Thursday, July 18, 2013

PSA: Fire Ants

This PSA (Public Service Announcement) is brought to you by my left foot!

Yes, I am laughing about this. However, this is no laughing matter. 

A few days ago, I was walking Lucky in an area we don't normally walk, I saw a giant anthill. I thought I had avoided it completely. Nope. I kept walking and look down and there were roughly 20 tiny dark red, almost black ants on my left foot. And it felt like it was burning, literally.

I swatted them off and my foot was still burning. There were still a few on there and a few feet away, I got them off. I was seriously freaked out.

To be honest, we don't have fire ants in Omaha. Not any I had ever run into. 

So, I went inside, took some allergy medicine and text B. He immediately called me. He asked what the ants looked like, and told me they were fire ants. I had no idea they were so tiny and evil. (I actually looked up fire ants and there were some sites that said they weren't in Texas, they lied). B had to call me back, he had to find out what to do.

He calls me back, I had to put anti-itch cream on the bites/stings and PRID, a drawing salve. Also, I needed to stay awake because we had to make sure that I was not allergic to them. See, they can cause a severe allergic reaction to a person and close up an airway. Yes, they can be serious. Thankfully, I am not severely allergic to them and my throat didn't close up. Thank God. He was worried because I had never experienced fire ants.

So, allergy medicine (something like Benadryl), anti-itch cream, and a drawing salve (PRID is natural and I found it at a pharmacy). If your throat closes up, call 911 or have someone take you to an ER immediately. Yes, they are a bite/sting, but if you have never experienced them, you need to take it seriously, just like a bee, wasp, etc sting.

I will not subject you to a picture of my foot. The bites now have white heads, apparently the poison is going to the surface. Do not pop them or scratch them. They need to heal on their own and itching/popping can spread the poison.

This is not all fact, just what worked for me, so far. Consult your doctor if you are concerned and keep away from the ants! I still feel creepy crawlies on my foot/body when I go outside. Yuck.


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