Monday, June 23, 2008

Naegleria Fowleri

I've become obsessed with brain eating amoebas. Yes, that's right, brain eating amoebas, naegleria fowleri if we're getting technical. Go ahead, google it. You'll never set foot in a lake again.


I took a beginner's kayaking class yesterday with a friend and, in an effort to impress our cute instructor, I volunteered to be the idiot who tipped my kayak over (because, let's face it, there's nothing more impressive than someone losing their balance and falling out of a boat). It was fairly painless but I did get some water up my nose. My first thought was, Crap. What if I sucked in some brain-eating amoebas?


I realize this is probably not the typical reaction to getting water up your nose but, alas, it is mine. I'm a freak like that.


While Jacquelyn and I were braving the rip roaring waters of the quarry with our mad kayaking skills, our kids were cruising around the lake on the Byrne's super fly boat, "The Wareagle." As soon as I saw my husband I gave him the third degree about my children's water experiences, focusing primarily on the amount of water that may or may not have gone up each of their noses (the amoeba can only access the brain if it goes through the nose). My son's risk factor is very low but my daughter's is relatively high, given that she went under at one point and sucked in a lot of water. I was up half the night last night obsessively researching naegleria fowleri. I've become quite the expert on this disturbing organism. Feel free to post questions at any time. My husband's response, "You've got a better chance of walking out your front door and getting hit by a mack truck than getting your brain eaten by an amoeba." True, but I'm not going to walk out there with a blindfold, hoping that there's no truck around. I'm going to look both ways. The same needs to be true of my lake time. So, be sure to look for me and my family out on the lake. We'll be the freaks with the nose plugs.


Look both ways, people, look both ways!



16 comments:

  1. I'm not big on getting into any body of water where I can't clearly see the bottom. In fact, I'm hardly a water person at all. I was never quite sure why, but now your illuminating post explains it: brain eating amoebas. Don't we have enough stuff out there already eating away at our brains?
    PS I like the new decor on your site!

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  2. Thanks. A lot.
    And get rid of the comment verification. Typepad's cv is a pain in the neck. Unless, of course, you're thinking those bacteria will get in otherwise and eat your blog.

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  3. That's one more thing to add to my ongoing list of "Reasons I will never set foot in the lake again". Thanks! And I like the new header art. Very cute!

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  4. Suburban Correspondent-
    I had no idea I COULD get rid of the CV application. Thanks! It's gone.

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  5. Aaahh! My kids have gotten so much lake water up their noses in the last few weeks. I didn't know about this. I guess they'll be sporting the nose plugs from now on, too.

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  6. Ack! Another reason I don't like lake water. That, and it always feels like just about the right temperature for LOTS of bacteria to be growing.
    I like your new banner. I'd say it's reminiscent of the Partridge Family, but I might risk dating myself.

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  7. Paul wanted to go to the lake yesterday. I said no way! I don't like anything where I can't see the bottom! Can you just imagine what might be down there!!!!? I hope it's true that the darn CV is gone! I can't stand that thing!!!

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  8. sweet joy! It's true it's gone!

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  9. About this unnatural fear you have of things in the wild that can eat you, in part as well as in whole, could it possibly be brought on by an over exposure to contaminated lake water in your teen years? say, Alerton Lake? I'm going out on a limb here, during your last CAT scan, was there an notable void in, oh, say, the cranium? Just checking. Now you know why you had the CV, so you could sensor my stuff before it got published, Nah nah got ya!!

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  10. You crack me up Papadale!!! J-Thanks for the heads up, we now all have a set of nose plugs ;) I don't know what I'd do without ya sometimes!

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  11. that is funny you should write about this. we are currently on vacation in Kentucky at Lake Barkley and we had discussed the very same thing!

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  12. I hear ya, like I really need something else to worry about!

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  13. Well, I did a lot of lake swimmming and inhaling as a kid. This could explain a lot of things...

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  14. Hmmm. I see Suburbancorrespondent got to you about the verification thing too. Do you think she's making any money convincing us all to get rid of it? I'm highly suspicious.

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  15. Did I ever tell you the story about the leeches my SIL found on her after sun bathing by the lake? Maybe I shouldn't tell you, lol! This happened just down the road.

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  16. I am also a total freak about this crazy amoeba. I've researched it and have a sign on my wall at work that says it's 'official' name with a big x through it. I just swam in a river last week and got lots of water up my nose, and of course am now freaking out. It's been 10 days and I still feel like I may possibly have been 'attacked'... somewhat ridiculous, but true. I now have a typical tension headache due to the worry. Crazy... any advice/insight you could provide would be greatly appreciated... you know it is nice to be reassured that it is pretty ridiculous and a slim to none chance. I was in chilly river water that was fast moving and above typical level due to heavy rain. Thoughts?

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