Critters 3 -- The Rove Beetle vs Jonathan

We had a frustrating mystery in our house about a month ago when Jonathan sustained an injury of unknown cause to his chest.  Here is an excerpt from the e-mail I sent to our parents about it:

"First big frustration is on Monday Jonathan complained of pain on his chest area.  I saw a faint rash and thought perhaps he had rubbed himself on a raw surface of bamboo on the play structure (which can leave miniature slivers in the skin -- although the workmen had sanded it all clean, I thought they might have missed some spots).  On Tuesday the rash was HORRIBLE, it looked like a serious burn injury.  It looked like he had been splattered with a chemical and the surrounding areas looked scalded.  I tried all kinds of different creams and medicines ....no relief and he was cranky all day, on a very short temper, and seemed to be having pain spasms.  That night he woke up screaming 4 times.   Finally Wednesday morning I decided to try some generic burn cream from a friend....it worked.  After that the rash didn't hurt anymore and has been healing since then.  But I am so frustrated because we have NO IDEA what caused it!  I was right by his side or close by all of his waking hours!  And except for a short time around bath time, he was always wearing a shirt.  He wasn't even separated from me to go play with his daddy at school because Dave home with a cold that weekend!  The only time he wasn't right with me was Sunday School, and they had 3 teachers for about 8 kids that day, so he was closely supervised.  For all of the protection Dave and I give this child, how could this injury have happened?  We asked him all kinds of questions if he had gotten into anything or played with any bottles (chemicals) or seen any big bugs (maybe he got sprayed with a vinegar scorpion?) ...and he thought about it and answered slowly "I don't think so."  I believe him.  Have no idea what happened ....but at least it is healing.  I'm going to attach a picture of the rash, taken on Tuesday so you can see why I'm so frustrated and confused! "

Ouch

Fortunately the following week, his skin healed and now only a faint shadow of the inflamed area is left.  Finally last week another teacher at school had a similar lesion on her neck and she told us it was from a "Tomcat Bug."  Internet searches soon gave us enough information to confirm, although we never saw the creature, that this is what caused Jonathan's horrible rash.  To this day, I still haven't seen a Rove beetle (as they are known officially) around our house, but I've been told they have been on campus and in the dormitories.  I've also found several Indonesian newspaper articles reporting of severe infestations on this island even last year, with up to 300 people going to the hospital for care.   The bugs live in rice paddies or forest areas, but often are disrupted by new construction projects.   If you only knew how many new construction projects have been started in our neighborhood these last few months. 

Of interest about rove beetles:
1.)  They don't bite.  When threatened they emit a fluid from their bodies which is poisonous.  Thus it looked to me like Jonathan had been splashed or scalded with a caustic substance.
2.)  Initial symptoms include reddening of the skin and a burning sensation.
3.)  After 2-4 days symptoms develop to painful skin irritation, pustules and blisters.
4.)  Affected areas are symptomatic for 10 days or so.
4.)  If a rove beetle lands on you, don't smack.  Try to blow it off in some way.
5.)  Treatment is to wash with soapy water.  Things that may help are antihistamines, hydrocortisone, aloe vera.  I ended up using a burn ointment that worked quite well.  

I hope you never get to meet one!

The FIRST stitch

How many times has Jonathan fallen, and I've picked him up expecting to see blood and found none?  How many times have I breathed a prayer of thanks in those moments?  Finally it happened and the blood was there and so we had to get..... the FIRST stitch.

I'll tell you already....he's fine after his ordeal.  Thank you Lord!

We don't live in a child proofed country.  We have open ditches, dangerous drop-offs and sharp corners everywhere....and I do mean EVERYWHERE, even the "safe" American-influenced campus environment where Dave teaches!  So while Jonathan was learning to walk and in the following months either Dave or I had to stay 2 inches close in order to keep him from serious injury.  This child of ours still doesn't have much fear .....he's all "Jump in first and ask questions later." 

Anyhow, now that he's finally almost 3 and steady on his feet, we're letting him have a bit of lee way.  Last Friday (10 days ago) we (Jenn and the boys) went to school to have lunch with Dave on campus, as is our weekly routine.  After lunch Jonathan decided to refill his water bottle under Dave's direct supervision.  As he went to dump the old water into the ditch, he stumbled and fell over the ditch and hit his head on the sharp corner.  I was only about 10 feet away visiting with a friend and felt unconcerned as I watched Dave pick Jonathan up from one of only 1000 similar falls every year.  Then I heard Dave's voice over Jonathan's screams "Uh....Jenn?"  So yep, sure enough, he had gashed his forehead.

As wounds go, I think God was breaking us in easy.  Both Dave and I were right there when it happened.  The wound was less than an inch long and stopped bleeding with just a few minutes of pressure.  It was lunch time at school so there were oodles of people around to help....one ran for guaze, another ran for a teacher who knows first aid, another held Joshua, another packed up our lunch dishes, and another said "I'll drive you to the hospital if you need to go."  So we decided he needed stitches and off to the hospital we went. 

On this particular Friday afternoon, the "emergency room" at the private hospital was empty and we had no wait.  The nice female doctor decided he needed one stitch.  We burrito wrapped Jonathan in a big blanket and 4 adults held him down as he screamed 100 times "I WANT MY WATER BOTTLE!"  The male nurse put in a nice little stitch and we were out of there in about 30 minutes.  Our bill:  the equivalent of $15. 

Jonathan points to the blood stain left where he fell.  "My blood came out" he says.

Full view of the ditch.

I confess I do often get scared if I think about all of the horrible things that can happen to my children.  Dave and I are more safety conscious than most parents we know here ....for instance we are the only family I know who make our child wear a helmet just riding bikes around our neighborhood.  I go through periods of increased fear sometimes when I have to wrestle with the Lord about this dangerous world we live in.  It's not that I think living overseas is necessarily more dangerous than living in America.  I think Bethany's death has taught us that the bad things really CAN happen to us.  Yet our experience with Jonathan's first stitch help affirm to me that when the bad things do happen, God is there providing His agents to help and he prepares the way. 

Things that are different: Going to the doctor

What is she doing?   Dr. Yos prepares Jonathan's DTP vaccine.

The lady in the head covering and flowered shirt is our new doctor! Jonathan is 15 months old and it was time for him to get his next round of shots. This dear lady was recommended to us because she routinely orders the Belgian vaccines that most foreigners like to give to their babies. We can get to her place via mini-bus with one connection, but Dave discovered a way that we can walk there by taking some of the smaller roads. So walk we did.....

Over the river...I mean ravine...

Past the cemetery....both Muslims and Christians are buried here

This "alley" is actually the main street for a whole neighborhood.  It works fine if your only transportation is a motorcycle, which is true for most people here!

We're almost there....just a little further.

Here we are at the Doctor's office!  She has clinic hours in the late afternoon! We arrived at about 4 pm.

In the waiting room....

Jonathan weighed 10.4 kg on Dr Yos' scale -- almost 23 pounds.  So she prepared the vaccines while we talked about her five grown daughters who all have PhDs.  She told us that she is 67 years old ....which is 12 years past retirement age in this country!  I'm thinking she must still be working to help pay for all those college educations!

And here is the second shot (varicella.)  Yep, he screamed, although we didn't get a picture of that part!

Now walking home.  I still have a hard time believing this is the most populated island on the planet, yet there can still be patches of thick jungle like this!  I expected a concrete jungle like Los Angeles!