Scene in the kitchen, Thursday evening:
Kristie: "Blaine, look at this. Is this a tick?"
Blaine: "No, that's just a mole."
Kristie: "I don't have a mole there ... I think it's a tick."
Blaine: "For pete's sake, it's too small to be a tick. It's teeny tiny. If it was a tick, it would be all puffed up with blood. It's a mole. Or a scab or something."
Kristie: "I probably have Lyme disease."
Blaine: "You are so overdramatic. Besides, when would you have gotten a tick? You don't even LIKE the outdoors."
Kristie: "Probably from the lake last weekend. When I went behind that tree to pee. I'm telling you, it's a tick."
Blaine: "For the last time, it's not a tick. And why did you pee behind a tree? That's totally not your style."
Kristie: "It was that or walk all the way back up to the cabin or pee in the lake and quite frankly, it was too cold to get wet. Quit trying to change the subject .... let's focus on my Lyme disease."
Blaine: "For the love of God, it's a mole."
Scene in my bathroom, Friday morning:
I'm 42 years old and familiar with my own body. I do not have a mole there. I tugged on it .... it came off .... and its legs were moving. A tick. Tiny, yes, and not engorged, which according to Wikipedia, means it most likely WAS a deer tick and I will be keeling over from Lyme disease any minute.
In the meantime, we are going to the lake again this weekend. Open notice to anyone going with us --- I refuse to pee behind a tree again and become all tick infested and court Lyme disease. So if you're swimming near me, I suggest you do so with your mouth closed.
That's all I'm saying about that. You have been warned.
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16 comments:
That made my skin crawl.
I "thought" I knew the proper method to remove a tick, but considering the fact that I took a 1-inch section of my son's scalp with it, it's fair to say that I didn't do it right. And once you finally have them, it's hard to smoosh the buggers....we'd always put them on a tissue, light it with a match, and watch the dang things blow up. Ahhh. Good times.
Claire in Indiana
Kristie - I'm usually a stalker but come from an area that has lots of ticks and a fair amount of Lyme Disease. Not all deer ticks carry the disease but whenever we find one I write on my calendar - who it was removed from, the day it was removed and where it was found. You can show signs up to a month away and who can remember all that a month from now? My little note on the calendar has helped several times when symptoms arrived but I'd totally forgotten about the tick removal.
Linda in NJ
My friend emailed this to me and after reading your post, I think you need to take a look....
http://www.wbaltv.com/video/20700023/index.html
Something else to keep in mind.....in order to contract Lyme Disease (if the tick that bit you even has it) it must be attached to you for at least 24 hours to contract the disease. Also keep in mind, that you may not have even gotten it from the lake, the little bugger could have hitched a ride on one of the dogs from outside, much more recently than last weekend. The dogs don't even have to be in the woods. Just having their fur brush against grass or brush is a easy way for the tick to hitch a ride into the house.
T in TN
Can I just tell you how I hate ticks ~ and other nasty non~friendly insects (fleas, lice, etc...). Anyway, apparently God has quite the sense of humor b/c our dogs had several of them on their ears this year. I was forced to deal with them ~ YUCK! But sweet revenge came when the kids all gathered round and we smashed them with a hammer! That killed them quite thoroughly :)
Tammy in OH
OK, I know we're all suddenly acting like doctors on the Internet now, but seriously, do what the others said and keep track of when you found it, took it off you, etc. Lyme disease is no joke. It's important to treat it right away!
I'll stop lecturing now!
Nathan had one on his bumm tonight and his Uncle got it off. Got to love that! I am sure after a day with 4 boys playing in the woods it surely can't be the only one...or could I be that lucky?! :) Kim
Kristie - Happy Birthday You Precious thing!
Hope you had a great weekend at the lake and did not contract any illnesses!
May this be YOUR year! The year that everything goes your way!
Love,
Denise
TOO FUNNY!! I don't mean that in an insensitive way. I was referring to the peeing in the lake part of your post.
I'm such a city girl. I know nothing about Ticks/Lyme Disease...etc!
Kelly
www.idloveadullmoment.blogspot.com
sick.
So when you keel over from The Lyme, can I have your stamping stuff?
I'll miss you and stuff though. Just sayin.
:)
Happy Birthday to my MUCH older friend! Have a great day and fun time at the lake - we are so jealous. Stay away from ticks and other critters!
Now you see why I hate the "great outdoors"? I did find the coolest thing to remove ticks though...it's this little tool thing that looks like a very mini garden hoe with a slit on the top. You put it over the body and turn. Out pops the tick. Unfortunately we had to use it on my daughter's neck when she said "Mom I don't have a mole there". Sound familiar?!!
Have a great time at the weekend - and bring on the deet!
At least you didn't end up with poison ivy when you decided to pee behind a tree - ask Natalie about that one...
So? Did you come back with any this time?
I was bitten by a tick 2 weeks ago in NY. Got really sick (fever, headache, serious joint/muscle aches). There is a new tick - very small called "Lone Star" that only has to bite you, not stay on you for a long time. They're seeing a huge amount of cases up here. Let your dr. know b/c they will probably put you on antibiotics!
Everyone please be aware the only safe way to remove a tick is with tweezers by grasping it as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight back.
Do not remove it with your fingers, do not put any substance on it, do not burn it with a match. These methods will irritate the tick and it will regurgitate into your blood increasing the risk of infection.
Save the tick and document the date it was found. It can be tested for disease at IgeneX Lab in Palo Alto, CA. There are no completely reliable tests for Lyme disease, and most people will test negative early in the infection.
Getting proper treatment early in the infection may reduce the chance of long-term complications.
Tick attachment time is not relevant. The tick that bit me was attahced for three hours at most. It transmitted five diseases inlcuding Babesiosis which is similiar to malaria.
Ticks are everywhere. I was bitten going into a business.
Prevention and awareness are important. Learn as much as you can. When you come in from outside, check yourself and your children including the scalp, behind the ears, belly button, genital area, behind the knees etc.
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