Self surgery is something I’ve done on many occasions. I have a high pain tolerance and don’t get queasy at the sight of blood. I also hate paying a nurse, doctor, or other titled health professional an exorbitant amount of money to do a small job I can do myself. I know it’s not the smartest play, but so far I’ve avoided making minor problems worse by handling them myself. I found myself in one of those situations again on my recent Delaware hunt.
I ended up having ticks attached to me on consecutive days thanks to the unseasonably warm weather to start the hunt. The first I removed before he got a good hold. The second, I wasn’t so lucky. The bastard was embedded and when I tried to remove it I believe I only got half. I knew I needed to get the rest taken out but how? That’s when I thought of my Havalon knife and its scalpel grade blade. Luckily I had some new blades with me so I put one on, cleaned my skin in the area thoroughly, and got to cutting. I could feel it for sure, but the blades on those knives are incredibly sharp and that sure helps. The most difficult part was cutting with one hand while holding a small mirror with the other. The tick was lodged just below my right breast area so not the easiest place to see or get to.
Ultimately the rest of the tick was removed and I treated the wound with a good dose of Neosporin and Band-AIDS for three days. As long as I avoided Lyme disease, I’m no worse for wear other than a small pink spot on my skin. The smarter play would have been to apply permethrin to my clothing in advance of the trip. Per usual, I learned my lesson the hard way and an order has been placed.