Tuesday, June 8, 2010

When Blue Centipedes Attack

Elder Travis' mom speaking: The following is an email I received from Travis yesterday. After that I've written about the phone call I got from the mission home last night. I'll add pictures when the memory card arrives.

So this is the story which you can forward to the whole family so they know whats going on:
Well first off last night I feel a hard pinch on my leg. At first I thought it was a bed bug cuz they are really common and it was 2:30 am!! Well I get up and put the itching cream on it to keep it from itching but notice it actually HURT. Well I go to my bed with permethrin to find that lil rascal and see a Centipede!! I'm like..ohhh great I hope it's not a BLUE centipede...well I spray him, he goes beserk, I kill him...yup...he's blue!!
So I'm sitting in the bathroom with a burning leg thinking Whyyyyy!! I'm already miserable enough!! (Travis' mom here: He's struggling with a bad bout of tonsillitis). Well, I get an ice pack and ice the sting which helped A TON!! I ended up falling asleep 90 minutes later with it on. It was bad though and I hurt!!! It still burns but not as bad. I got pictures of him I'm sending home today (the memory card)."

Elder Travis' mom again. We got a letter from Travis later in the week where he stated the doctor told him "the centipede could have immobilized me for weeks" so he's lucky he got bitten where he did.

About 9:00 my time (4:00 Hawaii time) I got a call from a Sister who is the medical liaison for the mission home. She told me Travis had been to the doctor and is on an antibiotic. He's been so sick for so long that I hope he isn't building a tolerance to antibiotics now. He seems to be doing well now and is in good spirits. She told me that the mission president had just gotten out of a meeting right before she called and that he was amazed that Travis waited so long to go to the doctor (tough kid!). She said Travis had pictures of the blue centipede and it was huge. She told me that they sent him home with more spray to spray down their apartment, bedding, and clothes and then rewash the bedding and clothes.

I'm so grateful that he's in good hands and that they take such good care of him. Hopefully this is the last blue centipede he'll see in Hawaii!

ADDENDUM: The very next day after he was bitten they trapped and killed another blue centipede in their apartment! He's longing for Kauai with all the chickens because apparently chickens eat centipedes!

1 comment:

  1. I've had two calls from Sister Freeman at the mission home this week updating me on your condition. I keep praying for you to get some relief from being ill. I don't know why you're being tested right now like this. The only thought I have is that Satan knows how much you love the people of the Hawaiian Islands and how effective and faithful of a missionary you are. He's just trying to stop the work you're doing. Hopefully if you have to see the ENT that Sister Freeman told me about they can get you up to speed. Watch out Hawaii when Elder Travis starts to feel better! I know that you're trying to be the missionary I think you are (like you always write in your letters) but honestly, I think you're already there! Keep the faith and we'll keep praying for you! Love you.

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