ShannonAlbert.com - June 2009

Payton's team played several games on Saturday and unfortunately didn't do very well. Payton did well for the most part but the team just wasn't as cohesive as they have been recently. Next Saturday is their final day of game play and it's a tournament. Unfortunately, Andy and I won't be able to attend (we'll be in New Orleans) but Grandma Willie will be here to cheer Payton on for her final day of play. We are so sad to miss her final tournament and end-of-the-season party but our trip was booked before the dates were announced.

Blake has a hard time sitting still during the games especially since I won't let him play Gameboy when he should be watching his sister. He decided to become Mr. Independent last Saturday and wandered off to a bench. Payton was born independent so it's been a shock to see how un-independent Blake is but he's slowly flexing his independent muscle. He asked to go get a snack so I told him if he walked to the front desk and get it, he could. Surprisingly, he did (so rare for him that I had to take pics!).




After the game, we went home and the rest of our day wasn't great. First, our A/C stopped working. It was only 80 degrees outside with the forecast in the mid-70s so we weren't going to be too uncomfortable but still needed to get it fixed. Then, as I was cleaning off the back patio, I came to an ant hill and felt some bites on my legs and just swatted to get the ants away, felt some pain and went about cleaning off the patio. Eight hours later, my inner thigh looked like this...


The red swollen area was the size of my hand and I had an additional baseball sized swollen area just above my knee. I've never had a reaction like that before so I Googled my symptoms. The internet is great for research but also the hypochondriac's worst (or best?) enabler. Every link indicated that I had been bitten by a brown recluse spider. I can see the puncture marks, had the delayed swelling, etc., so I'm still not convinced it wasn't. Sunday my leg was swollen that way all day long so a combo of elevating my leg, cold compresses, Tylenol and antihistamine was all I could do. Andy also got some activated charcoal for me that I applied as a paste to try to draw out anything that I could.

Sunday night, I went to bed and woke up Monday with most all of the swelling gone. Still watching it closely but right now the main issue is itching. Andy advised me not to go in the backyard anymore because I always get bitten by something. I think I'll take him up on that. :)