Ouch!

The excitement for today was going to the dr's. The previous evening I had felt a slight discomfort on the side of my waist - looking at it to my disgust I found a tick. I tried using Oscars nifty tick remover but as on previous occasions it didn't work. It was made all the more difficult as the little bugger had bitten me right next to a raised mole. I slathered it in sudocrem to suffocate it and then got my tweezers. Well I got the body but not it's head. I tried repeatedly but given the fact my boob had to be moved to allow me to actually see the head  I failed. A few times I felt like I had it as it would would appear bigger as I pulled, but it's little pincers were well immersed in my skin and would not release and the I'd lose the grip on it. I slathered it in sudocrem once more then covered it with a plaster. 
The next morning I got an appointment for the afternoon. I arrived on time but had to wait for ages as the receptionist dealt with 2 other patients - she then accused me of being late and before I could say I was on time but had spent 20 minutes waiting in the queue, she said she would sign me in anyway. What a cheek! I was so annoyed with myself that I didn't actually correct her. 
The nurse practitioner was great, apart from the fact he called my mole a wart! I have had it since the day I was born and so by definition it cannot be a wart as they are caused by a virus. Well he spent a good 15 minutes trying to get the bugger out - which perversely made me relieved! I No wonder I hadn't been able to get it out. He finally said he would have to give up as he was just making a bigger and bigger hole and I was bleeding. As he stood up to get a plaster  he said if it was his own body he would use a pin,  then he decided he would try one! I think because I had said to carry on despite the pain he was causing and the fact that I'd freely sworn about the little bugger / bastard tick. He obviously felt I would be ok with a pin! Well it worked! Yay! We were both very pleased! 
I cannot see any purpose ticks have - as in a place in the food chain, but on googling them I discovered they have an important role in the food chain! 

"Annoying as they are, if we removed them all, certain birds and bats would also go extinct as that is their main food source. Ticks play a role in our ecosystem, as food for some frogs, birds, lizards, squirrels, mice, and other rodents."


"Ticks are a favorite food source for chickens, turkeys and other ground birds like grouse. A strong and important link in the food chain, ticks take nourishment from larger host animals high in the food chain and transfer that down to lesser organisms."



I still detest them though on me and on Oscar! I will keep an eye on the mole just to make sure the little B didn't pass on any infection. 
P.S. The photo is from the greenhouse in the field I walk Oscar!