Revisiting: Spider Bite! (a picture case)

Mom, it’s time for the Quiz (and my timely announcements, of course).

On the happier side of things…”Lonely Days” by the Bee Gees is 50 years old.

Don’t look now, Shana, but, no one cares!

It may not be “Stayin’ Alive”…

No kidding!

…but I think this song is historically significant.

It is????

If it weren’t for this song, there may not have been a “Stayin’ Alive” at all!  Why is it significant you may ask?

You must be positively psychic!

The Bee Gees had split up over a disagreement about whose song would be the next single–Robin’s or Barry’s.  Barry won and Robin quit.

Robin sounds petulant.

Fast forward to November 1970, and “Lonely Days” marks the reunion of the Bee Gees!

 

How nice, but, we don’t have to actually listen to it, do we?  Oh geez….

 

Oh, and one more thing… there’s going to be a new Bee Gees documentary on HBO next month.  I can’t wait to see it.  Mom, brace yourself for what I have to say next because it pertains to one of your favorite songs.  We lost the lead singer of the Dovells; Len Barry.  (Bottom/center below.)

Wahhhh!!!!!!!!  No way!!!  Say it isn’t so!!!!

He was 78.

Among hit songs such as “The Bristol Stomp” and “You Can’t Sit Down”, Len also had a solo career for a while with songs like “1-2-3” and “Like A Baby”.  After “The Bristol Stomp”, there was a follow up record called “Bristol Twistin’ Annie” in 1962.

Bristol Twistin’ Annie, lay your twistin’ down…

I knew you were going to do that.

I am also heartbroken to announce that long-standing “Jeopardy” host, Alex Trebek, also passed away this month at age 80.

Wah!!!!!!

This is definitely the worst thing about 2020 apart from the pandemic.  I cried when I saw the headline on my phone.

I know!  You were crying in the living room, you were crying in the bedroom, you were crying in the kitchen on your way from the bedroom to the living room…. I thought someone had died!

Mom!  Someone did die, Alex Freakin’ Trebek!!!!

Oh. Well, that explains it.  Never mind!

And P.S., I cried again while reading remembrances about him on the internet.  He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and yet, he still continued to host the show.  The really ironic thing is that the original Jeopardy host, Art Fleming, also passed away from pancreatic cancer!

What?  You’re kidding!  Yeesh!  There would seem to be an on-air safety issue at Jeopardy.

Anyway, Alex’s last episode will air on Christmas day and I’m not ready!  I can’t imagine Jeopardy without Alex Trebek.  He also wrote a book called The Answer is: Reflections on my Life and I think I want to read it, or listen to it if we’re ever in the car again.  The audio version is read by Alex himself along with current consulting producer, Ken Jennings, who also, apparently, has the longest Jeopardy winning streak on record.

Are you saying the producer is a former contestant?

Yes, Mom, that is what I’m saying!

Well who knew?

Somebody named Claire McNear also wrote a book about the Jeopardy experience, being on the show and that sort of thing.  It sounds like it would be an interesting read as well. I think we should find a video clip to remember Alex by.

Let’s find “Celebrity Jeopardy”, the skit from “Saturday Night Live”, where Alex is played by Will Ferrell.  Alex, himself, used to be a fan of that skit and one time did a surprise walk-on to audience cheers and pandemonium!

I remember that!  Yes, that would be great!  I just would like to warn people who have never seen it that SNL’s “Sean Connery” character was very crude and insulting.  The premise of this skit is that when celebrities come on Jeopardy to play for charity, they’re driven by ego, self-promotion, and, moreover, they’re not very smart!

And you know what else?  Real-life actor, Sean Connery, just died too!  Can you believe it?

Finally, November 17th marks the 20th anniversary of “Rugrats in Paris”.

Aaaaah!!!!

Mom, after so much bad news, I needed to lighten things up!

Are you done “lightening”?

Who’s in the Quiz this month?

Do you remember “Rosetta Stone”?

Yes.

She’s got a spider bite!

******

Elaine, I got a spider bite!  It occurred Oct. 21st.  Felt itching and arm felt heavy.  There was swelling, streaks going up my arm and redness.  If you look carefully, you can see the outline of the rather large band aid I put on it.  The dot in the middle is the bite.  For some crazy reason, everything was “fine” until I took the band aid off on the 22nd! Weird!

I took this picture on Oct. 22nd before taking any remedy.

It looks terrible!  I can sort of see the outline of the band aid and I see lots of swelling, especially toward the crease in the arm at your elbow. Swollen and red.  The remedy is ________.

Two hours later, after taking ___________200C on Oct. 22nd at 12:48 pm, I took this picture:

The welt has definitely gone down!!!!

Swelling is much less!

Its not getting any worse, thank goodness!!  When should I repeat the dose?  It feels better after ice pack on it too.  I swear I want to move to a condo because my back yard is so full of spiders and bugs!!!!

Ugh!  I am way ahead of you and out the door!  A condo sounds perfect!

