I really do, Ive own tarantulas, I dont kill house spiders in my home (anything that eats those damn sugar ants is a friend of mine) but a few days ago I had a really nasty encounter. Thursday it felt like any other itchy insect bite and since mosquito season has started I thought, eh, whatever. Friday, the pain set it and the swelling started, the pain became excruciating and my arm from my elbow to my wrist throbbed. I suspected this was no regular bite and began to suspect the worst, Id been bitten by a brown recluse.

A little research later and I was almost certain of the fact. But it was the weekend...crap, I couldnt see the doctor till Monday. Yesterday I tried to soldier on. So I went to work and my wound seemed to get a hundred times worse. The swelling became a tight little ballon of agony on my arm. Most of my arm became red and enven the smallest movements caused a great deal of pain. It was obvious to my co workers I was in trouble. I couldnt put off seeing the doctor and early this morning I went to an urgent care treatment center.

So they had to slice this puppy open and squeeze out all the bad juice and let me tell you, if Id thought this thing was painful until that moment I had no freaking idea! Having to have those swollen and inflamed tissues mashed with as much force as the doc could manage and then probed and irrigated to cleanse the would and search for all the pockets of poison was excruciating. Got home and with the aid of pain killers was able to sleep (something I hadnt been able to do last night). And joy of joys, I get to go through this again tomorrow to push out any remaining pus/poison. Gonna be a good day yessir!

Sigh...the bad thing about the recluse it turns out is that the sucker is so small most poeple dont even know theyve been bitten until the itching starts (usually the second day), but the pain and infection ramp up quickly from that point on! Could have been worse though. At least I didnt suffer the necrosis of my flesh that some folks experience with these little bastards get you. So no cutting chunks offa me and no skin grafts.

Hope to heal soon (1 to 2 weeks Im told) cause typing one handed is a pain in the ass. For those of you who wanna see the grossness I posted a picture!!! Hey Im a sharer! [link]