View Full Version : Rabies- My cheese is sliding
off the cracker!!!
Th weather is turning cooler, and we get critters this time of year. I feel like I have been hearing animal noises in the attic, but it's not been consistent. I haven't called a trapper yet b/c I haven't been sure.
Anyway, in reading about trapping, I got the notion that bats might be colonizing my attic, something I've never before considered! Apparently, googling wildlife trappers will do that!
So, this morning, I am in the shower and my 3 year old daughter comes in to say hi. I noticed a lot of red on her nose, which I assumed to be chapstick, as she just got this new red Minnie Mouse chapstick that she is delighted with. I had her come over and I smudged it off. When I got out of the shower and looked closer, there were two little dots spread apart, just as you might imagine bat fangs. I scrubbed and I am pretty sure they came off, but my HA is playing tricks on me big time. I have gotten it into my head that she was bitten by a bat in the night and that she is going to die of rabies :weep: Mind you, I did not see a bat. I have actually been looking for them every night after reading the trapper page and I have not noticed any, nor any poop, nor any smudges of black on the wall. We do have them where I live though. I would see them in the skyline in the summer, and I know there were a couple living behind my shutters as the painter found them (but this was 3 years ago).
There is no evidence to show that she was bitten by a bat, but my mind just keeps going back and back there!
I am really just getting this off my chest. I know there is nothing anyone can say besides you are crazy. I really hope I am crazy and this only happens like once a year in the US, but just knowing it happens is making me sick. I don't know if I should call her doctor or what, but I didn't see a bat (although I probably could convince myself I did if given time :-( )
Jesus, i hope she will be ok, nothing worse than stressing over your own kids.
Im pretty sure you cannot wipe bat bite marks off.
Im not out to make you stress either, but to settle your own mind, maybe just bring your little girl to the DR for piece of mind.
REMOVED, ITS OFFENDING USERS!
OMG, now I've had a heart attack!
A bat would not come into a room, bite, and the leave unnoticed. Once they get loose inside a house, they get confused and make a lot of racket because they don’t know how to get back out.
MyNameIsTerry
17-11-17, 02:55
Lets return to what you know:
1) She wasn't upset.
2) She hasn't cried out.
3) She appears all well.
4) She hasn't mentioned about anything happening to her.
5) You haven't mentioned she has been in the loft.
6) You haven't seen any signs of bats.
7) You mention only 1 case occurs in a country with hundreds of millions of people (plus us tourists)
Now what do you know that confirms your fear? It appears all we have is two little marks on her nose.
Couldn't they be something else?
Wouldn't your daughter be upset, mention being attacked on her face by a flying thing?
Yes, you are both right....My husband checked in the daylight (I was at work all day) and he saw no signs of bats. Plus, the marks came off when I rubbed them (but I had to rub hard-ish). She noticed nothing, but "they" say you can be bitten without knowing.
I know on some level this is OCD. It's got to be, right?
I mean, I didn't see a bat and have never seen a bat in my house or attic. She has never been in the attic, just her room,
She is my little girl, though, and I will not be able to live if anything happens to her!
MyNameIsTerry
17-11-17, 04:43
But bitten on the face? How can someone not notice that? I've been bitten on the ankle by some mysterious little creepy crawly ones that gave me some swelling but that's an ankle, under a sock & trouser leg, on the face is very different.
You also assumed it was a chapstick. Wouldn't blood look very different? If you saw your child with what looked like blood on her face I think you would have reacted quite differently thinking she was hurt.
And wouldn't she notice she was bleeding after something flew straight at her face and bit her on the nose?
And if the marks have come off, they won't be puncture marks. Perhaps it could be the chapstick getting into some open pores on the nose? The fact they are two together is likely the only reason your subconscious blurted out "bite" at you. And I bet it was an intrusive thought too.
Annaboodle
17-11-17, 11:17
Jesus, i hope she will be ok, nothing worse than stressing over your own kids.
Im pretty sure you cannot wipe bat bite marks off.
Im not out to make you stress either, but to settle your own mind, maybe just bring your little girl to the DR for piece of mind.
