagnosed!

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  3. It's not normal to never have had a ticket of any kind. So now you are normal. There.

    Now I understand why you will forever wear underwear to bed. Good thing too since you will be traipsing through the woods for years to come with your camera since that is what you do. Lucky for us.

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  4. a tick bite!!! NO FUN!!! glad you are doing better!! thanks for the laugh too- cute post ;)

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  5. First things first, you're now on my Reiki list...let me know how it's going.

    Next, the ticks last year here were horrid. I've never seen the likes before...and everyone in Western PA where this is generally not an issue were like, "WTF???" So, I'm not looking forward to this year what with not having a winter to keep the populations under control.

    Finally, you are one of my intrepid favs, so please go and get some lavender essential oil from the health food store and dab a bit on your boo-boo, as it has antiseptic props and will smell nice to you.

    Oh, and go to court; what with your driving record and the circumstances, you'll get off with a court fine and no points to screw up your insurance rate.

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  6. Oh my - yes ... I agree with your last line!!!

    So sorry you had/have to experience that... but thanks for the reminder to be prepared!!

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  7. I'm completely freaked out!
    You are so smart for going to the doctor immediately.

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  8. HOLY COW! Ew! I've officially got the heebee-jeebee's! Glad you discovered it soon and hope you're in the clear.

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  9. Ack!! So sorry that the tick found you yummy!! That sucks and I sure hope you do not have Lyme disease!! That would really suck!!
    Best wishes
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  10. Do take care! No Lyme disease here. I did also wonder why the title, funny girl. Glad you were wearing your underwear. Also glad you moved quickly to the doctor's. Now those violet pictures are worth a bundle, I must say.

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  11. oh, dear. glad you got to see the doc!

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  12. Beth, even with all that you managed to end on a note of humour...which is SO you!! xoxox

    I'm glad that damn tick decided on your calf where you were able to find it, hopefully quickly enough that lyme disease will NOT be an issue for you, but I am glad to know that your doctor is taking this seriously and treating you, with, what we can hope is preventive medicine.

    As for the speeding ticket...pox on that cop!!!

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  13. Yucky yucky yuck !

    I am glad you had undies on too, Sweetie !
    I hope it will turn out that you got to everything nice and early. Oh, and that the violet photos are really beautiful !

    Hugs !

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  14. Did I ever tell you about the deer tick bite I got this fall? Ay yi yi!!! I had to have the damn thing surgically removed!!! I am not kidding...stupid thing wedged itself so far into my back...so effing painful!!! Thankfully, I did not get lyme disease! Those suckers are fierce!

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  15. The ticks the past 2 years have been out of control. I wonder why they can't spray something to kill them? I have a horrible lump and scar on my leg from a tick that embedded itself 3 years ago. When I finally got it removed, the sore didn't heal for over a month and then it scarred up. It looks nasty. I'm glad you had the sense to go to the doctor quickly and shame on that cop for giving you a ticket. Under the circumstances he could have given you a pass.

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  16. You are so funny..OK I know this sounds strange and yes it comes from an elderly man who told me this..I was a little scared to try this but I did and it does work..I also get out in the woods to take photos and explore. I found a seed tick on me last year and they are so tiny you can hardly see them. Any way He said run your tub with water and put bleach into your water..Yes just bleach like you use to laundry in..Enough that you can smell it but not enough to bleach you out..LOL..It someone how kills them or something..I promise it does work..The first time I was scared it would burn if you know what I mean but it did not. Dont use soap just makes sure you wash all over.. REALLY...
    Luv,
    Katelen

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  17. Thanks for the reminder. Enno and I have been prowling in the woods around the lakes. I will keep my panties on! I had a tick once and I thought I'd go mad until it was removed. I used to pull the big fat ones off my dog. Then I used a lighted cigarette on my chldren to make the ticks back out. I didn't burn them. You don't want the heads to break off under the skin. ANd...use OFF. xo Jenny

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  18. So glad you are on the mend! Yuck to that tick.
    xo

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  19. You make me laugh, laugh, laugh!! Sorry you hurt all day, but you are darn funny.

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  20. Those little critters don't play fair. Unfortunately, the rash doesn't always show up at the site of the bite which can be misleading. Been there, done that! Hope you heal quickly.

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  21. You've got me feeling myself all over my body right now (even though we don't have deer anywhere close). I do hope everything stays clear and you won't have any bad things happen down the road.

