Bit on Sunday night, Left Foot, between 2nd and 3rd toe, back of foot, note the pictures of back of foot, for target site of actual bite. Monday 8/14/06 Swelling redness Tuesday 8/15/06 Swelling, redness tenderness when walking Wed 8/16/06 Swelling, redness tenderness when walking Thur 8/17/06 Swelling and tenderness not getting better, went to Dr. He said I had gout...fever of 100.6, x-rays and blood test showed negative for gout. I told him it was a spider bite, but he insisted it was gout, put me on arthritis meds and arthritis pain meds. (Does not listen to patients well!) Was crying most of the night it was so painful. Friday 8/18/06 The pictures start on Friday, it is starting to blister, withinn 3 hours it was seeping, popped lots of advil. Had the diarrhea and was vomiting all afternoon, still had a fever, chills, woke up in the middle of the night with the worst headache in the world. Saturday 8/19/06 blisters are festering/draining, Bad night sweats. Sunday 8/20/06 Skin and tissue are dying, turning black, went to emergency at our local hospital, they couldn't believe that the Dr on Thursday said it was gout, and or course I was taking the wrong meds, and I should have been putting cold compresses on it (the Dr on Thursday told me NOT to put cold nor heat on it) they did surgery to remove dead tissue, and could not freeze it because of severe swelling (ouch, like its time to faint,) put me on antibiotics, painkiller, steroids. Mentioned possible skin grafts in future dependent on how it heals. Will be able to tell further as time goes on. Monday 8/21/06 picture shows a very red clean wound.
Week of 8/27/06. Dr. feels it is healing well, and will not need skin grafts, yaaaa.... VERY painful, put me on a nerve medication, lyrica to help with pain.
I was off work for over 2 weeks (and I have a desk job), this is the most painful thing that has ever happend to me. Had to stay on painkiller, advil and keep foot elevated, could hardly walk on it, but mostly painful when not elevated above my heart. Dr. who originally diagnosed me with gout, called me at home to apologize. The emergency room Dr and the surgeon must have called him and told him I had been in. I had to go back to the Surgeon, who is a Orthopedic specialist every other day for 2 weeks. Monday 9/4/06- Back to work, wound is healing, not painful anymore....but still tender, wearing gator garden clogs for shoeware... back to Dr. on Sept 11. Hope its the last time. 9/12/06- Dr. said it looked good, I don't need to go back. See picture from Sept 12 for how it looks one month after bite.
Don't let anyone tell you the the Brown recluse is not in WI or other states, with all the travel, wood hauled, mulch shipping from the south, they are around. I am certain that it what bit me, and I ordered the Brown recluse first aid kit and lots of spider traps! I don't ever want to go through this again!
