Day 192

July 20, 2012

The story behind the gross picture on Facebook. 

I woke up Sunday morning, after spending the night at a friend's site, with red marks on the backs of my legs. As the day progressed, so did the 'rash'. By Monday, the blisters appeared. I showed the 'rash' to some people in my community, who told me that there is a bug that likes the light that pees on you and burns your skin--they also told me that they have never seen anyone with it this bad. I called the medical office to tell them about my 'pee rash'. They told me to put some cream on it and take Benadryl. This did not help me out too much. 

It turns out, thanks Mom for the Internet research, that it is not a rash nor is it pee. There is a beetle, the Blister Beetle, that excretes acid that burns the skin of whatever it lands on. Well, it looks like I got to know this beetle very well. 

I have since been to the Medical Office. They also told me they have never seen anything like this, you know you have something good when you can freak out the campo folk and stump the PC Medical Office. I now am on antibiotics and have a follow up appointment. So all is well. 

Some more pictures, because I know that everyone is dying to see...

This is the burn that brought folk from all over Loma Bonita to the
Gringa's house just to have a look at what everyone is talking about.