***

So I just put one ___________200C pellet in water and took another dose/sip at 2:09 pm 10/22/20 and then took this picture almost 10 minutes later.

Picture at 2:16 pm:

It looks less swollen now.

Yes, Rosetta, this picture looks MUCH better!  The redness has turned to light pink.

My family is yelling at me to go to the ER saying I need to take antibiotics.

They don’t know any better.

But I think it’s going down.

It is definitely going down!

I’m thinking ______________ is working and I do NOT WANT TO TAKE ANTIBIOTICS.

DO U THINK I SHOULD GO AND GET THEM IN CASE IT GETS WORSE?

No!!!!

Morning of Oct. 23rd:

Luckily those streaks are gone and it’s much better.

Very much so.  Yeah, that’s beautiful.  The worst seems to be over.  Do send an updated picture.

Picture from Oct. 24th:

I don’t see nothin’!  Hey, nice dog!

__________________________________

OK, people, more pictorial evidence that homeopathy works!  What was the remedy?  If you know it, write to me at [email protected].  The answer will be in next month’s ezine. Going out, saying good-bye to my blue-eyed soul brother, Len Barry:

  The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol when they do the Bristol Stomp!

 

________________________

Votes:

Apis-2

Ledum-4

Bovista

Lachesis

 

Welcome back, everybody!  We’re ready to reveal the answer to last month’s quiz, who wants to go first?  I see Neil’s here!

Hi Elaine,

I learned so much from the Cina quiz, thank you!

Thank you so much for taking part in it!

This month I’m going for Apis as swelling, redness and better for cold compresses seems to sum up the case.

You’re right!!!!

I thought of Ledum too but understand Ledum swellings are pale rather than red but can be caused by punctures or bites and better cold too.

Neil, UK

Thanks for voting, Neil!  I didn’t know that Ledum swellings were pale.  Can you send me a source for that?  Isn’t Ledum the remedy for black eye?

[News Flash:  This quote from Kent came in from Vamsi:  “If, after such punctured wounds, the part becomes cold and then pale, paralyzed and mottled, think of Ledum.”] 

 

Who wants to be next?  I think I see Wayne from Australia!

 

Hi Elaine,

There can be specific remedies for specific spiders.  In Australia we have spiders whose bites can kill.

Yes, I’m sure!  Australia is famous for exotic animal-life.

There are examples of specific spiders in the repertory, e.g. the black widow and the redback.

I looked at the spider’s photo and I think it is an American Jumping Spider,

Yes, it is, but, oh dear, “Rosetta” didn’t see what bit her.  I just picked out that picture because it was so colorful.  I hope it didn’t influence your vote.

The American jumping spider is poisonous.

Well, I’m not surprised.

Consulting the books, it seems Ledum or Hypericum would be the first choices for this spider bite.  If the bite looks septic one leans towards Ledum.  There are red streaks and I choose Ledum.

Good guess, and maybe Ledum would have worked!  There are 6 remedies in the spider bite rubric and the one “Rosetta” chose was there–Apis!  Swelling, redness, cold applications amel. all go for Apis.  Does Ledum have redness?  Apis is in BOLD under “Skin: red discoloration”, Ledum is only in plain-type for that.  Ledum doesn’t score high for swelling either and, again, Apis is in BOLD for that.  Hypericum has pains that shoot upward.  Rosetta has no pain, just itching.  Hypericum is known for its intense pain, especially in areas rich in nerves.  I once had a terrible nerve pain and I told Shana to bring me the Hypericum 200C right away!  So, I think the absence of pain here would tend to lead us away from Hypericum. 

Thanks, Elaine.  

 

But soft!  What light through yonder window breaks?  It is the east and Maria is the sun!

 

Hi Elaine & Shana,

Hi Maria!

For this month’s quiz I vote for Ledum.

Well, Maria….I’m not saying Ledum wouldn’t have worked or is a bad choice, but it’s not the one I picked.  What are the elements of the case?

1. swelling,
2. the color red
3. better cold applications and, needless to say…
4. spider bites.

 

If I am wrong I will try again 🙂

OK, try again!

PS, great Tidbits article!

Thank you!  You mean the Blatta article?  Tidbits 74?

I had no idea of that remedy.

Then I’m glad I wrote about it.  A lot of people have asthma nowadays!

Ledum is under “Clinical, bites, spider bites, swelling with”.  Murphy’s Repertory.

2 remedies there only, one is Ledum.

Well, this is weird!  So, you have Murphy’s 3rd edition?  I have that too, but I don’t see “Clinical: bites, spider bites, swelling with”.

Here’s what I have.  “Clinical: bites, spiders”.   6 remedies are listed: Apis, Hypericum, Lat-m., Ledum, Lycps., Taren.

The remedy that worked was one of those.

Ok, I know repertory is not perfect 😛

I just don’t understand why we appear to both have Murphy’s 3rd ed. but not the same rubrics!

