Scorpion Sting

Last week, Michael and I watched a special on PBS about venom and poisonous animals.  It was pretty interesting how scientists are studying venom to create medicine that heals instead of kills.  Of course, watching all those creepy snakes and spiders... I figured I'd have nightmares for a week.  Thankfully, I didn't.

Then, last night, Michael and Callen were sitting on the couch, playing with some little VeggieTales figures.  All of sudden Callen makes this face and starts fussing about his finger.  We thought he had just smashed his fingers between the toys or something, but then he turned, pointed and started saying "Bug!  Bug!"  Then Preston started saying it.  I couldn't see anything, couldn't figure out what was going on for a few seconds... and THEN we saw it!  A two-inch long scorpion on the pillow right next to Callen.  The thing had crawled up on the couch with them sitting right there and somehow stung Callen's pinky finger.  I dunno if reached out and touched it, or if it got him out of nowhere... not sure.  

Photo from here

As soon as we saw it, we jumped up... I grabbed Callen and all those scenes from that venom show started racing through my mind.  I asked Michael, "Scorpions are poisonous, right?  Like, take-him-to-the-hospital-poisonous?!?"  I decided I needed to Google what to do, so I took Callen (who was telling me "Water on it!  Water on it!") to the computer while Michael and Preston hunted the scorpion and killed it.  Google told me to wash his hand (Callen was right!) and use a cold compress on it, and that a scorpion sting wasn't normally a big deal unless it bites your young child or pet.  Um... this was my young child!  It said to seek medical attention.  Just as I was thinking it, Michael told me to call poison control.  They assured us that he should be fine, just wash it, keep it clean and dry.... said he might have some nausea, lip tingling and the sweats.  If it didn't get better by morning, take him to the doctor.  By this time, Callen was wanting to run around and "go see bug?  go see bug?"  He wanted to see it again, geez.  The little finger was a little swollen and thankfully Callen let us put the ice pack on it (he usually hates that!).  He started doing funny things with his lips so I guess he did get the lip tingling the nurse mentioned.  But, it wasn't long before he was running around, acting crazy, just like normal and the sting looked fine. Michael and Preston were able to kill the scorpion with a combination of bug spray and a shoe smash.  However, the bug spray was all over the couch, pillow and rug, of course.  Commence cleaning!

This morning, I checked Callen's finger and it looks fine, just a little pin prick looking site where he got the sting.  When we walked into the living room, he saw that the cow rug was gone (it was soaked in bug spray and we've been saying it's time to get rid of it anyway because it's ragged) and the couch cushion was missing the it's cover.  He launched into a full retelling of what happened last night: "Sit wif Daddy, bug BITE me on here (points to finger), bug on piwwow, OUCH, Dada spay it (makes spraying sound), all done."  Lol.