Friend calls to tell me she just got bite by a Scorpion

[M.D. Holloway]

I got this call today from one of the admins - she is on vacation in AZ.

Me:"Hi this is Mike"

Les:"Mike? This is Les"

Me:"Whats up Les?"

Les: "I'm on vacation in Arizona with my daughter and I just got bite by a scorpion.

Me: “OK…ahh…well have you called poison control or a Rapid Med Center?”

Les: “No, I figured I call you first because you seem to know a bunch of stuff.”

Me: “Well, thanks Les but Scorpions are not my specialty, now if it was a spider, that’s a different story. Seriously though, call someone.”

Les: “OK, dang it is really tingling my foot.”

Me: “Les, let me ask you a few quick questions - when did it sting you, how big was it and what color was it?”

Les: “A few minutes ago. I guess it was about 2 maybe 3 inches long. It’s really light colored, a really light tan with stripes”

Me: “Sounds like a Bark Scorpion to me.”

Les: “Is that bad?”

Me: “Well, I think there are several types but the lighter ones are more venomous. Not to worry unless you’re a little kid or an old person the chances of dying are pretty slim but you should call someone just to be on the safe side.”

Les: “OK, well that makes me feel better.”

Me: “Oh ya, if you can, save the little bugger in a small jar filled with rubbing alcohol for me?”


I guess I should take it as a compliment but from a person who would call me before calling someone official? Well, I guess I should take it when I can get it....

[red-beard]

I would call them an IDIOT.

Shut up, go to a hospital.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

I got this call today from one of the admins - she is on vacation in AZ.

She should go to urgent care, the scorpions out there in AZ can be tougher than one thinks. Everything in AZ is about 10 times more dangerous than it's counterparts anywhere else.

If she's in Southern AZ, then she's screwed, because Urgent Care will take 4 hours before they even see that she's sitting there.

[M.D. Holloway]

Yup, she isn't on the good side of the bell curve bless her heart...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I see the 1-star retards are out in force.

My cousin (about 150 lbs) got stung by a little bark scorpion here in AZ a few years ago. He took a few Tylenol and went to bed. Woke up feeling fine, then realized she should've called Poison Control.

Odds are your friend will be fine.

[Gogar]

Who vacations in AZ in June-July? I mean, except for Jim Cesiro

[charleskieffner]

first and foremost you dont "get bite" by scor-peons! you get stung. by their TAIL!

now from a native that has BURNED MORE SCORPIONS TO HELL WITH WD-40 on his concrete and left a smoldering TATTOO of their outline to ward off their kuzzins.

first you capture alleged scor-peon. why? so the freeking doctors can ID it. if you cant capture it ask her how big? if really really big like 4"-18", dont worry about it.

if its an itty bitty wittle juan-1/4"- 3" and OPAQUE(ie. damn near see thru 'em) .......

THEN YOU NEED TO WORRY! it is a BARK SCORPION and its venom is nasty. if allergic ya got real problems .

secret to anti scor-peon-ing a house.................kill all crickets.

[nynor]

i hate scorpions. they freak my shizzle right out. i am not squeamish, ordinarily, and i will play with spiders and snakes, etc. but scorpions?!!? freaks of nature, hated little fkrs.

[red-beard]

You need to meet my friends, the fire ants. I hate those little effers!

[Zeke]

I hope she has sought out treatment.

From the Web:

"Often people tell men that they didn't know they were stung by a scorpion. It is important to recognize scorpion sting symptoms: immediate pain or burning, very little swelling, sensitivity to touch, and a numbness/tingling sensation.

