Saturday, March 24, 2012

Bit by a Scorpion

Not only was last week a rough week because the babies were sick with the flu, it was even worse because Cecilia ended up getting stung by a scorpion. Luckily, if that is any luck, the scorpions that roam around our house are of the "harmless" type according to the "stupid" nurse at the ER. Cecila was the first to get sick and also the first to get better. This all happened last Wednesday when it looked like a great day because everyone was feeling better, including me. I had stayed home from work on Tuesday to help melissa with the babies and ended up getting sick as well. So Wednesday looked like a great day to take them out shopping or just for s stroll at the park. They had just finihsed eating a snack and were having raspberries while we were trying to get shoes and everything else involved in gettiing them ready for an outing. (that in itself is a 15 minute charade) Cecilia was seating on the floor with her raspberry when all of a sudden we heard her scream and begin to cry. I was trying to figure out what happened when Melissa spotted it. Right by Cecilia's feet, tail still up in the air ready to strike again, a small light colored scorpion. I moved her away from it and handed her over to Melissa. I grabbed a basketball which was the nearest heavy thing around and smashed the scorpion with it. We've found them here and there around the house, mostly climbing along the walls or closer to the walls along the floor and when we see them, we kill them. Simple, this time curiousity got the better of Cecilia. So out we go to the ER with the other two babies in tow. Cecilia's reaction was not bad at all, she was whining and crying from time to time. Other times she was just her normal self; smiling and just chilling on the way to the hospital. As she cried, she held and stretched her arm which to me was an indication that the poison was making its way through her blood stream. By the time we got to the hospital it was full blown drama. Obviously she was in pain. It only took a few minutes to check in and get seen by the ER "nurse" who in his wide expertise deduced that Cecilia was crying out of anxiety at being at the hospital with strangers, not because of the pain. His comment was also that the scorpion sting (If not from a bark scorpion)it was more "like a bee sting" and that it would bother her for a few hours and maybe some tylenol would make her feel better. Boy was this guy so wrong! Cecilia twisted and screamed in pain. Nothing would make her happy. Eventually doctors called the poison control center who directed them to prescribe tylenol with codeine for the pain. As time went by she got calmer but with a few bouts of pain in between. By this time Melissa had stayed at hospital while I brought the other two home for their nap. It wasn't 'till Anthony got home that I was able to go back to hospital to get them. For the rest of the day Cecilia was not herself and even into the night she was restless but by the next morning she was back to the happy baby I knew. At least now we know what to do if it happens again. No rushing to the doctor to be diagnosed by a stupid nurse. put ice on the bite, give a nice dose of tylenol (with codeine) if available and lock yourself with them in a room to contain the crying and screaming. I sure hope it never happens again. Oh yeah! Looking for a great pest control person, know anyone?

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