Going Buggy

I have a bit of a bug phobia. I have become accustomed to (most) of our local bugs, but my desire to travel to warmer climates has been hindered greatly by the stories that I have heard about the new and improved varieties of bugs (and snakes!!) in higher temperature zones.

During my daycare days, head lice ran rampant through the school. I could almost feel the bugs in my own scalp as I read the notices, checked heads and learned that some of 'my kids' had picked up some lice from school. The lice didn't spread (my obsessiveness about sharing hats, combs and 'head space' saved the day more than once I'm sure), but it didn't help that it was a fact that these bugs had been in the house ... thus, could infest any one of us at any moment.

Then there was the time when our cat contracted a case of fleas. The unfortunate part is that the vet didn't diagnose them at first (I thought our cat was sick, but in fact he was just itchy and the vet thought it may be an allergic reaction to his food), so the fleas had at least two months to go forth and multiply within our home (and on our cat).

After the fact, we realized that the little cluster of 'bumps' on My Youngest's arm were flea bites. Ewwww!! We learned a lot about fleas and their endurance during that time.

Now there is much talk of bed bugs. I have heard this before but it felt so removed that I felt that we should be okay. "Don't buy used furniture" and "Keep your luggage off of the floor in hotels" were the precautions that I remembered. Now it seems that not only has a local used clothing/furniture store been infested ... but a new clothing store ... movie theatre seats .... ugh!!

A person simply can't obsess about this. Take precautions - yes. Be mindful of your habits - sure. But one cannot stop going to the movies out of fear.

It is one thing to think this. Another thing to do.

The night that we sat around and chatted about the bed bug situation, I noticed a line of little scabs on my hip when I got ready for bed. Oh no!! Could it be bugs?? Upon reflection, I remembered that I had been wearing some clothing that was far too tight (that is a story unto itself) and the line of scabs was right on a seam line that was irritated by my excessive hips. Whew! (not about the wide hips ... but about the lack of bug bites).

A few weeks later, I found a little cluster of scabs on my chest. Oh no! There is no excessive 'bulk' there, to account for clothing to bind and irritate this area of my body. Could it be?? Oh, I hope not ...

Then we noticed that our cat was losing weight. The last time (I thought) he lost weight was when he had fleas. So I just sat and watched him. Watchful of any symptoms of itchiness or fleas. Nothing. Then I remembered that he didn't lose weight when he had fleas. He lost hair (thus the illusion of a loss of weight). Maybe he is 'just' sick ...

I don't have the end to this story. But it is a distraction to have our cat lose 20% or more of his total body weight. It is my instinct to just go and buy him some kind of high calorie food. Or restart giving him the milk that we took away from his regular diet (this could be related). I do not even want to think of what kind of 'bug' may be accountable for such an extreme weight loss.

It puts my bug phobia into perspective when one thinks of how much worse it could be ...