Attacked!

Short story:

I was stung by a scorpion at least 3--and possibly 5--times on Saturday night!

Back story:

We've been in New Mexico for almost 6 years now, and the sight of a scorpion still creeps me out every time. I was the first in our family to "meet" a scorpion: tail to toe. A few months after we arrived, I was sitting at my computer when I felt a pin prick on the side of my foot. I thought I had found a tack. I looked down and saw a scorpion and started screaming. I woke the whole house. I was sure I was going to die!

We later learned the NM scorpions sting, but are not deadly. Over the past 5 years, we've seen dozens of scorpions, and we've had a few stings. Papaw was stung on the arm while napping on his bed. My sister-in-law found one in a basket of clean laundry. John woke up screaming one night after a scorpion danced on his leg (stinging several times in the process). We aren't sure how many times he got stung. Amazingly, none of the kids have been stung!

Current story:

And then it was my turn again. I was sitting on the bed at 3 a.m. Yes. I was awake at 3 a.m. John and I were having a "discussion". I was wearing one of John's t-shirts. Mid-sentence, I felt a prick on the front of my neck--right in the middle. I screamed and jumped as I felt another prick on my upper right arm. Again I jumped and the next stick was on my chest.

Along the way, I started screaming, "SCORPION!" and then I ripped off my shirt. John immediately grabbed me and dragged me into the kitchen to dose me up with Benedryl. (I grabbed a towel to cover up with on the way out!)

We returned to the room to find the critter. Fortunately, it was still curled up in my shirt. But with our new pillowtop bed, John wasn't able to smash it. He had to catch it. With nothing else in sight, he dumped out a dish of cookies on my desk and used the container.

When we stopped to look, I had 1 bite on my neck, and 1 or 2 bites each on my upper arm and chest. A couple of them swelled pretty bad, but all the signs were gone by morning. When I finally calmed down enough to lay down, I felt something on my leg. Sure it was phantom feelings, I shook my leg--and found a Japanese beetle crawling on me! It didn't bite, but it freaked me out.

Eek!