Fifth Disease

Jacob and Bek are visiting her dad in Iowa. They're having a great time. Big News! Jacob caught his very first fish. Bek took pictures and they will be posted as soon as I get my hands on them.

The other big news and not nearly as happy ~ Jacob has Fifth Disease. Rebekah had it when she was a little girl. It's a viral illness, and usually affects children between the ages of 5 and 15. Jacob is only 3. (early starter) It begins with a fever, headache and cold symptoms. A few days later a rash appears on the face. It's a very distinctive rash that looks as if the child has been slapped. The rash then moves to the trunk, arms and legs of the body. Most children recover quickly and with out any continuing problems.

I have another post to write about something funny that happened, but I have a lot to do today. First on my list, the grocery store. I'm off and running!

...and other creepy crawly things...

Above: A series of photos depicting the 10 day progression of the results of a bite from a brown recluse spider. In the last photo, after ten days, narcosis (flesh-rotting) is apparent. The bite of a Brown Recluse spider can result in a painful, gaping and gruesome wound. They can be found outside in places like wood piles, but they also have a proclivity for dry, warm hiding places: clothing, shoes, attics, bed linens, etc. Every bite does not cause such a dramatic result as seen above, but the potential is present. Even though the results may not be as dramatic or graphic, the tick (seen below) offers a much more widespread threat to our area. For more information click on the link below.

Brown Recluse Spider

Tick Season

Along with our delicious peach picking season, apple picking season, and pecan season, we have yet another season here in the South. Tick season. Yes, tick season is in full swing once again. I've never personally used the following method of tick removal, sent to me recently by my nephew's wife, but it sounds like it may be worth a try, however, the tweezers method is still recommended by experts. Use your own judgment.

Ticks are blood feeding external parasites of mammals, birds, and reptiles throughout the world, and they transmit the widest variety of pathogens of any blood sucking arthropod, including bacteria, rickettsiae, protozoa, and viruses.

Tick Removal:

This method works in those places where
it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.

Apply a small amount of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), The tick will come out on it's own, and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.

Once removed consider keeping it in a tightly closed jar or taped to a piece of paper. You may need to show the tick to the doctor if you become ill from the tick bite.

What can I say.....I try to inform.