Ouch! I jumped out of bed. My cat, Dulcie, went flying; my dog, Sunny, sprang to attention; and I went running to the kitchen to see what the heck happened. Something had stung or bitten me. Wow, did it hurt! I popped a Benadryl and a Tylenol, then returned to the bedroom and threw back the sheets. There, looking right at me, antennae raised, was a six-inch long centipede. Yuck!
I went to find something to capture it in. I grabbed a plastic bowl with a lid. I slammed the bowl over the creature, then realized I had tossed the lid too far away to reach it without letting go of the bowl. I tried to slide it along the bed to reach the lid, but the bowl slipped, and off he went.
I’ve been told that centipedes are poisonous in this neck of the woods, but then, what isn’t? (smile) Not knowing just how poisonous, I googled for information. I read that they are not lethal to humans and that they grab with their pincers then pierce the skin and inject poison. These images were (not) very comforting. I scrolled down quickly to find out how to treat the wound. At a hospital, analgesics and narcotics would be given to reduce the pain. It is important to clean the site thoroughly to avoid infection. A tetanus shot is also suggested. So I washed the area well. I had already taken pain relievers, and my very thorough physician, bless her heart, had given me a tetanus vaccination less than a week earlier.
Since it was midnight, I texted my only fellow night owl friend, and she called me. We talked for about an hour. Of course, just before we hung up, she said she was going to check her sheets and go to bed, then asked me how I was ever going to sleep not knowing where the centipede was now? Thanks, friend. Good night.
Eventually, with lights on and another check of the sheets, I tried to go back to sleep. The pain was excruciating. I got up and took 800 mg of Ibuprofen and another Benadryl. That must have knocked me out, because the next thing I knew it was morning. The bite was just below the fingernail on my left ring finger. My whole finger was swollen and stiff, but the pain had subsided. Within 24 hours, as I expected from my research, an ugly blister
formed.
Having time to reflect on the incident, I decided to investigate the significant spiritual message that centipede brings to us. According to the Chinese, it was wealth and winnings. The Chinese are known to carry a centipede pearl in their pocket when they go gambling. So what did I do? I bought two lottery tickets—something I rarely do. What the heck? If you see a Lamborghini with a chestnut mare on the door or a Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail Classic with the same picture on the tank, you’ll know the bite was worth it!
Cate Drown, certified Sumerel Therapy technician, specializing in equines, can be contacted at drown_cate@hotmail.com.