Sunshiny Update!

It's been a busy couple weeks!  Between computer failure, a slew of exams, and the aforementioned centipede attack I am pretty exhausted.  I'm happy to report that I passed all my exams and on top of that I ran unopposed for the position of president for the Student Chapter of AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).  My term starts next semester, and I am super excited for the opportunity!  In other news as some of you may know I have an addition to my island family.  His name is Alistar and he is a super sweet boy!  The cats have tolerated him surprisingly well and he has proven to be a polite, gentlemanly type dog.  The photo below pretty much sums up how Alistar and I spent the day today.

Giant centipede encounter!!!

So one of the first things they tell you when you come to St. Kitts island is to beware of the local centipedes.  They are extremely large and WILL bite you, causing a very painful reaction that will require medical attention.  So I was dreading the day when I would have to deal with one of these monsters.  A couple weeks ago a very small centipede made its way into my apartment.  I saw Miko batting at something in the corner and originally mistook it for a millipede because it was so small (the millipedes here are harmless).  Then it started racing across the room and I realized it was a miniature centipede.  I quickly dispatched it with a large textbook and hoped that would be my first and only encounter with the species.

If only I could have been so lucky.  I was studying for my anatomy exam the next day and had decided to turn in to get a good night's sleep before the test.  I had just turned off the lights and snuggled into bed when Miko, my cat, suddenly jumped up from his sleeping spot on my bed to stare intently at something on the floor.  I turned on my bedside light to see what he was into when I saw something long and dark scuttle from under the bed to under the desk.  Now, I am not the kind of girl who freaks out over bugs but I am not ashamed to say that I screamed bloody murder and started crying.  While I ran to grab the can of BOP (local bug spray, like RAID but too strong to be sold in the U.S.) and other killing implements, Miko kept on that centipede like a canine pointer-setter.  Thank goodness he was keeping track of it because that thing was FAST.  It was scurrying back and forth across my room at an unbelievable rate!  I gathered my nerve and proceded to dose the thing in insecticide, repeatedly slammed books on it, and finally stomped on it with my workboots, and STILL the thing kept twitching and moving.  Finally, when it was mostly immobilized in a puddle of its own grey-green goo I picked it up with a pair of grilling tongs and disposed of it in the dumpster.

THANK GOD FOR MIKO.  I makes my skin crawl to thing of sleeping soundly in my room while A VENOMOUS GIANT CENTIPEDE was running amok.  Miko, you are the new favorite cat.  For his brave service Miko was awarded a handful of heart-shaped cat treats (aka the Kibble Heart Award).

And now for the nightmare-inducing images I captured:



UPDATE:  I didn't find out until the next morning that Miko had been bitten by the evil centipede creature.  I was on my way out the door when I noticed that Miko's chin was very swollen and painful.  I felt like an awful person for rushing off to my exam so immediately after the test was done I asked one of my veterinarian professors what I should do for him.  She directed me to give Benedryl so I ran home and did so.  I'm happy to report that Miko has recovered well and there have since been no centipede sightings.