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A Close Encounter Of The Arachnic Kind: Nurse Stories, Part Ten (By Kerry Weaver, R.N.) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Rated "G" by the Author.
A nurse has an unfortunate incident that lands her in the hospital. She had a close encounter with a poisonous spider. (The spider won.)
Guess where I am. I am at work, but I am NOT working. I am instead on the other end of the charts: I am a patient.
That's right. I am a patient, and I am afraid that I am NOT being a very patient patient...an IMPATIENT patient is more like it!
This is Kerry Weaver. Don't laugh; but that IS my name! HONEST! I am NOT a doctor, nor do I walk on a crutch, nor do I work at a hospital in Chicago. I am a nurse, I live and work here in Nashville, Tennessee, at Nashville Mem (Nashville Memorial), and I am married with a husband and two sons. (To my knowledge, the Kerry Weaver of the "E.R." tv show is not married and is a lesbian.) I also am as healthy as a horse...or WAS, until last night.
It all started last night, while I was in bed. I was asleep, and when I awoke several hours later, I was surprised to find my arm itching like mad. When I looked at my arm, I was surprised to find a red area on my left forearm, near my elbow, and the area itched like crazy. I don't remember being out the night before or around any mosquitoes; so I didn't think too much about it. But as the morning wore on, I started getting pain to go along with the itching, and when I looked at my arm later, the area looked worse, adn it was starting to turn a darker shade of red; and blisters were starting to form along the bite area. I also remember feeling weak and trembly, and I felt as though a fever was coming on; and I was starting to feel rather nauseated. The symptoms made me rather uneasy, so that was when I had my husband, Gregory, drive me to the hospital, to see what was going on.
I waited only an hour in the emergency room, and by now, I was feeling pretty bad. My arm was killing me, and when I looked at it, I was startled by what I saw. There was a blister as big around as my hand on my forearm, and it was as though someone had drawn a "bull's eye" around my forearm. The area around the bite was an angry dark-blue color, and I was feeling pretty nauseated and sweaty by now. In fact, I got sick a few times while waiting in the e.r. for the doctor to see me.
When I finally got to go to the back, a doctor came to see me, and he was the one who had told me that I had gotten bitten by a spider. But what kind, I had no idea; I didn't recollect seeing any spiders, and I was wondering how I gotten a hold of one when it bit me. The whole situation was maddening: all I was doing at the time I was bitten was sleeping in my bed; I never felt anything crawling on me or felt anything bite me on the forearm. I was sound asleep, and I was fine when I had gone to bed; when I woke up I found a red area on my arm, and didn't think anything about it until it started hurting and turning funny colors, and started feeling pukish and just plain bad; so that was when my hubby drove me to the E.R.
Now I am in the hospital, awaiting to go to surgery. I have a very bad spider bite on my arm, and the area is looking (and feeling) pretty nasty. I have to have surgery because the bite is causing my skin to rot out, and it is turning necrotic, meaning the poison is still doing its deadly work inside my body, and I am feeling pretty horrible. I have to have the area cleaned out and debrided, and I have no idea as to how long I will be in surgery or how I will do during the surgical procedure--or, as a matter of fact, afterwards. So until they come get me and take me to the O.R., I guess I will get off here before they get mad.
I will write as soon as I am able and let you know how I am doing. You may not hear from me for a few days, so please understand. All I CAN do is ask to keep me in your prayers because right now I can really use them!
Re-Release! No longer back-listed. Return to the Olde Ways. The hustle and bustle of modern day life has brought many of us to a quick fix attitude.This book is for those of you who are fed up; have looked at your life and your loved ones and realize
Guess where I am. I am at work, but I am NOT working. I am instead on the other end of the charts: I am a patient.