If you are stung by any scorpion, including the venomous Arizona Bark Scorpion, here are some immediate actions you should take:

1. Wash the area of the scorpion sting with soap and water.
2. Apply a cool compress on the area of the scorpion sting. Ice (wrapped in a washcloth or other suitable covering) may be applied to the sting location for 10 minutes. Remove compress for 10 minutes and repeat as necessary.
3. If stung on a limb (arm or leg) elevate the limb to heart level.
4. Call the Banner Poison Control Center Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. If you develop symptoms such as numbness or tingling of extremities or face, blurry vision, or muscle twitching, roving eye movements, go to the nearest emergency room. Young children and older people who are stung by a scorpion should be taken to the emergency room immediately.
5. Keep your tetanus shots and boosters current."

http://phoenix.about.com/od/scorpions/qt/scorpionsting.htm

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by charleskieffner

first and foremost you dont "get bite" by scor-peons! you get stung. by their TAIL!

now from a native that has BURNED MORE SCORPIONS TO HELL WITH WD-40 on his concrete and left a smoldering TATTOO of their outline to ward off their kuzzins.

first you capture alleged scor-peon. why? so the freeking doctors can ID it. if you cant capture it ask her how big? if really really big like 4"-18", dont worry about it.

if its an itty bitty wittle juan-1/4"- 3" and OPAQUE(ie. damn near see thru 'em) .......

THEN YOU NEED TO WORRY! it is a BARK SCORPION and its venom is nasty. if allergic ya got real problems .

secret to anti scor-peon-ing a house.................kill all crickets.

Yes yes yes! Chuck! - hense the questions I axxed her!

[Joeaksa]

Getting tagged by one of them ONCE is not a big deal for most people.

A friend of mine got tagged 11 times by the same one (it was in his pants, it crawled there, stayed there after he put them on then hit him once he sat down... and 10 more times as he took them off) and ER got a visit. They recommended that for only one hit that you do the above but when its like my friend you need to come in.

She should be ok but if there are any complications, head to the ER.

[LeeH]

I haven't gone barefoot since I moved here in 1999. These are from my back yard. They're really active this time of year.

[rnln]

a scary place to live.

Originally Posted by LeeH

I haven't gone barefoot since I moved here in 1999. These are from my back yard. They're really active this time of year.

[charleskieffner]

EVERYTHANG is ACTIVE this time of year. day or night. since humidity levels have skyrocketed, critters are moving. in the last (2) weeks i have killed (2) 1.5 ft rattlers on road into my property. the last juan was around 10:15pm getting off work on edge of driveway. jammed brakes on truck, made beeline for STRATEGICALLY PLACED FULL AUTOMATIC TRU TEMPER SHOVEL, and WHACKED HIS SORRY ASS!

sooooooooooo.........the next morning at 5am i go out 3/4 asleep to view my prize kill. what do i find?????????????/

a freeking bull snake 1/2 the size of the rattler with a 1/4 of the rattler already down the bull snakes throat!!!! i had never seen this before in my life. by the time my mind said grab camera, the bull snake had dragged the rattler back to its LAIR to EAT HIM!

wonders of nature here 24/7/365.

[svandamme]

scorpion bite is not a problem, the venom is in the tail, tails don't bite

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by rnln

a scary place to live.

Nope, its not. Lee just happens to live in an area where there are a lot of scorpions. Have seen two this year and for many years (6+) did not see ONE.

On the other hand, yes Arizona is very scary. Do not even think about living here. Come, visit, spend money then go home.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Nope, its not. Lee just happens to live in an area where there are a lot of scorpions. Have seen two this year and for many years (6+) did not see ONE.

On the other hand, yes Arizona is very scary. Do not even think about living here. Come, visit, spend money then go home.

Joe's right. As this article explains - we live in a documented scorpion "hot spot" AND our house backs to a rocky hillside. Double whamy. And to think... we paid a premium for this lot!

[Joeaksa]

Nice link Lee, had not seen that. As well its been a warm spring so the scorpions are out and also all the female cats are having kittens. We are deluged with both right now.

[Heel n Toe]

I've seen enough Westerns to know you should shake your boots out before you put 'em on. For non-cowpokes, that'd be shoes.

And pants, too after what Joe says.

Yikes... can you imagine getting your johnson tagged by one of those thangs?