...with insects, that is. I was supposed to be away until the end of the month, on my bike, but I got bitten by so many weird bugs that it set up cellulitis in one leg, and I started running a high temperature and had to make a trip to the emergency GP at the hospital.
Trust me, you don't want to know what cellulitis looks like, or feels like. It makes you go very red and swollen, and you feel -
seedy.
I'm glad to say I'm now home, and taking it easy. And it is not a work disaster because for once I was not writing about it - it was meant to be a holiday.
I only once travelled by bike for an article and I think I must have been absolutely mad. I was supposed to be writing, among other things, about the extremely interesting River Parrett art trail in Somerset which is a hiking path integrating public art and the local community. All sorts of fun things along the path, and I wanted to include it in my article.
I decided to research the story in an eco friendly way (like I said, I must have been mad) and took my bike on the train to the pleasant town of Taunton with the aim of cycling around and talking to the various people I was supposed to see.
Luckily most of them were local, because from the minute I arrived, the skies opened and it just poured and poured with rain. That was fine till I had to get out to the river to interview this guy. It had finally stopped raining when I set out bravely, only to discover that the roads were flooded and the rain had brought all kinds of debris down. There were literally waterfowl swimming around on parts of these country lanes
I must have gone down the wrong flooded lanes too because I just couldn't find the spot where I was supposed to meet him, and it took so long to cycle to the alternatives that by the time I found what I thought was the right place, he'd gone. There was hardly any mobile phone reception (still the case, I think) and it was in the days before most people had them anyhow.
I learned after that to take a car when working, however un-ecological it was.
Trust me, you don't want to know what cellulitis looks like, or feels like. It makes you go very red and swollen, and you feel -
I'm glad to say I'm now home, and taking it easy. And it is not a work disaster because for once I was not writing about it - it was meant to be a holiday.
I only once travelled by bike for an article and I think I must have been absolutely mad. I was supposed to be writing, among other things, about the extremely interesting River Parrett art trail in Somerset which is a hiking path integrating public art and the local community. All sorts of fun things along the path, and I wanted to include it in my article.
I decided to research the story in an eco friendly way (like I said, I must have been mad) and took my bike on the train to the pleasant town of Taunton with the aim of cycling around and talking to the various people I was supposed to see.
Luckily most of them were local, because from the minute I arrived, the skies opened and it just poured and poured with rain. That was fine till I had to get out to the river to interview this guy. It had finally stopped raining when I set out bravely, only to discover that the roads were flooded and the rain had brought all kinds of debris down. There were literally waterfowl swimming around on parts of these country lanes
I learned after that to take a car when working, however un-ecological it was.
Sorry to hear about the cellulitis. Hope you're on the mend now.
ReplyDeleteI haven't cycled for many years, for much the same reason - being caught in the rain is utterly miserable. But I used to cycle everywhere rain or shine when I was a cub local reporter in my teens.
Nasty bugs! Sure hope you are on the road to recovery. Yes, sometimes a car is a must, eco friendly or not. I enjoyed the photo of the birds paddling but wouldn't want to have to navigate the waters on a bike.
ReplyDeleteDarla
ugh...sorry on the celluitis...that does not sound fun at all...and the bugs are def thick this year...and eating my flowers and such too...smiles...i hear you as well on taking a car...esp in those circumstances...i guess this is one instance i am glad for cell phones...most days i would rather do without...smiles.
ReplyDeleteOh, no! I certainly hope your recovery is complete soon. I would never have thought of an insect bite being so dangerous, but now I'm going to be on the lookout for those little buggers.
ReplyDeleteWhat adventures you have!
I'm glad to hear that you survived the weird bug bites and are now safely home and resting. There are a surplus of frightening bugs here in west Texas and I've been bitten by many of them - but I never had cellulitus.
ReplyDeleteAs for bikes - - they are a great way to travel and see things but I think my cycling days are finally over. Especially here in the wilds of Tumbleweed Country. Too many rattlesnakes, too much dust, and far too many hostile drivers who aim for cyclists.
I know exactly how you feel. I was in a wildflower meadow a couple of years ago and got bitten on the leg by a horsefly or something similar and it was so painful, very swollen, and gave me loads of discomfort.
ReplyDeleteWe must taste good.
You have all my sumpathy..I had an infection in one leg earlier this year and I still don't feel the greatest even after super treatment and follow up.
ReplyDeleteI hope you pick up soon with a rest.
