"No good deed goes unpunished."
- Claire Boothe Luce
I wonder if my life is really more exciting than other people's lives or does it just seem that way. Today's topic. chicken catching and "complex" infections.
Two weeks ago my son Andrew and I went down to Venetucci Farm with the intention of helping our friends Patrick and Susan (Stewards of Venetucci) with some weeding. Susan had had a set back earlier in the summer with a brain bleed (now THAT's exciting) and they were a bit behind. Upon arriving Patrick noted that since my son and I have been down to help catch (and dispatch) roosters in the past, that maybe we'd be interested in moving some pullets (young layers) from the pullet pen to the regular large chicken yard. He did make the caveat that there were a "pretty good number" of pullets. Undisturbed Andrew and I took one look at eachother and said "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude." (That means, "yes" in this context.)
Approximately ten minutes later we had the chicken net and our fast hands and we were up to our necks in "pullets". There was a great deal of clucking and squawking (check the spelling, it's correct) and running and jumping and flapping and hooting and boys tripping and falling. We were all (Andrew, the chickens and I) feeling pretty much fully alive and pumped with adrenaline. That's when it happenned. "Pullet #3" (I like to call her) somehow twisted in my grasp and in her panic extended her leg forcefully catching the inside of my wrist with a rather sharp middle claw. I felt it immediately but because I'm an old hand at chicken catching I did not let go. I placed her in the cage to be moved ever so gently to the hen yard. When I looked at my arm I was a bit chagrined. It was seeping blood slowly, a deep scratch, but a scratch nonetheless. I didn't give it another thought until we finished moving all 130 or so pullets.
Now take a moment if you can and imagine being a small germ, a bacteria of some kind, and you are living an awfully difficult life on the floor of a chicken yard. Sure there's a lot to feed on but none of it is really an easy feed and reproduction is especially tough for you considering the conditions and the competition. Suddenly, in an unfathomable twist of fate you find yourself awash in a river of warm nutrients. This river is flowing over and around you and here you are, maybe with just a few other of your kind, splashing in joy and plenty. You cannot believe your good fortune. You immediately split and begin to multiply and in just a short amount of time you are accompanied by thousands of your progeny, all laughing and partying down in the river of nutrients. Surely there is a God! Get the picture?
Meanwhile, I am 3 hours into chicken moving and I have noticed that my arm is hurting in a way that feels . . . familiar. . . in a bad sort of way. I think to myself, "I've got to get this arm cleaned out or I'm going to have a problem". Patrick is very excited about the fact that we have moved every last pullet into the laying pen. Andrew and I are sweating like dogs but have a smug sense of accomplishment. Upon arriving home, I wash the heck out of my arm with H2O2 and Betadine. I pack Triple Antibiotic Ointment on it and cover it with bandaids which is no simple feat because it is just over 3 inches long. (I just measured it and yes, it has been more than 2 weeks.) I go to bed that night satisfied I'll be just fine. Those were the exact words I used when I told my wife Kristen about the wound.
I was not "just fine". The next morning it was clear I had an inflammation and probably should do something more strenuous to repair my wound. I immediately thought, "Hell no I'm not paying $150 for a doctor visit to get antibiotics to repair a wound I recieved doing FREE work on Venetucci farm." (No, we have no insurance. That isn't precisely true. We have catastrophic coverage meaning if my arm has to be amputated and I can never play guitar or do massage again, we're probably covered. Otherwise, if it's less that $10,000 we're paying for it. (I just realized that probably an amputation wouldn't even get to $10k. Crap.))
Now, when I was a kid, and my Dad drove a nail through his foot he had an old Hungarian recipe to deal with this kind of thing. It was called "oo-teelapi". (That is a phonetic spelling.) Basically you boil plantain leaves in vinegar, pack it boiling hot on the wound and poultice it for the night. Let's see - here's my thinking. "$150 or free plantain leaves and vinegar?" Uh, you guessed it. For 3 days I packed this baby with plantain leaves and vinegar, smelled the whole house up with vinegar. Burned the hell out of my arm. The bacteria. No effect. Finally on Friday (Monday was the event) I'm looking at my arm and one of my massage patients who is an ex nurse says, "Joe, you need to get this looked at. It doesn't look good." (These were my wife's exact words 3 days earlier but did I listen?) I got scared and at 4:30pm on Friday I ran to Emergicare. They got me right in and the doctor (a truly lovely Indian man who I've seen before for an ear infection. . . don't ask) took one look at my arm and said, "This looks just like a chicken scratch."
No, he did not say that. He said, "This is quite a complex infection and I'm putting you on 2 kinds of antibiotics." Now, I took "complex infection" to be a compliment, like, it wasn't just some run of the mill, ordinary infection. We're talking about a "special infection" here. The kind of infection you can write home about, or write an email about, or maybe write an obituary about. I responded to the doctor, "Dude." (In this case, "Dude" means something like "Son of a B_____".) $161 later with antibiotics in hand and filled with frustration and a bit of relief I drove home. Kristen was very supportive and never once said, "I told you so." I am taking my last 2 pills tonight, following the doctors orders to a tee. My arm is still not healed and I'm fairly certain I'll have a scar for a very long time. Still, I'm happy to be able to type this letter with two good hands.
