Remember to Use Bug Spray When Walking Outside

I have heard throughout my life that troubles come in threes. This year seems to fit the cliche very well, as I prepare my heart and mind for back surgery on August 5, 2022. The time I spent in the hospital this year really shook me, because at the time, I had been dealing with sciatica in both legs for over nine months and thought that would be the only physical trouble that I had to face. But you just never know where the next trouble will come from.

As I waited for the date of my surgery to be decided, I kept living my life, including going for long walks in the different battlefields and parks in our area. I have never used bug spray, because I cannot stand adding any more toxins to my skin. So when Douglas asked me on the Fourth of July if I wanted him to go back to get the bug spray, I said no. Big mistake!

It was the next day, as we visited the science museum with our grandkids visiting from Portugal, that I realized that I had blisters on both feet, ankles, and shins. Over the course of a few days, the blisters grew to be quarter-sized, a situation that I had never seen before. So, I finally went to the doctor, because I couldn’t wear socks or shoes and my home remedies did not help, so I was getting no sleep for itching.

It seems that I was bit by chiggers, a mite which bite can’t be felt. You only know that you’ve been bitten when the awful itching starts and the blisters appear. Over the last three weeks, steroids and strong medication for the itching has left me lethargic and woozy all day. I found myself praying and asking God why I seemed to be impacted by so many things that other people don’t, like Douglas had just a couple of mosquito bites. The combination of so much illness in one year just took a toll for a moment, and I had to let out the frustration at being home while Douglas visited with our family from Portugal, especially I missed the grandchildren.

But, now I am preparing for the surgery and hoping to return to pursuing my Master’s degree in the Fall. Classes begin exactly 17 days after the surgery, and two of my classes are face-to-face. I need the coursework to keep my mind off the brace that I will have to wear for a period and from having a perpetual pity party. I want to return to blogging, as well, so I need to be able to sit for long periods of time.

Although troubles sometimes comes in threes, they all go away, eventually. So, I keep reminding myself to press forward, knowing that all of this will pass. The blisters are starting to heal, even as I write. I have missed writing so much. I am thankful for today’s writing. So, use the bug spray, the sunscreen, and all other things that keep you physically well when having fun. Believe me, the alternative is no fun.