Steroids!!

Yes, you read it right. I am on steroids. After my left arm began to swell today and my right hand (which has no poison ivy) blew up and began to look like Doloros Umbridge's fat paws, I figured it was time to pull up my britches and go to a doctor. I got off of work today and headed to the closest thing, a minute clinic. All they did was take a look at me and send me to UNC Urgent Care. I am officially the worst case that the doctor at UNC had seen besides those who inhale it. He thought my swelling was quite interesting and kept poking and prodding me. So I got a shot of steroids in my butt, and a 16-day prescription for prendizone, as well as some topical cream and some stronger-than-benadryl itch relief drug. Success! So I am a little hyped up right now. I just really want my disgustingness to go away- the oozing and itching and swelling is just wrong.

Anyway, today I just did waters for the right side of the compound (and found a puncture wound on Fenimore tiger), then a little enrichment with the cougars Jericho and Star, which included putting cougar urine and fox urine on a paper bag. Jericho (who was in a really friendly mood) came up and purred at me, and then rubbed and ripped at the bag. Star wasn't very interested, perhaps because of the many tours going through the compound which were making her a bit nervous. I then took another giant stuffed leopard through the compound and tried to get some of the small cats to react... Unfortunately only one of the cats actually liked it- Collins, the wildest bobcat. He chased me growling around his enclosure. The rest were completely unamused. I also learned how to clean pools officially, and got to interract with the tiger Carmelita, who has a fatty lipoma that has been oozing lately, and was quite bloody today, which worried the keepers.

That got me to lunch, and then I started again on the worst job I have ever had- sorting rotten chicken from good chicken. I thought yesterday was awful, but today when I was stiff, had lost a lot of mobility in my right arm and was generally exhausted, it was ten thousand times worse. BUT we got through all of the chicken, and only left a couple buckets of random meat to go through. I almost lost it when I slit open a bag where the blood was black, and maggots were swimming around- Gross!

As soon as I got off I headed to the doctors, and then to BK because I was craving a burger and fries. I cannot go to work tomorrow, so instead am going in on Monday, and will work Monday-Friday, and hopefully drive the two hours to VA on Friday evening after work. Right now I am going to go eat some more munchy food, and maybe finally get some sleep.

~Rich With Life~