Trying (unsuccessfully!) not to flip out

I'm still shaky. I was taking a shower and felt something on my hip. Flicked/picked it off...it looks like a tick! OMG I think I'm going to die. Where in the heck do you pick them up? Yes, we live in the woods in the middle of nowhere, but I've never seen one! Gonna go check my dog, because we slept with the window open for the first time last night (it's still only 49 degrees out right now at almost noon) and she kept wanting out. DH let her out around 1 am but we got really mad at her after that. I wonder if it came in on her. She sleeps on our bed. OMG, also off to sterilize and change the bedding.

If you could flick it off it must not have been around for too long. Had you gone outside at all before you found it? I've had to dig them out with tweezers before. I was skittish for days after that!

No! And the day before I was only outside for a max of about 1/2 hour because the bugs are so bad here right now. I planted some radishes (in a planter - wasn't even out in a garden!), watered 2 hanging baskets, dead-headed the daffodils, and picked up some dog doo....all at top speed! And you're right, it couldn't have been there for long, because he wasn't attached well.

I'm actually feeling a little psychic. While Geocaching on Sunday I said out of the blue "You know, we really ought to keep a pair of tweezers with us when we do this. If I got a tick on me I would freak out if I couldn't get it off right away." I refuse to believe he's been hanging around since Sunday afternoon. That's just too awful to think about.

if it was stuck in you then it may have been, if it was just crawling on you, then probably not. Clean it with alcohol, bathe the dog and go on with your business....not much else you can do.

They have to be attached for 24 hours or more (usually) to transmit disease to you. It is gross and all, but you should be fine.

It's going to be okay Lori! I know a friend of mine whose baby girl was "ticked", but she was able to pull it off easily. Took her to the ped, and found nothing...

If you feel out of sorts the next few days, then definitely see a doctor!

BTW: Can you read my future?

2BzzOrNot2Bzz wrote:

BTW: Can you read my future?

If anything comes through, I'll definitely let you know!

Eeeewwww! I've never encountered one personally either Lori, and ticks are pretty prevalent around here as well. Although, 2 summers ago my in laws found one on their dog.... it had obviously been there a long time he was HUGE! They sent it in for testing and it turned out fine. If it just flicked off with no fight you should be fine, he probably wasn't attached. But I do know you should never remove one that is attached without tweezers or you leave part of it in your skin and they can still transmit disease without their bodies. Break out the rubbing alcohol for where he was and the good alcohol to calm your nerves : )

Ok I have seen a tick at an emergency room half embedded into the skin.The proper way to do it is to put a glob of vaseline over the tick and then remove it with tweezers.If it did bite you Lori,go to a doctor,you will have to take antibiotics to make sure you don't get lyme disease.Don't fool around with this.They will probably give you doxycycline

Don't flip out,just go.Also check your doggy if it was out in the grass.And if you go out again into the woods,make sure you cover yourself up,pant bottoms tucked into socks

oh wow- we check for ticks all the time here- sometimes we find them before they attach- sometimes we dont and have to pull them out.

I guess we are just used to them. at night before bed we do a tick check, but the kids pull a few ticks a week off a dog or two-

dont freak- lymes is not quite as prevelent as you think- its out there, but I have never known anyone who didnt get at least one tick a year embedded on them, and know OF one person with lymes- I dont KNOW them, I just know OF them.

Thats actually the one thing that pisses everyone off about me not smoking anymore- it the inability to have a lighter onhand or a lit cigarette to kill them with. and no ashtray to put them in when they are found. LOL

of course here west nile is more prevelent than lymes. but we all still go outside- we found out that its like the common cold, most folks get it/have it/got over it and never realized they had it.

I just dont like skeeters period. LOL

here maybe this will make you laugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G--JyVxZmGQ

Hey Chelle,I never had one in my life! But then again I live in the city lol