Ok, so you're probably wondering if I'm in favor of the Government sponsored Health Care initiative since I fell right into the category of "putting off care because it cost too much and then having a bigger problem". No, I am not. But I do like this idea being floated around of local clinics and local groups of citizens pooling resources and creating health care options for people in our local communities. I just don't want the government involved. BTW, I did get a blues song out of the event.
"She was a pretty little pullet, now I just wanna put a bullet, right in her.
She scratched up my arm down there on Venetucci Farm, for sure.
A chicken yard's unclean, you all know what I mean, you know?
Now my arm's infected and I'm not insurance protected, Oh no."
Love you all.
Fun night this weekend and next week.
Fri. Aug. 21st. The Green Mt. Falls Social Club 7-9pm Part of a Rick Rodriguez inspired performance space that I played twice last year. It has great food, and a really lovely outdoor atmosphere. The venue faces the lake in Green Mt. Falls, facing east just down the street from the Pine Gables Tavern. Great food and an amazing outdoor space. Tips only.
Tues. Aug. 25th With JIM SOKOL and KJ BRAITHWAITE The Secret Gardens in Old Colorado City. Another lovely outdoor setting off of 21st street. Take Hwy 24 west to 21st St., turn rt (north) and then another immediate right. Go down about 50 yards and park. The Secret Garden is tucked right in there next to the stream. We'll be doing some new and old material including David Gray, CSN, and lots of other stuff. 7-9pm Doors open at 6:30. Beer and wine available. (FREE)
Friday, Aug. 28th, The R-U-B at the Broadmoor Community Church on Lake Ave. Rissman, Uveges and Braithwaite will kill with their brand of sophisticated folk/rock/blues. Originals and covers included. Probably our last public show of the year. 6-8pm FREE. Contact Lynn Hurst for information.
Sat. Aug. 29th House Concert Singalong at the home of Kathy Lindeman near downtown Colorado Springs. Contact Kathy at klindeman@coloradocollege.edu for details. This will be one of those magical nights, I'm certain.
Sunday, Aug. 30th. Joe alone for the Broadmoor Community Church services - 8:30am and 10am. Outdoor service. Theme: Feasting for Justice
Sat. Sept 26th. I'll be playing the 2009 Pikes Peak EcoFestival. This is a family-friendly benefit for Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site focusing on the environment, community & history. There is something for everyone at the EcoFestival - environmentally conscious exhibitors, live music, local food, electronics recycling, yoga & healthy movement on the lawn, children's activities, workshops, & more! Green living with a Pikes Peak Perspective. Bright ideas. Big impact. Join us to learn more!
$3 suggested donation to benefit Rock Ledge Ranch. www.pikespeakecofestival.com
Tours to Portland Oregon in October and Upstate NY in November. . . .
Blessings and watch out for them pullets.
Uveges News Archives:
June, 2010 Uveges News
June Update on Summertime schedule,
Palmer Lake Sat. , Secret Garden Tues
April, 2010 Uveges News
“Chicken Head and the Polyrythymic Church of Lowered Expectations”,
A Visit from the Thompsons
January, 2010 Uveges News
Peter Mayer Jan 23rd, "On the Goodness of Citizens and Smaller Gov't."
October, 2009 Uveges News
Cowboys, Portland, New York, and Castle Rock
September, 2009 Uveges News
The Chicken Scratch Diaries
and August/Sept shows
February, 2009 Uveges News
Cruise update(YEAH), Pete Mayer
Palmer Lake, Pueblo, Canon City
January, 2009 Uveges News
Peter Mayer, Carrie Newcomer,
The RUB and "Volunteer Day"
December, 2008 Uveges News
"The Mainline Adventure (for guys only)
and the last show of the year. . ."
March/April, 2008 Uveges News
"Karl Marx Lesson, Colorado Springs
and Denver shows, N.East tour"
January, 2008 Uveges News
"Portland OR, HPUUC, Soul Link, and NASCAR"
October, 2007 Uveges News
"When Freedom Calls CD Release Concert "
September, 2007 Uveges News
"The End of Summer . . .Portland, Black Forest, Monarch"
August, 2007 Uveges News
"Working Boys (Cont),
Aug./ Sept shows, Olive Branch Returns every Thurs"
July, 2007 Uveges News
"On summer projects, boys, and schedule"
June, 2007 Uveges News
"Ducks in trees, the Philharmonic, and schedule for june, july"
(click here)
April/May, 2007 Uveges News
Late April, Early May shows
and the story of the "Stinking Ant Eater"
(click here)
March, 2007 Uveges News
This weekend in C.Springs, and New Hampshire end of March
(click here)
February, 2007 Uveges News
Soul Link with S. Rissman, N. Hampshire etc.
(click here)
November, 2006
Pre-marital Sex, Tours and End of Year Shows
(click here)
September, 2006
CABOOM!!!
(click here)
August, 2006
August 06 Co.Springs, Creede, Trinidad
(Click here)
July, 2006
On Maggot Farming and the summertime schedule
(Click here)
June, 2006
Summer Musings and Schedule Through Late August
(Click here)
April, 2006
Music and Rafting on Bighorn Sheep Canyon
(Click here)
March, 2006
March shows and Monarch Ski resort
(Click here)
January, 2006
Soul Link
(Click here)
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