Spider Bites!

I moved in with my mother and step-father escaping one of  my many failed relationships.  This was around July/August of 1981.  I was sunbathing (and fell asleep) when I was awakened by a sharp pain in my right side.  I fell back to sleep and was awakened by another jab in my side.  I was dreaming that I had fallen on one of the sharp iron poles

that surrounded the cemetery across from where I lived in Upper Darby at 292 Kent Road.  This made me sit up.  I lay on this type lounge chair

with this type cushion

and buried in one of the buttons was a dark ball.  Turned out to be a black widow. 

 

You can read up on what to expect http://www.desertusa.com/july97/du_bwindow.html or here http://www.medicinenet.com/black_widow_brown_recluse_pictures_slideshow/article.htm but here’s what happened to me.

It happened on a Sunday afternoon and, except for the naps laying in the sun, I didn’t sleep again until Wednesday night.  Mind you, it didn’t bother me none.  In fact, except for the fact this was in the days before all night TV, it was pretty boring!  I saw all the channels have the flag ceremonies and heard the Star Spangled Banner songs and the stations fade.  Like this http://www.tv-signoffs.com/clips/KTVU-signoff-1980.htm.  (The internet is so cool!  Thanks Al and where were you during these days?)

I even visited the emergency room.  They just wanted to observe me for an hour and they sent me home.  They weren’t sure what was going to develop but they did give me a laundry list. 

By Monday a strange and unexpected symptom developed.  I began sweating profusely from right above my knees to my ankles.  This was exactly on both legs.  At first I just ignored it but then it just felt too weird.  I began toweling myself off using many of my towels but after they were exhausted I grabbed whatever I could at my mom’s.  In 2-3 hours I probably used all I could find.  I then started doing the laundry.  It was like I was a sponge or something.  Wringing myself out.  When my legs started to itch I began sitting in a little water in the bathtub as this seemed to provide some relief.  I almost dozed off several times but snapped awake whenever my chin touched my chest. 

Things then began to change for the weirder.  The length of the sweating changed.  It was still at my ankles but moved down my leg at a rate of ¼”/hour.  By Wednesday I just had a small band around the ankles and then that stopped too.

I never had cramps, pain, spikes in appetite, nausea or any of the other symptoms mentioned that those bitten might go through.  I just wish there was something I could have been doing all this time.  I went back to work on Thursday and just chalked this up to vacation time.  I didn’t even know how to claim it as sick.