What a thoughtless post. Honestly. "I'm not going to stress you (but HERE I GO posting some ridiculous catastrophising I've just Googled)". :mad:
OP ignore that and sorry it stressed you. There is just no way your daughter has contracted rabies. So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough. It's chap stick or pen or crayon or something. My toddler is forever appearing with "strange rashes" that turn out to be soup splatterings or similar.
What a thoughtless post. Honestly. "I'm not going to stress you (but HERE I GO posting some ridiculous catastrophising I've just Googled)". :mad:
OP ignore that and sorry it stressed you. There is just no way your daughter has contracted rabies. So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough. It's chap stick or pen or crayon or something. My toddler is forever appearing with "strange rashes" that turn out to be soup splatterings or similar.
Thoughtless??? Maybe your post is...thoughtless!!
I was not trying to stress anyone.
1. You CANT wipe off a Bat bite!!
2. It's pretty obvious her little girl DID NOT have these symptoms. I thought that was helping yea???
Maybe some would say, thank god my girl doesn't have those symptoms to put your mind a ease.
Pretty harmless post if you ask me!!!
So many reasons, but the marks came off when you rubbed them should be enough.Oh WOW, What i said to, my BAD...
Nothing worse than people out to make you look bad, when infact i actually cared and worried a little, then thought, naaa, somethings not right.
I'm a very caring person, and will try to help anyone, don't down talk me or down grade me.
Next time i wont bother trying to help.
NervUs, im sorry my post FULLY stressed you out. Not all of us are perfect ok.
The post did stress me out RI, but I know you didn't mean that. THe incident JUST happened, so I have months and months to wait and see if anything comes of this, months and months of possible worry every time she gets a cold. I know that is my problem and no one else's, and I do fight to try to see the reality of the situation. It's really hard, though, and I guess I was hoping to hear validation that this is you really imagining something that you had just read about.
I did check my attic last night and I didn't see anything up there or notice any evidence of bats or other animals. There's no poop that I saw anywhere, no foul smells. I mean, I couldn't see 100%...and....I am still scared. I woke up at 6 this morning thinking straight about it. I know I will desensitize over time.
Planning to call the local health department today. I think they know more than peds. Hopefully, I will get a you're crazy out of them!
THe incident JUST happened, so I have months and months to wait and see if anything comes of this, months and months of possible worry every time she gets a cold. I know that is my problem and no one else's, and I do fight to try to see the reality of the situation. It's really hard, though, and I guess I was hoping to hear validation that this is you really imagining something that you had just read about.
I did check my attic last night and I didn't see anything up there or notice any evidence of bats or other animals. There's no poop that I saw anywhere, no foul smells. I mean, I couldn't see 100%...and....I am still scared. I woke up at 6 this morning thinking straight about it. I know I will desensitize over time.
Planning to call the local health department today. I think they know more than peds. Hopefully, I will get a you're crazy out of them!
I suggest you forego that call. Allow me to save you the trouble... Your thinking is totally and absolutely skewed here (PC way of saying you're crazy ;) )
This is a non-issue plain and simple. There's nothing you could say to try and reason this into the realm of fact and reality (.) Period!
If you're not getting real life professional help, I would advice it with urgency!
Positive thoughts
The post did stress me out RI, but I know you didn't mean that. THe incident JUST happened, so I have months and months to wait and see if anything comes of this, months and months of possible worry every time she gets a cold. I know that is my problem and no one else's, and I do fight to try to see the reality of the situation. It's really hard, though, and I guess I was hoping to hear validation that this is you really imagining something that you had just read about.
I did check my attic last night and I didn't see anything up there or notice any evidence of bats or other animals. There's no poop that I saw anywhere, no foul smells. I mean, I couldn't see 100%...and....I am still scared. I woke up at 6 this morning thinking straight about it. I know I will desensitize over time.
Planning to call the local health department today. I think they know more than peds. Hopefully, I will get a you're crazy out of them!
