Director of Fingal Bay parkrun, Si Ekins had no idea he had been bitten not once but twice by red back spiders on his foot whilst he was out chopping wood recently.

The day after Mr Ekin had unknowingly been bitten, he completed a 5 kilometre run.
It was during this time that he started to feel unwell and was in a lot of pain around his groin area.
This pain then progressed to his knee.

The groin and knee areas are where the lymph nodes are and as Mr Ekin was running, he was spreading the toxins throughout his body at a rapid rate.

“I couldn’t control the fever.”
“I couldn’t get warm, was sweating all over and the pain was so intense,” Mr Ekin said.

Initially, when he visited the Doctor he was told he had been bitten by a spider and was given anti-inflammatory medication.
This did nothing to help.

Mr Ekin said, “My leg swelled up to twice its normal size, I was in so much pain and my leg was starting to turn red.”

Mr Ekins ended up in Tomaree Community Hospital where he spent the next three days with an IV drip in place to help clear his body of the toxins from the spiders.

“Even though I am fit and healthy, five weeks after being bitten and I am still recovering.”
“My leg is still red and the bit parks are very obvious.”

Mr Ekins explained, “As I was wearing thongs, and there were wood chips going everywhere, I honestly didn’t notice being bitten.”

“I noticed the messy spider webs, and brushed them aside, never did I think I would be bitten.”

Mr Ekins would like to remind everyone to wear closed in shoes and be mindful when in the garden, especially at this time of year.

By Mandy ELLIS