Monday, February 12, 2007

The Sheep Worm

I grabbed my ringing cellphone and stepped outside to get a better signal. I took my usually "good signal place" under a tree in our front yard and began to chat. And then it hit.

An intense pain in the sole of my foot. I thought I had stepped on a bee, but the pain became more and more intense, and I had to hang up the phone. I searched the ground for what had stung me, and there it was... a sheep worm.

These babies are highly poisonous caterpillars that live in trees, but some times fall to the ground as the wind knocks them loose. They are called sheep worms because of their deceptively furry covering, which are actually thousands of little hypodermic needles poised and waiting for their next victim.

I told Denny to bring me an onion and a knife as quick as he could. I cut the onion and smeared it on the sting area, this brought some relief. Kelly went next door to get some help from a neighbor. He brought over a feather, some paper, some matches, a lemon, and a bottle of some black substance.

First he cut the lemon and rubbed it on the wound, this (like the onion) denatures the poison somewhat. He then lit the paper and waved it very close to the sting area. This singes off the minute hairlike stingers that get left behind by the caterpillar. Then he took the feather and dipped it into the bottle of black stuff, which turned out to be diluted creosote, and serves as a disinfectant. He smeared this on the affected area. Treatment complete.

By this time the poison had spread to my lymph nodes in my groin, where I was having cramp like pain. An hour later this pain subsided, but the pain in my foot continued for another 24 hours and then was numb for another 24 after that.

Such a little thing, that caused such lasting pain. I think words can be like that.