May 22, 2024. I started my morning running about doing extra morning chores because Mark (right in the photo), and his friend, Jack (left in the photo) had gone up north to our cabin. They are shown to the right in Canada from a fishing trip we went on together, along with my stepson, Arthur, last summer.
I was perfectly happy that Mark was able to spend time at our cabin with his friend while I took care of everything AND worked 10 hour days.
I fed the cat, the two dogs, and the outside critters (birds, squirrels and groundhogs), headed downstairs and started my morning in my basement office. A half hour later, I heard a strange noise upstairs–a pounce, a bang. I ran upstairs and found our cat, Preto, with a baby mouse pinned down on the floor and about to put the mouse in his mouth. I rushed to him, yelled, “No!” at the top of my lungs. Preto dropped the mouse, I picked it up…and the three-inch tiny gray baby mouse sunk its teeth into my right hand. I emitted a scream that frightened me–I was shocked, offended, frightened and surprised at the amount of pain such a small creature could create. I tried to get the mouse unlatch its teeth from my right hand, only for it to move to my left hand and bite so hard that it drew blood.
I somehow got the mouse cradled in my right hand and pinned gently against my flannel shirt. I carried it quickly to the front door, used my bleeding left hand to open the door, stepped outside, bent down and dropped the mouse gently into some lily of the valleys. Or is it lilies of the valley? He stared at me for a full five seconds–perhaps still wondering what the yelling was all about. I blinked, he scampered off, and I went inside to deal with my wound.
Said mouse looked like the mouse to the left, however, I did not keep this mouse inside like the mouse to the left (which I found in 2023 inside my car air filter during an oil change).
I ran into the bathroom, used soap and water on both wounds, dried off both hands, applied antibiotic ointment and called Mark.
Mark: Good morning. Just got onto the boat. What’s up?
Me: I just got bit by a baby mouse.
Mark: Oh?
Me: Yes, it bit me so hard it drew blood. Is there anything a mouse carries that I should be aware of?
Mark: I’d go to RediCare and get them to look at your wound and tell you what to do. Oh, Jack’s coming out. Gotta go.
And he hung up.
I got online and learned that mice do not generally carry rabies but they can carry other viruses. Amongst the viruses is rat-bite fever, which can show up 3-21 days after being bitten. And it’s deadly 10% of the time if left untreated. The article also mentioned hantavirus and something else I couldn’t pronounce. In addition, there’s a potential for bacterial infections.
I gulped loudly enough for the dogs to notice.
Not knowing what else to do, I got onto my doc’s online portal and told her what had happened and asked what I should do. She asked me to send a photo. I told her there was nothing to look at, that the wound had already closed up and it looked no more scary than a wrinkle on my hand.
I heard nothing from her….for hours…perhaps because not a lot of people get bitten by baby mice?
I told a co-worker what had happened and he asked if I’d developed a sudden propensity for cheese. I said I didn” think so…but would be on the lookout for such symptoms.
At 3:00 I finally heard from my doc.
I reported to Mark via text: My doc said I should get a new tetanus shot in the next 24 hours and will put me on docycylone for 14 days to cover for rat bite fever and bacti infection. I am to get help right away if any redness or swelling, fever or signs of infection. Yay.
Mark texts back: What did you do? How are you doing?
Me: From the baby mouse bite I told you about this morning while in boat?” Pause. “I’m fine. Love the idea of a shot, of course, and you’re not here to go wife me. Gotta wear my big girl pants, as Kelly would say.
Mark: Good news. I was worried. Fishing hard work. Wind sucks even in river.”
Later: Bring sunflowers seedd.
Last text of the night: Hooks n worms got delivered make sure bring em up too! Thanks Sweetie!
There was no reason to tell him I’d gotten my shot and my antibiotics and was just a little worried. Because after over 27 years of marriage, I knew he was hyper focused on figuring out what lure he would use tomorrow, and what lure he’d recommend Jack use tomorrow. I think even if my arm had fallen off he’d asked me to drive up with fishing lures that had arrived in the mail.
So, now you all now know what it’s like being married to an obsessed fisherman. And why I can’t wait to get up there Friday and try to out-fish him again…like I did last weekend. It’s the only retaliation I have.
Meanwhile, let’s hope I don’t crave cheese or get a batch infection or express whatever one might express if one were to get rat-bite fever.
Hm. Rat bite fever. Sounds like the making of a song, doesn’t it?