Again im really sorry. We have studied many forms of bats in Australia and getting rabies is VERY rare here. Its crossed my mind to even get vaccine for my kids. Bitten or not its never to late. The thought of rabies just freaks me out, i cant imagine your worry at this time. And by all means, call the local health department ASAP to easy your mind. I don't know how far away you DR is, but i have one just down the road, i would have already been there. Its great you're trying to rule things out, giving your house a very good checking. My posts mite sound strait forward and are not helping your panic in anyway, but i have anxiety and panic, but if i didn't have anxiety and panic issues, i would panic regardless in this (your) situation. Theres panic posts on this forum, and i would love to calm them, but your post is different, we were not there and seen what you seen. Most stated is the bite marks will still be visable and there are great replies here in this thread stating what others think that can help you, but in the end, like you said must be done:
Planning to call the local health department today. I think they know more than peds. Hopefully, I will get a you're crazy out of them! I really wish you the best for your child's sake to. Good luck.
Annaboodle
17-11-17, 14:36
I suggest you forego that call. Allow me to save you the trouble... Your thinking is totally and absolutely skewed here (PC way of saying you're crazy ;) )
This is a non-issue plain and simple. There's nothing you could say to try and reason this into the realm of fact and reality (.) Period!
If you're not getting real life professional help, I would advice it with urgency!
Positive thoughts
Fishmanpa gives great advice here I think.
Update us when you get a chance.
Well, I did call the doc. Because we didn't see a bat, they are saying it's my call whether to go to ER or not.
My husband is more of the Fishmanpa frame of mind, and I am still really scared. Plus, I think the shots are thousands of dollars....so.....that's a consideration too for a HA fantasy. Ugh.
Plus, would the bat not still be there, flying around the room? Bats aren't Houdini.
Plus, would the bat not still be there, flying around the room? Bats aren't Houdini.
I have no idea. If they can fly in, why can't they fly out (I know I have no evidence that one flew in).
My husband is more of the Fishmanpa frame of mind, and I am still really scared. Plus, I think the shots are thousands of dollars....so.....that's a consideration too for a HA fantasy. Ugh.
Isn't it ironic that the abbreviation of Health Anxiety is "HA"? (As in "Ha Ha Ha") If it wasn't for the fact that people really do suffer with this level of mental angst and irrationality, it could be taken as someone trying to "pull a mick" . I often think to myself when reading some threads, "You have to be joking here right?"
I truly hope you find some peace with this. It truly is totally irrational.
Positive thoughts
Well, I totally get that this is nutty and has a tenuous connection to reality. I also totally get that this is my baby and there is more than one case of bat rabies with no known bat exposure.....so......it does feel like a dilemma. I can't explain what was going on with the nose, and that keeps coming up in my brain.
The cheese has done hit the floor :doh: Hope you feel better soon.
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
18-11-17, 04:55
But you can explain that with enough effort you managed to rub away the marks. You can't rub away puncture wounds. So, whatever the red stuff was (and it was probably that chapstick) you know that it filled a hole of some kind and then completely came out.
If it was blood, how did you manage mimic your child's body by healing the wounds? Wiping away blood from puncture marks will mean seeing some tissue damage underneath until it heals.
The bat would have to have teeth like pins so thin you can't even see a puncture mark which then again begs the question of how you can determine the difference between tiny holes and the pores of the nose.
Something I think you really need to consider here is advancing the compulsions into actions that affect another person. Shouldn't the act of putting your child through any procedure for anything be a red line for a parent? Please don't take this the wrong way, you are thinking that you need to protect your child and I know it's only an injection but perhaps this is the time to stand up to that fear? Anxiety can have HAers in & out of doctors worrying about their kids and doctors love tests to rule things out and I believe we need to stop anything we can that brings others into our worries so as to spare them anything we can.
If you still can't cope without the jab, I certainly won't judge you for that but I'm hoping you might fight it back here.
I’ve had the rabies vaccine and it is painful and stressful.
The “post exposure” vaccine series consists of 6 injections on the first day, followed by 3 more boosters. The first 6 includes the immunoglobulin injection which is injected multiple times in a circle around the area of the bite. The remaining 5 injections go into both arms and both buttcheeks.
