“The Bite”

Last week, I took the kids to get some pictures taken in a friends backyard.  As you probably know, getting 3 kids dressed and ready for pictures can just about wear you out before the first shot is taken.  Well, we got some cute pics…more on that later…but, during the last shot I was holding Lyla near a tree for a picture and noticed what I thought was a piece of bark on her wrist.  I tried to just swat it off, but when I touched it, I was surprised to find it soft a squishy.  So I grabbed whatever it was and had to literally pull it off her arm.  I did not think much of it, after all, I was still stressed out about getting that perfect holiday photo of three kids who did not want to have their pics taken.   :)

After we finished and went back inside, Lyla just started screaming and fussing…not like her AT ALL!  She was wearing a long sleeve dress and I thought maybe she was getting hot and tired, so I took her dress off.  Well, that is when I saw her arm all swelled up and bright red.  Freaked me out…I remembered pulling the bug off her earlier and knew she needed some Benadryl.  Unfortunately, we did not have any liquid with us (now we have it in every car, purse, diaper bag, etc.)…so, I hopped in the car and decided to take her to the doctor. 

Mimi was with me helping with the pics, so she rode in the backseat with her and tried to comfort an inconsolable baby all the way to the doctor.  When we got there, she was still screaming through all the weighing in, measurements, temperature taking, etc.  I was just so worried because it was not like her at all to be that upset for that long about anything.  She gets over things pretty quickly.  They gave her 2 tsp of Benadryl…alot for a baby!!!  Then watched her for 15 minutes.  The rash had now spread up her arm, over her shoulder, up her neck and around the top of her forehead.  They decided to give her a steroid shot to see if that would help.  Thank goodness it did and the rash started to recess back down her head, neck and arm.  Poor baby was so drowsy from the  Benadryl, she passed out on the way home and slept for 4 hours.  When she woke up this is what was on her arm…the outline of the bug and where it had bit her.   I did not even think to get a pic of the rash at the doctor…

I tried to research what it was, but did not have much to go on.  A few days later, Aunt Julie called and told me to look up the ASP caterpillar…turns out that is what had bit her!!!!   It is basically a venomous caterpillar found in Texas in wooded areas.   Here is the article I found about the ASP caterpillar.  Turns out is very painful to be bit by one of these most adults compare it to a jelly fish sting…poor girl! Don’t worry though…once she slept the Benadryl and shot off…she was back to her bubbly self that evening…you can ask her where her bug bite is and she will point to her wrist and stick her bottom lip out…so funny!