Really great 24 hours!

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MesquiteMan

MesquiteMan

Retired Head Moderator
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Oct 18, 2005
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5,680
Location
San Marcos, TX, USA.
I had a GREAT 24 hours a couple of days ago, NOT!!

I was cleaning up the shop a couple of nights ago and felt something sting my hand. It hurt like a scorpion sting so I went looking for the little bast** to kill him! No luck, but I did find a Brown Recluse spider! Upon closer inspection of my hand, I found 2 little "fang" marks. If you are not aware, a brown recluse is more poisonous than a rattlesnake!

Anyway, did a little research on BR bites and found something on a homeopathic site that said to apply a poultice of activated charcoal. Well, my mom is into that homeopathic stuff so I went to her house and got fixed up.

Later that evening, as I was taking getting ready to take a shower, I found out that the water heater had gone out and I had a lukewarm shower! I woke up the next morning and was working on the water heater, not wearing any shoes, of course! As I stepped out of the water heater closet, I ended up stepping on a piece of hard plastic. It hurt like heck and when I took a look, I saw lots of blood! A few hours later, I had 5 new stitches in my toe!

So, in 24 hours, I got bit by one of the most poisonous spiders in North America, got to repair a broken water heater, and got 5 stitches! Man, what a day!

The good news, however, is that the activated charcoal did wonders and I have no ill effects from the BR bite, the water heater was an easy, cheap fix, just had to replace the thermocouple, and my toe is healing well with little pain!
 
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I have seen some ugly results of the brown recluse. Take care of that wound!
 
I'm glad things turned out for the best, Curtis! :biggrin:

That kind of reminds me of your close call about three years ago with the pressure pot - it was bad, but it wasn't REAL bad!! Sheesh! :eek::biggrin:
 
Do be sure to keep an eye on that spider bite. Just because it looks clear today doesn't mean your in the clear.

If at any point it swells or starts to change color, go see a doctor immediately. BR bites are not to be taken lightly as you've probably read.
 
Congratulations, you are still breathing! WOW! You are trying to use up all my luck? Stop it!

One big question, did you send the BR to Seamus to be cast? That would make you a wonderful souvenir.:rolleyes::smile::tongue: Maybe even stabilize it in "Cactus Juice".

Charles
 
Very lucky man. I have found 4 small scorpions IN the house, so far. Wonder how many are here that I haven't found yet? :eek: I think they're coming in thru the attic. Sorry to hear about your rotten 24 hours.
 
Watch the bite site for a few days, it can still be a problem. Hope all goes well.

I was stung by a Bark Scorpion a few months ago, just after I moved into this apartment. I was barefoot and I must have stepped on it and it got my foot right between toes. Hurt like heck for hours and my whole leg up to my ... you know what... was numb and tingling for weeks. After that I saw 2 more INSIDE the light fitting. I reported it to manager and they sealed EVERYTHING in the apartment. Haven't seen one since.... but I keep looking under the sheets before going to bed.
 
I think we should all vote to give Curtis a do over !!! Thank God you're ok boss!!! One of the rattlesnakes I get, got me before I could get him about 2 weeks ago, it's not been fun !!! I feel your pain my friend !!!
 
Look on the bright side....You didn't die from the bite, you now have hot water again, and the bleeding has stopped. Hope the rest of your week goes better.
 
triw51 said:
Glad things turned out for the better. How did you use the charcoal on the BR bite?
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I had read a homeopathic site about using it as a poultice so I gave that a shot. I went over to my Mom's house and she made up some concoction with flax seed flour or something like that as a binder. This made a real think, sticky poultice. I then piled it on the bit site and wrapped it with gauze and kept it on for a couple of hours, then changed it after my cold shower and left it overnight. Now, who knows how much "venom" he actually injected. It could have been a very little I guess. Not sure how those guys work. I do know that it is possible to get a dry bit with rattlesnakes but not sure about spiders. I know it hurt like hell for about 6 hours before I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, it still hurt a little but was more numb than anything. It happened Monday night so it has been 4 days now with no ill effects.

Been stung by scorpions more times than I can remember and this was much more painful.
 
wolftat said:
Look on the bright side....You didn't die from the bite, you now have hot water again, and the bleeding has stopped. Hope the rest of your week goes better.
Click to expand...

That's kinda the way I am thinking, Neil! They way I look at life...if it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger!
 
I want to say get back in the shop; but then again - perhaps you should take a few days off. Hope all the body parts heal fast and healthy.
 
Glad everything's ok. But you did have one positive during that 24 hours....cause I know I sent you a chunk of money. :wink:
 
IPD_Mr said:
MesquiteMan said:
I I have no ill effects from the BR bite
Click to expand...

I sure hope you were kind and set out a bottle or Pepto Bismal for the spider. :tongue:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was real kind to him when I crushed his freaking head in with a stick! Matter of fact, I had to scrape him off the floor in order to take him into the woodshop area with better lighting and a magnifying glass to get a better look for a positive ID!
 
I had an old Dr. tell me to put liquid Lysol on any bites or stings as soon as they happen. I've been a test dummy with scorpion, wasp, bee, and hornets. No pain, no swelling, just the aroma.
 
I, too, have heard horror stories about the Brown Recluse! Glad to hear your treatment worked for it!

Remember, as my boss always says, "No Matter How Bad Things Are ... They Can Always Get WORSE"!

Hope your's gets BETTER!
 
MesquiteMan said:
I had a GREAT 24 hours a couple of days ago, NOT!!

I was cleaning up the shop a couple of nights ago and felt something sting my hand. It hurt like a scorpion sting so I went looking for the little bast** to kill him! No luck, but I did find a Brown Recluse spider! Upon closer inspection of my hand, I found 2 little "fang" marks. If you are not aware, a brown recluse is more poisonous than a rattlesnake!

Anyway, did a little research on BR bites and found something on a homeopathic site that said to apply a poultice of activated charcoal. Well, my mom is into that homeopathic stuff so I went to her house and got fixed up.

Later that evening, as I was taking getting ready to take a shower, I found out that the water heater had gone out and I had a lukewarm shower! I woke up the next morning and was working on the water heater, not wearing any shoes, of course! As I stepped out of the water heater closet, I ended up stepping on a piece of hard plastic. It hurt like heck and when I took a look, I saw lots of blood! A few hours later, I had 5 new stitches in my toe!

So, in 24 hours, I got bit by one of the most poisonous spiders in North America, got to repair a broken water heater, and got 5 stitches! Man, what a day!

The good news, however, is that the activated charcoal did wonders and I have no ill effects from the BR bite, the water heater was an easy, cheap fix, just had to replace the thermocouple, and my toe is healing well with little pain!
Click to expand...

The activated charcoal is pretty amazing stuff! I have used it for more than bites, and it seems to work pretty good for intestinal stuff. I'm glad it helped you so much! We had a lady at our church that had been bitten by a BR, and she HAD been to the doctor which told her to let it run its course! My Mom was the one who told her to put activated charcoal on it, but by that time it took up a large portion of her leg. I asked my Mom and she made a circle with her hands about the size of a grape fruit in relating how big the sore was. Anyway, after awhile of using the charcoal it went down so much that you can barely see where it was now according to my Mom!

David
 
I spray my home every 3 months to keep those little boogers away.
I spread moth balls around the house every 3 months to keep the snakes away.
I keep my shop cleaner than my car, sweep and mop it every day.
By doing these things I keep lady badluck away from my shop every day!!:)
 
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