My “exposure” site was in my hand. It swelled up immediately after the immunoglobulin injection and stayed that way for 2 days. Every time I went back for the boosters I felt sick for 2-3 days after. The booster shots are spread out over 14 days or 28 days depending on which version of the vaccine is used.
And it was all for nothing after all of it, because the cat that triggered me pursuing the vaccine ended up not having rabies. It was just my HA acting up.
Sorry for being so graphic but I think you should be aware of what your daughter will be going through should you decide to pursue the post exposure vaccine. The pre-exposure vaccine doesn’t include the immunoglobulin injection but I imagine it is just as stressful and painful. It is also multiple injections spread over weeks.
There is virtually no possibility of your daughter having been bitten by a bat. She would have reacted more. She would have cried or screamed. The marks wouldn’t have wiped off.
I hope I don’t sound judgmental or preachy here. That is truly not my intention. I just want to encourage you to tread carefully here. Don’t subject her to something that’s not truly necessary. Because the vaccination is traumatic. It’s a drawn out process. It’s not a one shot and it’s over deal.
Whatever you decide, I wish you and your daughter the best.
MyNameIsTerry
18-11-17, 08:12
I’ve had the rabies vaccine and it is painful and stressful.
The “post exposure” vaccine series consists of 6 injections on the first day, followed by 3 more boosters. The first 6 includes the immunoglobulin injection which is injected multiple times in a circle around the area of the bite. The remaining 5 injections go into both arms and both buttcheeks.
My “exposure” site was in my hand. It swelled up immediately after the immunoglobulin injection and stayed that way for 2 days. Every time I went back for the boosters I felt sick for 2-3 days after. The booster shots are spread out over 14 days or 28 days depending on which version of the vaccine is used.
And it was all for nothing after all of it, because the cat that triggered me pursuing the vaccine ended up not having rabies. It was just my HA acting up.
Sorry for being so graphic but I think you should be aware of what your daughter will be going through should you decide to pursue the post exposure vaccine. The pre-exposure vaccine doesn’t include the immunoglobulin injection but I imagine it is just as stressful and painful. It is also multiple injections spread over weeks.
There is virtually no possibility of your daughter having been bitten by a bat. She would have reacted more. She would have cried or screamed. The marks wouldn’t have wiped off.
I hope I don’t sound judgmental or preachy here. That is truly not my intention. I just want to encourage you to tread carefully here. Don’t subject her to something that’s not truly necessary. Because the vaccination is traumatic. It’s a drawn out process. It’s not a one shot and it’s over deal.
Whatever you decide, I wish you and your daughter the best.
^ That's very useful in my opinion. That's a lot to go through.
Thank you, au lait.
I called the ER yesterday and talked it through and decided not to pursue the vax. I still don't know what was going on on her nose, but I am letting it go. I am seeing everything more clearly today. OCD is a bitch.
MyNameIsTerry
18-11-17, 15:14
That's great to hear! :yesyes:
When anxiety levels are high it's very hard to rationalise these thoughts as it feels like nothing works. Sometimes coming at it from another angle reduces the intensity, such as working on relaxation or getting exercise or using distraction. They can help with the adrenaline & racing thoughts which seem impossible to stop at the time.
I hope you find your way through this current spike soon.
Terry, you are right. It is definitely important not to impose on other people. It might not seem like it after yesterday, but I deliberately set limits on myself with medical treatment, I don't push for tests, and only do things that are medically indicated. It would have been easy for me to lie and say I saw a bat in her room but, even yesterday at my worst and most desperate, I knew I couldn't do that. So....I have put this to bed mostly. The one thing I want to do is have a company come out and wildlife proof our home (because we actually do have animals (mostly mice I think) come in from time to time, given that I live in a wooded area). But other than that, we will just live our lives and I am sure the next time she gets sick I will worry a lot!!! Thanks for coming back to argue that POV. I very much share it. It can be a struggle sometimes, but yes, very important not to negatively harm others with the crazy.
p.s. I just came back to this thread today, so reading backwards. I just saw your latest post, Thanks again for all the support. I usually do like to take long walks in nature when I'm going through this stuff, but it's raining like crazy today. I think I will be ok, though!
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