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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

And Now For Something Really Gross...

A guy and his friend come in to the pharmacy Sunday night to ask me a question. I have a patient waiting for us to run his new insurance card and the other guy puts his leg up on the counter and takes off a large Band-Aid to show me his "spider bite." If that is a spider bite I am a rocket scientist. Since astrophysics and the mechanics of gravity defying jet propulsion systems are not entirely beyond my grasp but not my area of training and expertise I am going with not a spider bite.

Despite the sarcasm I have seen many spider bites in my lifetime, even had a couple of my own. This was no spider bite. I could have put my thumb or a roll of pennies in this "spider bite" and almost hit the bone. Not to forget it is crusty and oozing puss on one side.

He said he was on amoxicillin but it wasn't getting any better. I told him to see a doctor immediately because that was not going to be cured with amoxicillin and it was potentially life-threatening if he did not get a better treatment soon.

He smiled and went on his merry way. The other patient and I were grossed out. How can you walk around with that huge hole in your flesh and not run to a doctor? I hate junkies! He had quite a collection of scabs and sores all over his legs. He was still wearing shorts. I guess that 10 minute high is worth more to him than his quality of life....blast off rocket man....

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

MRSA!!!!

Donna said...

Actually a brown recluse bite will make a huge ulcer.

http://www.brownreclusespiders.info/brown-recluse-spider-bite.php

Big 'N Tasty RPH said...

This was no ulcer. It looked like someone took an apple corer and pulled out a chunk of flesh the size of a roll of pennies. That ain't no spider bite ulcer.

Just a little snarky said...

Sounds like a staph infection. I've had exactly 7 of them I won't soon forget. Mine looked exactly the same. You could drop a nickel in the hole and it wouldn't even touch the sides.