I have voted wrong before, for insect bite quizzes.

My first thought was Apis.

Well, that’s what it was!

Then I decided to go with Ledum.

So is it Apis?

Yes!

I would like to know what made you go for Apis instead of Ledum.

The color red, and round swelling like a balloon, and under “Skin: swelling, itching” Apis is the only remedy!  It’s a 2.  How do you like that?  The patient did say that itching was the only sensation she had.  Ledum has purple discolorations, according to Roger Morrison; and no itching, apparently.  Both are better for cold applications.

Thank you, I always mess up with bites 😛

Learned a lot though!

That’s the important thing.  So did I. 

 

Is anybody else here today?   Oh look, it’s Dr. Abhishek Choudhary!

Hi Elaine, I hope you are doing good.

Reasonably well.

I think the remedy was Bovista, as it has the symptom given under skin as ” Blunt instruments leave deep impression on the skin”.  In this case the band aid’s outline is visible clearly.

Yes, I could see the band aid outline too; but, I don’t think that’s the same as what’s being described under Bovista.  They call that “pitting edema”, when there’s swelling and you push on it with your finger and the skin doesn’t bounce back.  But, you know, band aids typically leave a mark regardless of who is wearing it; so, I don’t think we can make much of the fact that the outline of the band aid remains.

Although Bovista is not given under the rubric of spider bites or stings of insects….

Well, see, that is a problem right there, not being an insect bite remedy.  We would almost want to disqualify it right away, based on that.  You see, you always start your remedy selection off with the diagnosis:  We need an insect bite remedy; or even better, We need a spider bite remedy.  Then you go on from there:  We need a spider bite remedy that’s red, itchy, swollen and better for cold applications.

Did I miss something?

If we did that, we would come up with Apis.  As Robin Murphy always says, by knowing what’s wrong–the diagnosis, the name of the illness, etc.–from 3,000 remedies you’re suddenly down to 6.  By knowing what we’re dealing with, we narrow down the remedy possibilities to a manageable few.  Knowing that we have a spider bite eliminates Bovista. 

See my article on what symptoms matter in a case:

Tidbits 50–Repertory Round-Up, Part-4

Thanks for voting!

 

Hey everybody, Vamsi’s in the house!!!!!

Dear Elaine,

Wow !!  Homeopathy is a wonder medicine and indeed quick at its best.

For sure!

The onus lies on the Healer.  No wonder !!  You are the BEST !!!  The quiz shows it entirely.

Well, if you say so…..

Ok, coming over to the quiz.

1) Insect Bite

2) Redness , swelling

3) Ice cold packs give relief.

It’s our famous APIS.

Please let me know.

 

You are absolutely right!  You hit all the elements of the case:

Insect bite

Color: red

Swelling

Better cold applications

And you could also have added “itching”.

– Cheers

Vamsi.

 

Don’t look now, but, the gang from Slovakia is here!!!

Hello, Elaine and Shana,

Hello Miroslav and Jitka!

our answers to the November quiz are as follows:

Miroslav votes – Ledum

My first idea was Apis – red swelling, but I think Apis would be also shiny and more painful …

So I choose Ledum – especially for red stripes that are spread from the place of bite, also there is amelioration  by cold compresses.

Right, but, Apis has that too.

Jitka votes – Ledum

I didn´t find adequate rubrics for spider bites in Murphy, but I know two remedies that have swelling after being bitten by an insect and improved by cold compresses: Apis and Ledum.  I compared both remedies with MM and Ledum is reported to be used as an antidote for spider bites. In addition, the patient mentioned that the pain was spread upwards along her arm.  Her swolen arm itched, which is also a symptoms for Ledum.  That is why I am voting in favor of Ledum.

Well, both of you were close when you said Apis because, that was it!  I think the color red leads you away from Ledum.  Also, Jitka, there was no pain, just itching.  Both remedies are better cold applications.  Apis is known for itching as well.

 

Who else is here today?  Oh, our new friend Lori Doubek is back!

Hi Elaine.  My guess would be Lachesis.

Not a bad guess, Lori; but, the color red moves us toward Apis.  When we think of Lachesis colors, we think of black, blue or purple.

Also, I got to meet Alex Trebek when he was traveling one time.

OMG!  Wow!

What a nice man.

Yes, he seems so!

Thanks for the reminder to watch all the SNL skits.  I forgot just how funny they were.

Some were for sure.  I love “Celebrity Jeopardy”!  One time Alex said on Jeopardy, about one of the categories, “These are ‘S’ words, not ‘Swords’!”  (Ha-ha!)

Until next time. Be well.

~Lori Doubek

 

I think it’s time now to congratulate our two winners. 

Neil and Vamsi, come on down!  You’re the big winners of the November Quiz!

Don’t forget to try our December quiz, and I’ll see you back here again next year!

——————————————

Elaine Lewis, DHom, CHom

Elaine takes online cases. Write to her at [email protected]

Visit her website: https://ElaineLewis.hpathy.com