It's a Bug's Life

It's warm in the Sandbox, let the bug munchie's commence.

We are getting some not so fun bites out here. I got a very interesting Blistered Beetle rash patient. Cool for me because I was assigned the reading a week or more ago and never got around to it. SO, I took a hour out to just kick back and do some reading and I came upon the assigned topic of these beetles. It was fascinating how they are a soft little tiny bug. In fact 10 or more of them can fit on a penny. They don't bite, but as the victim feels them crawling around, the natural reaction is to swat the buggers. Dead is when they do the damage because their juices are highly toxic to humans and cause a very intense burning deep down in the flesh. The rash resembles scratches with redness surrounding them. Plus if you get the stuff on your hands, everywhere you touch breaks out too. (Use your imagination). A day later the blisters come and more pain. My lucky patient came in the day after the read and soon after he got out of bed...(where we suspect the little beetle was). He came into the clinic in extreme pain carrying his arm. (He was bit in the shoulder and maybe a little dramatic), so I was able to treat him appropriately and the rash was gone in 2 days. The patient was so greatful he followed me around for 3 more. Wish I could have swatted him.

Next, a scorpion bite. Don't know which brand, but it was not the Death Biter. That's the one who is the 4th deadliest critter in the world and we co-habitate with them- yes indeed! It's a colorful guy with a Mountain Dew colored coat, so we keep a look out for that one and it's said to be highly aggressive. The one that bit the patient was bad enough. It bit the victim on the knee cap, so now he has a double cap due to the swelling. He would like Morphine, Demerol or anything to make him sleep. There's no shortage of drug seekers here. He instead received an antihistamine and a little numbing agent. He almost got a swat on the butt for being a pain, but he was begging for one- so no.

And then...I actually took my new partner and a visitor on a FOB walkabout to look for one of my least favorite pest of all time. (What am I saying? I hate them all!) We sought the dreaded Camel Spider. Actually, they aren't too bad right now due to the fact that they're still bitty babies. But, I did have a teenager stalk me yesterday and I kicked it into tomorrow. Disgusting! So if this writing didn't get you itching enough, I also am including pictures!