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  22. Wonderful post with a wonderful message.
    Glad you're okay and I truly hope you stay okay.

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  23. I have had so many ticks on my body, I won't even begin to tell you. Had Lyme's disease twice. And like you, also had one on the back of the knee. The worst place? Are you ready for this? (nipple)

    Seriously!!!

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  24. I can't imagine living in a place where ticks are an issue. What a shame that going into the woods is such a big deal. I'm sorry for your pain, you have my sympathies!! I hope you have no further consequences.

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  25. There is a young boy in our community that was just diagnosed- they could not determine the cause of his symptoms for a long time! How lucky you saw as quickly as you did and got antibiotics for it so quickly too! I would have been speeding too!! Thinking of you!

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  26. ewwwwww! a nippy ticky! that must have hurt, Kate!

    oh goodness, Beth. I am so glad you went straight to the MD. My sister has chronic lyme which means she got the tick and never was symptomatic and the lyme just cooked in her body til it debilitated her after 15 years.... so our family is exceptionally sensitive to it; she has received heavy duty treatments and is some better but her life changed forever..... so all that to say - and I think you will - please do everything the MD says :)

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  27. PS: sorry about the speeding ticket; that would tick me off completely..... (actually, no pun was intended but I was going to say p*&^ me off and that seemed a little crude so that is the other nicer word.... but either way, it would aggravate me to no end....)

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  28. Good night!

    I had no idea there was such a thing.

    Bless your heart! My Aunt got a tick in her ear while she was gardening.

    I'm glad you went to the doctor. They can do nasty things to you.

    Joey

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  29. Goodness. Did you tell the police officer why you were in such a hurry?

    Hope everything works out.

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  30. Ack.. so sorry this happened to you but I'm glad that you and your doc were on top of it.

    The daughter of one of my bloggie people.. Lime (coincidental) went through a hell of an ordeal for a long time with undiagnosed Lyme disease - and a very unconcerned, unsympathetic doctor. She suffereed until they finally saw another doc who treated her promptly. So I'm glad you were aware and underwared. ;)

    And Kate has you beat.

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  31. And it just occurs to me that you got a tick and a ticket on the same day. I'd be ticked!

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  32. Oh, even during tragedy, you crack me up! So glad you're sensitive to them so you caught it early! I hope the meds do the trick. I've been tromping about my woods without thinking of ticks, until I posted a photo with a speck that, upon magnification, looks suspiciously like one! Bug spray on!

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  33. I live in the land of Lyme Disease.. just miles for Lyme, CT. And I can tell you, even if you had worn your jeans and socks and bug stuff and hiking boots, they can still get to you.

    As for the speeding ticket... boy that tick really ticked you off, huh? :-)

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  34. I would laugh but I am not that mean ... sorry I am smiling but not at your pain or your ticket but at the last line ...

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  35. Oh thank goodness you caught it in time! Some years the ticks are so awful here--sounds like it will be one of those years. Ugh.

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  36. This is a very dangerous disease and takes so many symptoms and also lies dormant. Be careful and I wish your doctor had given you more than 24 hours worth of antibiotics.

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  37. Regarding your question I did also. I live in an area where it is very prevalent...one of my neighbors was ill for a long time. My bout was also caught early but it also had the bulls eye which is not always shown as evidence. I went to a lecture on this and it is amazing the varied symptoms and how it lies dormant for times. Just keep an eye on your health and fatigue levels.

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  38. Oh gosh.. ticks are soooo ugly. Even though we give our dogs tick medicine every month, they sometimes end up with a tick on them. They are nasty little creatures. Glad you found this one so soon after being out in the woods.

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  39. aargh, that is just wrong!!!

    i know what you mean, it is too early to be thinking of such things. i am so glad you caught things early.

    and that speeding ticket? also, just wrong! you should get a pass when you have a bullseye on your leg!

    xoxo

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  40. I read this post before I saw that you got POTW.......congrats!!!!
    I got my FIRST tick this past week.......
    glad I had my undies on too!!!!

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  41. Love the title. The cop wouldn't let you off the hook when you told him you had to get to the doctor?

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  42. Good grief -- the more backwards I read, the worse this gets. How are you now? Is it still bothering you (the pain part?) I KNOW You'll be fine, but I know I'd be freaked to the max. Hang inthere, Beth!

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**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth