Beware of Ticks

April and May are the months when ticks make their appearance.  They are very dangerous and do not show any particular respect for age.  Tick bites can even cause death as well as diseases like Lyme Disease.  Certain areas are more prone to them than others.

You cannot feel them when they are on the skin, and once they bite, it is too late.  Be very careful when hiking or walking in woods and forests.  Cover up as much of the body as possible by wearing long pants and long sleeves.

The diseases can be treated with antibiotics.  However, prevention is always best.

Grandma Nature

Are ticks interested in older skin?  It’s possible that they are less interested, but I am living proof that they still find parts of a grandmother’s body succulent.

At my appointment for a quick follow-up to my annual checkup the doctor said to leave my skirt on.  He would just listen to my heart.  “Oh, no”, I said.  “I have something to show you!”  The evening before I had discovered that I had something uncomfortable on my backside, but it was not where I could see it   I wanted the doctor to tell me what it was, thinking that it might have picked up a tick walking in high grass to pick wild flowers with our two little granddaughters.  The doctor confirmed that it was indeed a tick.  The nurse removed it, a photo was taken (!) for research, and I was congratulated on having it removed properly.

Apparently the tick will still search out the soft skin of hidden areas no matter what your age.  Take a tick seriously.  Lyme disease is well known, and there are multiple other diseases borne by ticks.

• Learn about ticks in your area.
• Use a tick repellent and wear long trousers tucked into your socks when hiking in the forest or through high grass.
• Check your body for ticks if you have been in tick territory, including behind the ears and in your hair.
• If you have a tick, have a doctor remove it if possible.  If not,
• Remove a tick by pulling it straight out with a pair of tweezers close to the skin and save the tick in a plastic to show a doctor. Carefully wash and disinfect the skin where the tick was removed.
• If there is any swelling or redness, especially a bull’s eye, around the sore see a doctor immediately