deer ticks

 As you will recall, we went for a hike in the woods when Everett was on staycation.

The day after, I was shocked to find a tick embedded 

in the right side of my abdomen above my hip 

where my jeans hit my waist.

I pulled it out with tweezers in a nano second.

It was so disgusting.  

The bite area was extremely 

red and irritated and swollen for a whole day.

Of course my first thought was

LYME DISEASE.

LUCKILY, a mom from the studio 

gave me the info as to where to send the tick for analysis

if ever I found one on me or my family.

I am so grateful to this lovely mom 

(she has dealt alot with ticks and Lyme disease).

Now, some towns will test the tick for Lyme for you 

if you take the thing to your local health department.

I would rather do it myself.

I sent the tick to:

The Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

University of Connecticut

Department of Pathobiology

61 N. Eagleville Rd. U-89

Storrs, CT 06269-3089

 Send the bug dead or alive in a damp paper towel in a ziploc baggie in a crush proof container.

The lab will call you in 3-5 days with results and will follow up with a letter with all the details.

Bill for $30-40 will follow.

I was happy to find that the tick I found in me was:

an adult female

slightly engorged (gross!)

head and mouth parts missing

(because they were stuck in my side...nice.)

LUCKILY and most importantly

it tested 

NEGATIVE for the Borrelia burgdorferi 

(the causative agent of Lyme disease)

THANK GOODNESS!

If you live in these parts you know how horrible Lyme disease is.

So I am passing this info on to you

just in case you ever come across a tick on you or yours.

I did go to my physician to document and show him the bite.

Not a whole lot he can do

until one knows the kind of tick

one is dealing with or if one has flu like symptoms

and/or that bulls eye rash.

I found the following info here.

Removing Ticks

Ticks need somewhere between 24 and 48 hours to spread infection, so if you spot one, remove it immediately. Here’s how:

1. If possible, put on latex gloves.
2. Use tweezers to grasp near the attachment point and pull back.
3. Clean the bite area with soap and warm water, your hands and the tweezers.

Final Tips

Watch the infected area for a small red ring or rash. A rash could mean that a part of the tick remained inside the skin and will work it’s way out. A red ring could indicate possible lyme disease. Fluid could be a sign of an infection.
Remember, the tick will not back out (unless it is fully engorged and ready to drop off). You must pull it out. Also, do not use other methods to remove the tick such as burning the tick, using nail polish remover or petroleum jelly. These methods do not work and can cause the tick to release more pathogens into the epidural layer.