As I’ve mentioned here many times before, spring and summer are my favorite times of year as I love to be outdoors. Hiking, biking, geocaching, and my new found interest, gardening, are just a few of the reasons to get out and enjoy the warm weather. But this season has proven to be full of itches and ouches. So far this year alone I’ve suffered three bouts of poison ivy and a case of chiggers (or as I call them, Carolina cooties since that’s where I picked them up). But yesterday’s incident takes the cake.
I made the mistake of sitting in the grass while applying waterproofing to the lattice beneath the back deck. My home improvement project apparently pissed off a brown recluse spider and he took a chomp out of my leg. The bite swelled so much that it looked like I had a lime stuck underneath my skin and the area had a menacing red and purple bullseye appearance. It was as painful as it looked and so I was carted off to the ER last night by my boyfriend despite my protests. I didn’t want to make a fuss only to be told it was a silly bug bite, but I started not feeling so well and it was painful to walk. Better safe than sorry as who knows what it would have been like by morning.
I’m feeling much better today having started on an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. However, I’m still incredibly skeeved by the thought of having this thing bite me:
A friend of mine has suggested that I need to either learn to love indoor activities or live in a giant hamster ball. She has a point. But do I listen? Of course not. Instead I’ve made plans to go white water rafting over the holiday weekend. Afterall, what could go wrong? 
July 1st, 2008 - 9:21 pm
Outdoor activites = fun! Staying indoors sucks. Especially when it’s nice out. Sorry you’ve had so many outdoor issues this year. That brown recluse looks just awful. I say have fun this weekend. I myself will be off to the lake to do some jet skiing and knee boarding (I don’t dare waterski, I’m WAY too clumsy LOL). White water rafting sounds awesome. Go have you some fun!!!
XOXOXO
~Brat V~
July 1st, 2008 - 10:38 pm
Not to be overly dramatic but, as I can personally attest, getting that bite taken care of *immediately* was the most important thing. Your reaction was swift and on the extreme end of the spectrum, based on the people I know who’ve been bitten (all of them indoors). I failed to recognize a “mosquito” bite that went untreated too long, and ended up with a scar on the back of my neck that people mistake for a bullet hole (tsk, those are elsewhere, of course).
Such a shame. There you are innocently going about your life, harming no one, when WHAM!!! Proof positive that it happens to the best of us. Take care of yourself, and don’t lose another holiday to illness. And, if you happen to see a spider web that looks more like a cobweb, or that it was made by an insane spider… Black Widow.
Have a safe and Happy 4th.
July 1st, 2008 - 11:50 pm
Glad you are feeling better. Adults often tell children that bugs bite them because they are so sweet. I think you are obviously sweet enough to attract bugs…and other less desirables. You’re just so Pixified, which is a good thing!
July 1st, 2008 - 11:55 pm
We both need to live in bubbles together. I just whacked my leg into some sort of furniture and have a nice big bruise in the middle of my thigh. Oh yeah, and there was that time that I walked into a wall and cut my face right above my eye. Not nearly as exciting, but hey.
July 2nd, 2008 - 12:26 am
Got bitten by a spider last year that made my thumb swell up to twice it’s size but that happened when I was watching TV inside, so indoors is just as dangerous. You could try white water rafting in a giant hamster ball, that would make for some interesting pictures.
Prefectdt
July 2nd, 2008 - 12:52 am
You’re really lucky. I got bit by a brown recluse when i was 14 and it sent my immune system into overdrive and shut it down. I woke up a week later from a coma to be told that the poison had destroyed my pancreas and I was now a type 1 diabetic. Bit of a nasty shock!
Hey BTW, I discovered The Bottom Lines Forum through your site. Look me up on there!
Jai
July 2nd, 2008 - 1:22 am
Ughh! Glad you are feeling better Pixie–and very happy you had it treated immediately.
Dr. Dave
July 2nd, 2008 - 1:47 am
Dear Pixie,
Yikes and double Yikes! Your boyfriend did the right thing–I have read of people who reacted badly to the bite of a brown spider and died! So getting to the hospital to have it looked at and starting antibiotics was a good move! You’re way too young and too precious for us to be lamenting, “Pixie, we hardly knew ye….”
Hugs,
Dr. Ken
July 2nd, 2008 - 1:56 am
Chloe, we have an “attack” coffee table that frequently turns on us like a doberman. It’s slow but it’s cunning.
July 2nd, 2008 - 2:02 am
Damn…enough with the having to go to the ER, already! Glad you got it treated ASAP.
From what you’ve posted, you might want to look at getting an epi-pen prescription…seems you have allergic reactions regularly.
July 2nd, 2008 - 11:26 am
Pixie you poor dear! Haven’t you heard the saying “three strikes and you’re out” (or “in” as the case may be). The giant hamster ball sounds like a good idea and a lot of fun too! Have a great and more importantly, SAFE holiday weekend.
July 2nd, 2008 - 12:32 pm
darling pixie glad you are feeling better now you will have to rest up for a while look forward to your next posts when you are up to it love from tim
July 2nd, 2008 - 12:51 pm
Dear Pixie,
Once again, your love of the outdoors makes me simply like you……
HUGS for your bite….:)))
I can’t think of anything else to say: I like you.
July 2nd, 2008 - 1:20 pm
You poor girl!!! I am TERRIFIED of spiders so I would have freaked out if I discovered that one had bitten me. Yuck.
I love the outdoors too so I am crossing my fingers that your rafting experience is great and that the bugs leave you alone!
July 2nd, 2008 - 2:25 pm
The brown recluse is no critter to fool around with.
