After almost a month of no ticks on the dogs, I woke up Tuesday morning to discover a small tick, embedded in my thigh. Pulled it off and reminded myself to check for the dread bulls-eye rash that accompanies Lyme disease. By that evening, the red surrounding the bite had spread and after a hot shower, there seemed to be a white ring around the perimeter. Drat!
Checking out symptoms online, I found that the bulls-eye rash was not always consistent and that other symptoms included chills, fever, stiff neck, sore joints, poor balance, etc., etc.
Well, hell--I pretty much live with stiff neck, sore joints, and poor balance. I didn't have the chills and fever but, wanting to play it safe, called the clinic where I was on hold for half an hour after which I hung up and took myself there in person.
Only to find a locked door. And a sign saying they were closed till 2.
At 2 I returned--knowing that as a walk-in I'd have a goodly wait. Not a problem as long as I have a book.
About 2 hours later the doctor told me I probably didn't have Lyme but as it was endemic in our county, he'd prescribe the meds anyway.
Better safe than sorry, says I, feeling a tad silly.
6 comments:
Oh... be carefully. Tick bites are no laughing matter. I contracted Lyme disease and had to take strong medication to ward off more serious symptoms and effects. All the best!
Greetings from Heidrun
Good to be informed, and to have some kind of treatment. Earlier cases (I have a friend who had it many years ago) sometimes were quite unpleasant.
It is NOT silly to protect yourself, Vicki. I'm glad you went to the clinic, although it was a long wait. You can't get sick. That would make a lot of people who love you, including me, very sad.
I think it was best to take precautions.
My older sister is a tick magnet as we heard this past weekend as she described all her encounters with ticks until we said "Enough! Bonnie". She always gets the antibiotic after each bite but has still managed to get "Lymes", as she calls it, multiple times. Hope you are successful in keeping the infection at bay.
Much wiser to be safe than sick and sorry. Hope all goes well.
anotherlizrose@gmail.com
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