In our line of work, landscaping/gardening, don't forget one of the unfortunate consequences....
Tick Bites.
One of my patients showed me on Tuesday the location of where he had pulled an engorged tick off of his skin. It had the bullseye inflamed red ring around the site. So, off to the medical professionals I sent him because it might be Lyme Disease.
We had a very informative session last Wednesday with our local health department about Lyme Disease (named after Lyme Connecticut):
how it contracted, how it can be prevented, what are the symptoms.
Ticks like warm places... the black legged tick takes a ride on warm blooded animals such as deer and mice biting them. The tick is not born with Lyme Disease. It gets it from the warm blooded animals that it first bites. Then when it bites a human, it transfers that bacteria to the human. If the animal was not positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, then the human that the tick bites will not be positive for Lyme Disease.
So check all those warm spots... hair, behind the ears, armpits, private areas, feet, ankles. The lady from the Health Department said that most cases reported were from people who garden.
Ahh... it reminds me of the Bubonic Plague.
Gross.
~k
We don't have ticks on the coast so much, but up country they need to be very aware of them.
ReplyDeleteThere are always one or two stories of people who have contracted Lyme disease over the summer. It definitely is something that you don't want.
Jen
Muddy Boot Dreams
EEEKKK! I didn't know gardeners get bit a lot. I will be extra careful. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteDon't stop gardening, just be careful. I wrote a part two.
ReplyDelete~k
Hmmm, I always debate if I should educate myself on such things or be blissfully ignorant. I will watch out for ticks as I'm working in the mountains this summer, and we do have ticks.
ReplyDelete