If you find a tick inside your home, here’s what you need to know

Nature is the home to an incredibly versatile array of species, but ticks are definitely one of those that we tend to avoid at all costs.

These tiny arachnids, that are related to spiders, mites, and scorpions, are in fact parasites that survive by attaching themselves to larger animals and feeding on their blood. Humans aren’t spared either. Sadly, these insects carry harmful bacteria that can spread disease to people.

Sadly, tick-borne diseases are at an all-time high, with about 50,000 cases reported each year, and far more going unreported.

There are different types of ticks, and unfortunately, they sometimes find their way to people’s homes. The types most commonly found in homes are the black-legged tick, the dog tick, and the brown dog tick.

• Black-legged Ticks – known as deer ticks, these ticks are typically brown or black in color and have a flattened, oval-shaped body. They are commonly found in wooded areas and can transmit Lyme disease.
• Dog Ticks are larger and can range in color from brown to reddish-brown. They have a tough, shield-shaped body. Dog ticks can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
• Brown Dog Ticks are brown in color and have a slender body.

Although the tick season is between March and October, or sometimes longer, we should be wary of this insects all year round. In fact,if beaten by a tick, a person can develop symptoms even after two or three months.

The bite itself isn’t painful and can cause swelling, itchiness, blistering, and bruising. The bad thing is that ticks also carry and transmit severe diseases, most commonly Lyme disease, as well as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis.

Initially, Lyme disease develops as a circular red ‘bull’s eye’ rash around the site of a tick bite. However, not everyone gets a rash and you should also watch out for a flu-like illness with fever, headache, tiredness and general aches and pains.

The best way to prevent being bitten by a tick is to avoid tall grasses and areas where ticks thrive (such as moorlands and woodlands), especially during the warmer months.

In case you do get bitten, you should remove the tick as soon as possible in order to prevent infections.

These are some of the ways of safe removal.

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers: Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
2. Pull gently: Apply steady upward pressure, being careful not to squeeze or crush the tick. Aim to remove the tick in one smooth motion without twisting or jerking. Twisting or jerking can cause the tick’s head to break off and stay inside the skin, where it can still transmit disease.
3. Clean the area: After removing the tick, clean the affected area with soap and water or an antiseptic solution. Monitor the site of the bite for any signs of infection or a rash, and consult a healthcare professional if necessary.

If by any chance ticks find their way into your home, take immediate action in order to prevent infestation. Most times, ticks are brought into your home in case they stick on your clothes or onto your pets.

1. Isolate the area: If you have identified the presence of ticks in a specific area, keep pets and children away from that space.
2. Wear protective gear: Put on gloves and a long-sleeved shirt to protect yourself from potential tick bites.
3. Clean the area: Clean the area where you found the tick. If it is in bedding, wash the sheets. Inspect the area to ensure there are no more ticks that are present. Dispose of the tick by either flushing it down the toilet or sealing it in a container or ziplock bag before placing it in the trash.

My Husband Didn’t Take Me on Vacation with His Family – I Found Out Why after Unexpected Help from My Mother-in-Law

Layla’s husband, Tom, has an annual tradition involving a family vacation that she isn’t invited to. After years of being excluded, Layla finally asks why she isn’t allowed to join, only for Tom to lie and blame his mother. But when Layla does her own digging, she and her mother-in-law discover a family secret that breaks the family apart.

My husband, Tom, has been going on an annual island vacation with his family since we had gotten married. That’s twelve years of family trips without me.

Every year, he’d pack his bags and leave our two kids and me behind.

“My mom doesn’t want in-laws on the trip, Layla,” he said. “You know this. It’s the same story every year. But still, you continue to ask about it.”

My husband rolled his eyes and sat on the couch, his hands wrapped tightly around his phone.

“Why don’t you just cancel this one, and we can take the kids on holiday instead?” I asked, tossing a salad to go with our dinner.

“Why would I do that?” he retorted. “The kids are too young and it will be chaotic. When they’re older, we can start talking about holidays with them.”

“And me?” I asked. “Are you sure your mom will mind?”

And that was when something snapped in me.

There, right on social media for everyone to see, was a carousel of photos from last year’s vacation. There was Tom, smiling widely next to his brother and sister-in-law. There were other photos of their sister and her husband, too.

But I was told that Tom’s mother didn’t want any in-laws on the trip?

“It’s clear that she just didn’t want you there,” I said to myself.

I needed to know more information before I blew up at my mother-in-law. As much as Denise seemed to have an issue with me, I knew that if I asked her straight up, she would give me an answer.

So, I decided to call Sadie, Tom’s brother’s wife. She was fairly new to the family, with them having only been married for about a year now.

So that’s what they thought. That I hadn’t been able to make their trip because of my children.

“Listen, Layla,” she said. “I’ve got to go, I’m getting another call. I’ll call you this evening!”

She hung up immediately.

I knew that my next move would be going to my mother-in-law. If anyone was at the root of this lie, it would be Denise.

“Wait, what?” I asked, stunned.

“Tell me what you know,” she said, pouring a glass of juice.

Shocked, I spilled everything. The photos, Tom’s lies, the years of being left behind with and without my sons.

And more than that, she became a constant presence in my life, always wanting to be around me and help wherever she could, and insisting on being an active grandmother to my kids.

“I never imagined that it would all come to this,” she said one afternoon as we sat in the living room together.

“Me neither,” I replied. “But at least we know the truth now.”