Hit by a Bus? Bit by a Spider? Same thing, really.

So... a week ago Saturday I was at my son's football game... sitting in the grass, enjoying the beautiful day and cheering them on to victory.

Little did I know, a icky, creepy, crawly, venomous Brown Recluse Spider sank its fangs into my right pointer finger. Ugh!

Sunday morning I woke up with a little red spot on the inside of my finger. It itched a bit but I didnt think too much about it... but as the day went on the spot got bigger and bigger and before bedtime it looked like a blood blister. Weird... but whatever. If its worse, I'll go to the Dr on Monday. I am not going to the ER for this...

Didn't sleep well that night... my finger was throbbing. I got up Monday morning and my finger was huge...and oozing... and had a pulse of its own... with a lovely red line from the spot to my wrist. I went to work... waiting for the Dr's office to open to make an appointment. I luckily was able to get in for the first appointment of the day.

They did some blood work... yup, I have an infection. They gave me 2 different kinds of medication, a shot in the butt, a sling to wear to help with the swelling and told me to return Tuesday. That red line I mentioned? Well, it went up my arm, took a turn at my elbow and was making it's way up to my armpit. Ended up with swollen lymph nodes as well.

The day went on... was feeling yucky, but waiting on the medicine to kick in.

Tuesday I woke up and felt like I was hit by a bus. My body HURT. Joints were throbbing, my calves were cramping, I was nauseaus and dizzy, and have a terrible headache. I went back to the Dr who said I should have gotten better, not worse... so she called a specialist within the same office and and infectious disease doctor at the U.

I went to the specialist right away and they were amazed at my nasty finger. He brought 6 other people in to look at it, take pictures, do cultures, etc. Only to later find out that little sucker caused me to get Strep too! New medications... which later resulted in healing (along with all the prayers I had).

I am thankful for this Dr... b/c of him I didnt have to stay in the hospital and I kept my finger. Many others with Brown Recluse bites arent so lucky.

As of today, my finger is peeling... almost like it was burned. My hand is a little achy and puffy at the knuckles but nothing like it was. What an ordeal!