Red Back got me!

by Gareth Cocklin
(Perth)

It was a lovely spring day, the grass was looking a bit long and it had not rained for a few days, as I had been away driving trucks for the last week, I jump at the chance to mow the lawn.

I’m always a bit careful getting the mower out of the shed as that’s where the nasty’s live. I gingerly removed the grass catcher as I had been to lazy to empty it last time, checked around for spiders and it was all clear.

After emptying it, of I went, up and down the grass (and sand). We have a fur tree that overhangs the grass and I have not trimmed that for ages, as i went under it a branch rubbed against my neck, ouch!.

I new that I had been bitten straight away as it felt like someone had pushed a red-hot needle into my neck.

I marched into the house and Sharon had a look, but could see nothing. Our next door neighbour is a nurse, so off we went. Van had a look and could see a single bite mark and as she watched a large red lump started to appear and redness spread out from around the area.

She checked her book and I had some of the red back bite symptoms. Red rash, hairs standing up in area, sweat around the local area, feeling sick, sweat around back of legs.

She gave me some ice to put on it and that relieved the pain.

I had a very minor reaction, required no anti-venom and felt fine within 6 hrs or so.

Another 1st Australian experience 🙂