The cycling story took me along with you...I could see the birds swimming along the lanes!
Great reconnaissance story. I can reference it; I once was in a park where we shared the walks with ducks. I even passed out bags for folks to carry their shoes.
ReplyDeleteGoodness feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how bad it was for you the sight of ducks and geese swimming down the lane is very funny/cute.
cheers, parsnip
Oh that sounds nasty. I hope you feel much better soon.
ReplyDeleteCellulitis is very scary. You're right. And it can be dangerous. I'm glad you're on the mend!
ReplyDeleteHum, biking to where you need to go......Glad it was you and not me. Haven't had a lot of luck doing that.......
ReplyDeleteLast year, i was in the hospital for a week for cellulitis caused by a very bad cat bite -- so you have my sympathy! Get some rest, and i hope you get to have a fun bike adventure soon.
ReplyDeleteYou poor lass! How horrid!
ReplyDeleteHope it has cleared up and you are heading back to normal.
Wee bugs of all sorts can give a horrible reaction right enough.
The picture of the geese is fabulous! Well worth almost drowning for.
Jenny, I think it was wrong idea to go cycling, I'm sorry you was ill in hospital. Glad you feel better and enjoying the life at home.
ReplyDeleteWell, ecologically speaking, your heart was in the right place.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are feeling better. Never heard anyone say they felt seedy before. I've dealt with shady people before but not seedy. ;)
ReplyDeleteYenny Greetings and good summer.
ReplyDeleteOh, yikes, Jenny, that's just awful. There is NOTHING worse than being "out there" when the elements kick in all at once! Just the worst. No, I think the cellulitis is the worst -- the bug have been awful here in the states this year, too but I haven't heard of anyone getting that sick from them. I'm so sorry. But I bet you'll write one heck of an article. If you every dry out...
ReplyDeleteOh, do take care, Jenny. I know that cellulitis can be very nasty. xx
ReplyDeleteOh Jenny what a nasty thing to happen whilst on holiday! I do so hope you will be on your feet again in no time. You've had such a time of it with various ailments - it's your turn to glow!
ReplyDeleteAnd oh my yes do take your car for work assignments, be un-ecological - what an experience!
Oh, I sympathize with you and wish you a speedy recovery! Mosquitoes find me very tasty unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteOh poor you!
ReplyDeletefunny enough, somebody last week told me that if you get 100 mosquito bites you have to go to hospital...not sure if that's true but now I know why it might be. Hope you feel much better very soon.
Can't imagine cycling round flooded roads! Another adventure entirely!
I hope you are all better now! I've never had cellulitis or even a bad bug bite. Bugs seem to prefer my husband over me...he gets bitten, I get spared. Hah - I knew he was good for something! (Just kidding!)
ReplyDeleteSome trips just seem to be jinxed right from the start, whether by car or bike. But at least in a car you can take refuge from the rain.
Your life is interesting and adventurous. I love your posts.
ReplyDeleteI was just talking to a relative that because of a stem cell transplant, has tto have all her immune shots from childhood done again. She also got cellulitis and it was difficult, to say the least. I hope you get better quickly.
What a horrible thing to happen! Hope you're well on the road to recovery now.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your leg and the fever, etc. It seems you've been through the wars these last months. Glad you are on the mend now.
ReplyDeleteNothing worse than getting stuck in the rain on a bicycle. Well, maybe being bitten by bugs and ending up at the hospital. ;) I hope your luck improves rapidly!!
ReplyDeleteOh, poor Jenny! It's good you are back home now anyway. I once got a mountain leech stuck on the sock. It made me creep all over. However my husband brushed it off soon so it didn't get into a big trouble.
ReplyDeleteWhat an experience you had on your bike. Adding insult to injury but it must be an unforgettable memory with the sight of waterfowls swimming around on the lanes!
Take good care of yourself, Jenny.
I'm sorry Genny, I hope you are doing better.Take care of yourself and I'm sending you all my warmest greetings and sweet thoughts...I believe in good and positive energy!
ReplyDeleteKisses!
Oh dear. Sounds bad.
ReplyDeleteDo take care and get well soon, Jenny!
Oh I'm sorry you been unwell, I have cellulitis through insect bites and it's no fun at all. The last time I was on a bike was at Centre Parcs when the kids were younger. Actually they were fun times and good exercise too.
ReplyDeleteKnowing how unpleasant cellulitis is you have both my sympathy and my best wishes for a speedy return to normality.