You need to go back to the doctor several more times to make sure that the area completely clears up. It doesn’t matter how good it looks or how well you feel. Make sure that you complete the course of antibiotics. Billy
July 2nd, 2008 - 2:49 pm
Pixie — I’ll skip all my outdoor jokes; this story horrified me! I’m so sorry you had to go through that; I would have been scared out of my wits. I’m glad you’re OK and your boyfriend is so vigilant.
Chloe, I currently have two healing bruises on my left shin and two healing cuts on my right shin. Furniture is not my friend. I would bruise myself on air if it had sharp edges.
July 2nd, 2008 - 6:49 pm
I think it’s time for you to star in a medical fetish video “ripped from the headlines” of your life in the past few months.
I love whitewater rafting. I did a raft trip once in North Carolina on a river with a wonderful name: the French Broad.
July 3rd, 2008 - 4:14 am
So sorry to hear about the incident sweetie (HUGGGGS) Hope you feel better soon. Normally I’d add jokes about you becoming “spider girl” ala Tobey Maguire, but I think I’ll let those go.
Have a Happy 4th of July weekend.
July 3rd, 2008 - 10:49 am
Ugh! I can’t believe you protested the ER. I have been terrified of brown recluse spiders since I was little. They are NJs smaller version of black widows, and they, along with all other spiders, terrify me. There is a guy who goes to SL parties, he was bit twice on the face by brown recluse spiders…and now he’s pretty much a mental mess. The poison is dangerous, gets into your nervous system and can *^(* you up.
Keep up with the antibiotic and I’ll keep you in my thoughts. Post a pic of a spider on your blog again and I’ma gonna mail you the Shadow Lane hairbrush!
Kate
July 3rd, 2008 - 3:27 pm
Brat V - Yeah, I just can’t seem to be content with staying cooped up indoors. Jet skiing and knee boarding sounds like a blast!!! I’d love to try that sometime. Have a great time.
Dreams of Horses - Yeah, I am glad that I got it treated quickly. It looks and feels a thousand times better already and after googling some cases of recluse bites, I agree it’s better to be safe than sorry.
2Good - If the problem is being too sweet, I think I may change my diet to include less candy and more vinegar potato chips.
Chloe - Yeah!! We’ll be bubble brats! Invincible and able to roll over and crush anything (or anyone) that gets in our way. Muahahahaha.
Prefectdt - No place is safe then! Might as well risk going outdoors. And rafting in a hamster ball. Hmmm … who needs a boat! I’ll just zip down the river in my giant bubble.
Jai - That is terrible!!! I’m so sorry that the spider did so much life altering damage.
Dave - I concur my good doctor.
Dr. Ken - Yeah, I definitely don’t want to be taken out by a spider of all things. “Remember that Pixie chick who once played Little Miss Muffet? Yeah, well she was snuffed out by a spider. Oh the irony.”
Tony - when will we learn not to pick fights with the furniture? The furniture always wins.
JC - Yeah. I really am just a giant histamine with feet.
Paul - What happens when it’s already been five strikes? Do I get a do over?
I plan to be super safe this weekend. I’m sure the ER is going to be packed with other weekend warriors!
tim - I’m well rested and have just posted again! Enjoy.
dani - thanks sweetie! I wish the outdoors had a different way of showing me love back.
Kat - I plan to douse myself with two tons of sunscreen and bugspray. Watch me end up so slippery that I slide right out of the raft!! (knock on wood) And if any biting bug crosses my path, I’m going to smack it with the paddle.
Billy - I am taking the antibiotic faithfully which is really something as I’m often terrible about remembering to take medications. And I’ll be sure to have a follow up too.
Erica - Yes, once my bf threatened to throw me in the back of the truck if I didn’t comply, I knew he meant business and off we went. I’m glad he can be as stubborn as me.
Southern Expat - LOL!! True. And I’ve gotten more shots in my bum in the past few months than I have in a decade. Should have brought a camera and a model release form.
David 007 - Actually I think that’s a good idea. I should at least get to have spidey sense for my troubles.
Kate - I probably should have put a content warning up! Not adult content, but arachnid content. Caution!!
Hmmmm … I guess you don’t want to hear about the time I found a giant wolf spider in my bathtub? >:)
July 3rd, 2008 - 5:04 pm
No thank you. I could tell you about the time when I was 7 and a black widow was crawling up my chest…yes, in good old Sussex County! Heaven only knows what’s lurking up there!
July 4th, 2008 - 1:50 am
Wouldn’t it be cool if, in a couple of weeks, Pixie is suddenly able to start skittering up the walls? Who’s gonna spank her if she can swing between buildings?
I wanna shoot THAT video.
July 4th, 2008 - 4:22 am
I’m coming into this one late, but I’m SO sorry to hear what you went through. I actually love spiders, but I gasped audibly when I read that you were bitten by a brown recluse. That’s horrible. I’m just so glad you’re okay. If there’s a next time (and I sure hope there isn’t, PLEASE don’t delay the medical treatment!! (This is too serious for a tongue-in-cheek spanking “threat,” IMO.) Take care.
Jeff
PS: Speaking of medical treatment, I must admit I’m envious of all your recent numerous shots in the bum — but NOT of what you’ve had to go through to get them!
July 11th, 2008 - 1:24 pm
You are lucky you went to the er when you did. Brown recluse venom is tissue necrotic. you could have ended up with a huge spot of dead skin and muscle that wouldnt ever heal right. Nasty little things, brown recluses.
August 7th, 2008 - 9:40 pm
Make sure you got the right antibiotic. Often times MRSA is mistaken for a spider bite. Just to be safe I would scrub down the house with bleach or anti-bacterial cleanser. Change the sheets every other day and make sure you keep the area clean and dry. Get a culture to be sure. You don’t want to mess with MRSA.
August 7th, 2008 - 9:51 pm
Thanks ardech.
No need to worry though. The ER doc was correct in his diagnosis and treatment as I’ve healed up completely and quickly.