Scorpions Suck!

Not the original offender, he died. Ha!

Last week I was asleep under my mosquito net when suddenly two sharp pains shot through my right index finger. I moved my hand away in aching surprise and rummaged for my flashlight. It reminded me of the searing pain I had when stung my hornets... earlier this year. (I was stung 4 times in less than a half hour. It was awful.)

Unfortunately, hornets were the least of my concern. Instead, my flashlight revealed a brown scorpion, 3 inches long, furiously trying to get out of my net. He had somehow squeezed his way inside (since my net is tucked in at night) and was spitting mad he was trapped. But he couldn’t have been more mad than I was at that moment of realization.

I slowly pushed him to the side, slid out of my bed and then wacked him till he convulsed into a pile of brown mush on my floor. Stupid scorpion. I wanted to squish him even further... and who knows maybe light him on fire, but the throbbing in my hand distracted me.

Instead, I dressed and rushed across the compound for Dr. Tom’s help. It was two in the morning but I had to wake him. Tears of pain trickled down my face as I explained I was stung by a scorpion. Twice.

He jumped up, awake in seconds but just stood there looking at me bent in pain outside his door.
-- “Umm. What do you do to treat a scorpion bite?” He asked. “I’ve not seen one yet.”
-- “Lidocaine!” I almost screamed. The pain radiated to my shoulder. I couldn’t help but worry I’d die of anaphylactic shock from an allergic reaction. “Numb my finger with lidocaine!”
-- “Ok. You got it kiddo. You are gonna be okay. I have some in my bag right here.”

The few minutes it took him to fill the syringe and jab me with lidocaine, I spent on the floor bent in frustrated pain. It was intense. I thought I was a toughy until this. Wowzeers.

Within minutes my hand was numb; I couldn’t feel it at all. What bliss! But the radiating pain persisted in my arm. I thanked Tom behind embarrassed tears and quickly rushed away. I didn’t want to appear to be the sissy that I was. Imagine that. Crying over a stupid scorpion bite.
I guess I’d live after all.

Once back in my room, I took a paracetamol and Benadryl cocktail and was able to fall asleep within the hour. The next morning, my hand was stiff and very tender but by the end of the day was working just fine.

Conclusion: Scorpions suck.

Picture taken from this website.