ReplyDeleteDo hope you're better - cellulitis can be horrid!
ReplyDeleteAnd west country rain - well, were you surprised? It's why we all have cupboards full of waterproofs and wellies!
Ugh cellulitis is no joke, neither are the bugs. Hope you are feeling better now. I have to say that so far this summer I haven't seen or felt too many bugs. I hope they're not famous last words!
ReplyDeleteOh how horrible to get cellulitis, especially when you are supposed to be on holiday. You're not having a good run of health luck are you? I see Jo has already said it, but yes, the west country is famous for its rain - a beautiful part of the country, but the wet was one of the things that drove me to South Africa.
ReplyDeleteOuch, that sounds bad. Glad you got help and I hope you'll be back to normal soon. (I've been troubled enough by just one tiny insect bite I got four days ago... Seems to be going in the right direction now though, i.e. shrinking instead of spreading...)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of cellulitis but it does sound quite painful. I am pleased you are back home and can take some time to get better. Take care.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteOops, based on my posting you so kindly commented on, I reckon you didn't need to be seeing a tick. I think that would be correct.
Sorry about your bugging woes and the cellulitis, doesn't seem like much fun. And ah, Taunton. I recall swimming in the town on the high street. Okay, I jest. I'm sure I went to a glass-making museum in Taunton.
Get well and smile, even through gritted teeth!
Gary
I did comment a few days ago but it seems to have got lost in the bloggersphere. I am sorry to hear that you have cellulitis I know how very unpleasant it is and wish you a very speedy return to normality.
ReplyDeleteThe Scottish midge is among the worst of biting insects! I think they wear bovver boots! What a bout of rotten bad luck! Chin up!
ReplyDeleteYikes, Jenny, I'm so sorry to hear about your bout with the insects and cellulitis. I don't know anything about cellulitis but a trip to ER tells me it isn't mild. Glad to hear you are back home and writing again.
ReplyDeleteThe closest experience I've had was when I stepped on a yellow jacket nest last summer while - the irony of it all - I was trying to hang a yellow jacket catcher on a tree branch. It would have been the ideal place to hang the trap if only I'd had wings to install it! But of course, as soon as my foot landed on their nest, I was literally swarmed and attacked. (And yellow jackets are nasty creatures that bite over and over, unlike bees.) It was so Hitchcockian. I literally ran amok and heard my nephew (we were having an outdoor party) yell for me to jump in the pool. So I did, fully clothed and with more than a dozen bites all over. After that, Benadryl was my friend for the next few days.
Biking throughout the countryside sounds idyllic but I guess it can only be done under the best of circumstances! Somehow, I am amazed at the Dutch who seem to bike everywhere. I hear they even have entire families on the bike -- some sitting behind the cyclist and some on the handle bars.
Yikes hope you are feeling better now
ReplyDeletepyörä on hyvä kun kiertää maisemaa, luonto puhuu meille paljon. terveys on paras
ReplyDeleteJenny: Sounds awful. I am sorry to hear of your difficulty. Get well very soon.
ReplyDeleteUurgh - cellulitis happened to me too after an insect bite. Hope you will be all over it soon and back on the bike, weather permitting.
ReplyDeleteGet better soon! I am finally on hols and it feels really nice. I admire the fact that you travelled by bike. I feel far too old to do it. Not for me...
ReplyDeleteCycling stopped being fun for me when road traffic here became so dense you simply don't feel safe. And even to reach car-free lanes on the fields, you have to use proper roads first to get there, so it is impossible to avoid traffic altogether. Then, once you are there, there are too many other people on bikes, roller skates or with walking sticks, and each think the path is just there for their pleasure, and don't take other people into account.
ReplyDeleteSo, running and walking it is for me. I have given my bike to the son of one of my neighbours.
First of all, I wish you a fast recovery. I can't imagine what cellulitis feels like but by the sound of it, it's awful. Great tale, though, and kudos to you for ploughing on despite the flooded lanes. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Hope your leg gets better. I know (I think)how it feels. Like being pumped up from the inside with a bicycle pump. Stay away from Scotland, the midges might do for you.
ReplyDeleteMy husband loves to eat that squash too every Sunday. I hope you’re legs are already okay. It really must have hurt being bitten by tose harmful insects. Do take a lot of care next time. Other people apply lotion to free them from harmful insects. I suggest you do the same.
ReplyDeleteSplit-Site PhD by Rachel Baker