This weekend while I was out hugging trees and clearing brush with a few coworkers, one of them identified the marks on my legs previously believed to be skeeter bits as chigger bites. I stopped dead in my tracks and giggled to myself because I figured if nothing else, this was the final step in my Great Southern Initiation/Transformation.
It wasn’t to be.
These were omitted from qualification on a technicality since they were acquired in Texas, not Georgia, so I sighed and moved on. Back to stomping through poison ivy and blackberry brambles, back to clearing a tangled mess of dead limbs and throwing them in the chipper on the waterfront of Nancy Creek in Chastain Park, back to obtaining mystery marks “With Love,” from nature.
My circle gets a square wasn’t seen/found until a few hours later, when I’d finished hurling practice and sat at Steinbeck’s with some teammates and a nice, cool adult beverage. It may resemble a bruise, but it’s not.
The Mc first hypothesized that it might be a tick bite but we (he) quickly ruled that out since it pushed me into warp speed planning my recovery from Lyme disease. His next guess was ringworm, while mine were avian flu or ebola. Or leprosy. I mean, if Mother Nature is going to take me down, it better be something really good.
Guesses? I have three doctor appointments scheduled in the next two weeks, and I don’t need one more for a silly mark on my arm.
30 Apr 07
9:01 am
A bite from an Ewok?
30 Apr 07
10:06 am
It’s a hickie. I’m not sure why its on the back of your arm, but I’ve seen stranger things.
30 Apr 07
12:48 pm
Oh my, you don’t want a chigger bite. It truly is 0% fun.
I’d gotta go with Kyle here, it’s a hicky for sure… but it looks self inflicted to me. Maigh, are you starving for attention?
30 Apr 07
3:30 pm
Could be ringworm – after reading your notes on it, I’d say that’s the front runner.
Chiggers are usually in tight spots – like your waistband or sock line. Just put nailpolish on them and they suffocate.
And the jesus is right – you don’t want a chigger.
30 Apr 07
4:01 pm
I was with you pretty much every minute in Tejas and I don’t have anything like that – and like Bear says, all you’d have to do for a chigger bite is put nailpolish on it.
It looks like the marks I had after my sleep study tech ripped off all the electrodes. Have you had anything taped to you lately?
30 Apr 07
4:20 pm
@ Jen – the legs started hurting/itching at the airport, so whateverthefugtheyare, I either got them the night before while hanging at the fire pit or walking/running on the riverfront while you were with the muscle guy. Either way, I hurt and itched before I even got on the plane.
30 Apr 07
4:36 pm
Doesn’t look like chiggers. Pic of chigger: http://tinyurl.com/a7yln
Another vote for ringworm: http://tinyurl.com/2rbrnz
Eewww!
I have a hip scar from racing that looks like that. Wanted to get the Mrs’ lip print tattooed over it. No dice.
30 Apr 07
9:12 pm
To clarify: chiggers –> on leg. Ring worm –> on arm.
30 Apr 07
9:57 pm
Holy pictures Slim, what the heck is the ringworm picture of? sick, sick, sicko!
01 May 07
12:11 pm
So where are the chigger pics?
01 May 07
1:01 pm
There won’t be any.
01 May 07
8:20 pm
i vote ringworm.
any poochies or horsies or the like?
02 May 07
8:27 am
@ mega…no poochies, no horsies. Just Amber: http://tinyurl.com/2f57ql
02 May 07
1:40 pm
I knew it was Amber all along.
23 May 07
3:14 pm
Mitigator Rules!
I can recommend a new “scrub” product called “Mitigator Sting & Bite Treatment”; to say that it is terrific is an understatement! It actually removes venom by exfoliating the top layer of skin, opening the pores and drawing out the toxins. I had instant relief from pain and itching and all traces of the sting disappeared within minutes. I found it on the web at http://www.Mitigator.net which is their military website. I called and they sold me (6) ½ ounce packages for about $2.00/pack (each resealable pack treats about 20 stings or bites). The only thing that can create a problem is if you wait too long to apply it, it should be rubbed in vigorously within the first few minutes after the bite or sting – the longer you wait, the less effective it is. I’ve used it on bees, wasps, fire ants (no blisters even appeared), mosquitoes and chiggers. They say it works on jellyfish but I’m a long way from the ocean so I haven’t needed it for that problem. No smelly chemicals, works great and is even safe for kids (the scrubbing replaces scratching so – no secondary infections). I should make a commercial for them!