Hehe. She's already denied it.
Assuming the cat didn't already find the spider and eat it (he does that), I'm gonna find that 8-legged bastid tonight. That brown recluse is NASTY!
I don't think it was one of those though. Here's what WebMD says about brown recluse:
What are the symptoms?
Brown recluse spider bites don't always hurt right away. In fact, you may not know that you have been bitten until other symptoms appear. Symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite include:
* Reddened skin followed by a blister that forms at the bite site.
* Mild to intense pain and itching for 2 to 8 hours following the bite.
* An open sore with a breakdown of tissue (necrosis) that develops within a few hours to 3 to 4 days following the bite. This may take months to heal.
Some people have a severe, systemic (whole-body) reaction to brown recluse spider bites, including the rapid destruction of red blood cells and anemia (hemolytic anemia). Signs and symptoms include:
* Fever and chills.
* Skin rash all over the body with many tiny, flat purple and red spots.
* Nausea or vomiting.
* Joint pain.
So it probably would have split open by now if it was a brown recluse (the "half your face would be dissolved" thing isn't too far off). I suppose it could have been a wasp or a bee or something, but it looks/feels more spider like. I'll see what the doc says.
If it starts dissolving my face I'll post pics.