Re: A mini-poll

[Guest guest]

You're right, Bessie, probably do or did have lyme. Plan to test for

it in the new year.

Yes, " the Cough " was definitely bronchial. Docs here called it a

virus & didn't treat it. Cold symptoms accompanied it. Spread like

wildfire through young & old. Never considered a " flu " by medical

personnel in this area. Sure seemed like one to me, since it was so

contagious & many ran fevers at the onset.

Both my husband Wally & I were bitten in the garden six weeks before

I was bitten inside. That would go back 5 1/2 months. He says he was

never bitten in the house as I surely was beginning 4 months ago.

Whether what bit us outside & what bit me inside are the same -

suspected but unknown. Wally's healed normally. Most of mine did,

too, but a few became the first of my sores.

Found cocoons glued to the wall above my bed after I was attacked

inside. Those came unstuck with white vinegar & hot water on a rag &

dissolved in a 's Oil/Orange Plus & hot water mix revealing a

dark speck at the center. They were confined to that one wall by my

bed. (At least a thorough inspection & cleaning revealed no others.)

Wally sleeps on a leather couch in the bedroom since it supports his

back.

Makes it look like they were successfully biting & leaving me & then

migrating to the wall to cocoon - but that's just my best guess.

Figured the lintballs originated outside & we & our dogs tracked them

in, another best guess.

Must say we've never encountered anything like the lintballs &

cocoons & their cohorts in the 10 years we've lived & gardened here.

One incident in early Spring stands out, though. On a sunny day, the

prevailing West breeze brought a flurry of unusual fluffy balls

rather like miniature dandelion puffs. Same translucent pale as the

lintballs & cocoons. We were standing in the garden watching this but

unable to catch one as some landed high in the trees as others blew

by. We'd never seen these before & wondered if they were some type of

seed, but it was too early in the season for even the forsythia to

bloom, let alone set seed. We were both puzzled by it. Kept an eye

out for any unusual seedlings but found none. Now I surely wonder if

the mitemare arrived here airborne.

I've rehabilitated injured wild birds & other wildlings & never had

any problems with mites. We've a dustbath near the birdbath for them,

as that helps them smother their skin & feather pests. May need to

cover that from rain & add DE. Dosing my tea in the heated birdbath

for them. Still filling the feeders. These are our wild friends &

neighbors & we're all in this together. I haven't noticed them

preening any more than usual. And the squirrels show no signs of

blowfly sores as they have in some years.

The house finches who built a nest this Spring in the porch vine were

newcomers here & may have brought a new birdmite with them. They

abandoned that nest when a blacksnake chased them off but remain

here. They seem healthy as do their children.

We're in the migratory pathways here & usually host thousands of

birds overnight in season. Only a few stragglers have showed up the

past two years & most have stayed. Worried about that, I looked into

it & found our planet in a magnetic change phase that some say has

affected birds' ability to navigate for migration. These changes come

every so many thousands of years. Only logical explanation I

uncovered.

My Greys are dusty birds by nature, at least on this continent.

Didn't notice their dander dust increasing. Just started them on the

red palm oil they'd have in their natural habitat this week as the

humidity inside has dropped below 20 percent with the dehumidifier

running with the heating. Hoping the oil will help moisturize them so

I don't have to mist them daily since I'm reluctant to increase the

low humidity that certainly seems to be working here. Usually would

turn on the central humidifier this time of year - but not until the

buggers are long gone.

Your mini-poll prompted me to mull these things over in a new light,

Bessie - thank you! Awaiting your interesting results.

Another item of interest is that Wally & I had our first flu shot six

years ago after mom came to live with us. We both promptly came down

with a nasty flu. Never again. Many reported the same results that

year across the country. Wonder if mercury was used in that vaccine

as it is in others? Or something unusual?

Hoping you'll enjoy birdie kisses again! Looking forward to them

myself when I'm finally clear. Best wishes, Sue

Wow, Sue -

I agree, you certainly have had a lot of insults to your immune

system between the infections and medications! It sounds like you

have Lyme...you had the bull's eye rash I think you said.

And if I can put it together, you certainly had a bronchial infection

(more than one!) before the mites. I believe I've heard others say

they was stuff around the house that made them have to clean more

often before they actually felt biting. I recall the summer of 2006

seeing an awful lot of bird dander, much more than I'd ever had while

I was still in CT. I never looked closely at it to determine if that

is exactly what it was.

To clarify - hubby was getting bitten at the same time you were 4

months ago, his has stopped but not yours.

That is GREAT that your pets are OK. I miss my birds more than I can

say.

Bessie