A Tetanus Shot & Antibiotics

A lot has happened I guess from my last post. Some of it information by those that have experienced "rage syndrome" and information from urgent care about my deep wound and other small dog bites. It's all good information though, so no worries there. So where do I start ??

These photos are from this morning and more might be added later as the hounds and the dog get more into their daily routine. Yet the backyard is semi-flooded again with over night rain and high percentages that it will continue to rain most of the day.

Honestly all of use haven't done much except enjoy the hot sunshine on Monday and Tuesday, spending sleep time on the patio deck. Henry and Watson had their daily walks on both days with me changing hands for holding the leash. Yesterday it so funny. I am sitting in my chair facing the sunshine yesterday on the patio. Watson stands and stares at me then walked out into the yard, picks up the heavy whiffle ball that use to be attached to a tug of war rope.

He walked back to me and dropped the ball in front of my chair ... ready to play some fetch. He ran non stop back and forth across the yard as I threw the ball over and over. He would run to the opposite side of the yard and bring it back to me. He brings the ball right to my hands too. Sometimes dropping in my hand and other times I would reach to take it out of his mouth.

Finally when he was finished, he ran to retrieve the ball but then went back inside the house with the ball in his mouth. He loves to play fetch.

Tuesday night as I cleaned the wound before going to bed, I really didn't like what I was seeing. The small bites are not deep and barely broke the skin. There are five of those including the one on the back of my wrist. All of them including the deep wound had redness around them. Not something I wanted to ignore. In the meantime a few readers and non-blog friends wanted me to get at least a tetanus shot. Looking back, it had been so long since my last one I could not remember when it was.

As soon as I was finished with my morning coffee, I got back online to review where the urgent care centers were, what was the wait times for walk-in traffic and whether I should fill out the online form for a scheduled appointment. I found a facility within three miles of my house, tucked back in the corner of a small business complex. Zero minutes wait time.

It probably took them longer to get me into their system than it did with the exam, and shot. Of course like any data input, she couldn't get the system to accept the ID number on my social security card. She didn't know what TriCare For Life is .. (retired military health insurance), so I was beginning to wonder if I was in the right place or not. With someone else helping, all the numbers finally matched in their system and I was ready to be seen. Only one other person was in the waiting room, that came in after me.

It get's better. One reason I am not fond (politically correct) of the medical system and am thankful as hell that I have good health and I can stay away from the "medical circus tent". The RN is ready to see me but before they open the door to let me back in the exam room area, she wanted to "warn me" ... this isn't going to be cheap, Medicare and your TriCare For Life will NOT pay for this !! ??? I told her, I am more than willing to pay cash to get a tetanus shot and some antibiotics, while confused why they won't pay.

When I asked "how much was not going to be cheap" was, she didn't know. She suggested I go to a pharmacy and have them do the shot and give me the antibiotics where Medicare and my TriCare For Life would pay for it there. My brain cells are asking me if this urgent care is as screwed up as the VCA Emergency Vet I took Stella back in June 2021.

By this time, waiting over an hour to be seen when there was nobody in front of me being examined, my brain cells are hyperventilating and asking me ... "what is going on here, is she crazy?" I almost lost it but remained calmed and said "really it doesn't make any difference to me, I only wasted my time and came down here to have my dog bites checked. I'll go to the pharmacy and let them give me what I want I guess". 

Well "dog bite" changed the whole story and the situation.

It was like the greeter at the circus tent saying "well step right on inside ladies and gentlemen, the circus is about to start" !!!!!!!!

The confusing thing was, that was the reason I told the receptionist I was here when she asked ... "I was bitten by a dog on Saturday night, it has been reported with the city and county. I need to have them checked, hopefully get some antibiotics and a tetanus shot." I could not have been more clearer than that.

The story gets longer but I will only get madder if I go through it again here. Bottom line, all the bites are infected (redness around each bite and my hand swollen), I could pick up the antibiotics at CVS and your arm is going to hurt later today with this tetanus shot. (That never happened)

CVS charged me $3.01 ... yes that is correct, not a typo ... for 7 days worth of antibiotics that I take twice per day. By yesterday afternoon my right hand had decreased in swelling to the same size as my left hand. The old man and too much sunshine over the years, wrinkles, were back on top of my hand right up to the wound. They did say the wound is healing and looking very good after four days.

Yet what they told me to do was different than what my friend told/tells me. She only worked for years with a hand surgeon in the San Diego area. She knows her stuff so to speak. My friend that is the retired dentist with a BS in Biology and her recommends are the same. They don't know each other. His did not match what urgent care told me.

After getting home and clicking the link urgent care emailed me, I could see their write up about my visit. Holy Crap !!!! They listed things they examined where they never did. They had me listed as a smoker, which I am not. They said things I said supposedly about the dog bites that I never said. I don't know whether to leave it as is or confront them to make corrections ... it will be easier just to never return to that facility again.

Other information .... more people have contacted me about their experiences or where they know of a dog from a friend that had the same issues. One was officially diagnosed with rage syndrome, yet most of the dog owners had no idea what it was and could not figure how or why their family pets suddenly did this out of nowhere.

I have continued to talk to the two previous owners. They and their families are as sick as I am, whenever we think of a great beautiful bloodhound being held in quarantine only to be euthanized at the end of his sentence. It kills me when I picture that. It is one reason I took Samson's photo off the blog sidebar ... every time I saw that photo or any photos in his file on my computer ... it all sends me back wishing I could have him back and Saturday night was just a bad dream. Both of them agree that I have done the right thing.

Loud thunder outside right now, so I am doubtful I will have enough photos for another post today. All of us will be kept inside today and get ready to enjoy nine days of great weather starting tomorrow. I noticed I have room at the top of this blog home page to do a page about Samson, just like I did for the other hounds I have had in the past. Maybe I will do that while the house darkens from the sky outside during the loud claps of thunder.

Things are looking up here in "the tropics" of Southern Indiana. We will have waterfront property by this afternoon.