After calling in sick to work, I spent an hour applying a hot washcloth to my hand to kill the toxins and reduce the swelling. Add to that an asprin and an allergy pill and I thought I'd be pretty good to go. Fast forward a few hours and my hand was still throbbing.I know when I've been bested and decided to go to the clinic.
The nurse looked at it and was like, "well, maybe it's a bite of some kind or maybe it's a foreign body..." so she went and got a doctor. The lady doctor took one look at my hand and was like, "Babe, you got bit by a black widow." Seriously? A black widow bit me the day before Halloween? You've got to be joking.
Apparently I done good with the heat in killing a lot of the neurotoxins. She didn't give me an antitoxin, but told me to keep doing what I was doing (with the addition of lots of Benadryl) and come in so she could check on me tomorrow. If my arm muscles start to spasm or this mottled pattern creeps up my wrist I need to go to the hospital.
The creepiest part is that I woke up with the bite, which means it's probably in my bed. Don't need a psychic to tell me there's lots of laundry and bug spray in my future. Happy Halloween y'all!
Eek! I've encountered plenty of black widows in my day, but it was always outdoors when I grew up in Oklahoma, and they were safe in their webs, not biting me. Sending hopes for a speedy recovery!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) There are tons of black widows, brown widows, and the occasional recluse around here but they usually are just hanging out in their little homes outside and this is the first time I've ever experienced a bite from any of them.
Delete