Attack of the Mozzies!

We've just had a three week heatwave here in the UK, but even now it is still excessively muggy and warm. They say that storms are a'brewin' so we shall see. As much as I love the sunshine I would like the humidity to break.

Summer in the UK is a funny thing. When the weather is good it can be really good and there is so much to do outdoors. There are picnics and barbecues galore, trips to the seaside, walks in the woods, swimming in outdoor pools, open air shows and concerts, and chilled times spent in gardens and parks.

The negative sides are the humidity - it's not jungle humidity by any stretch, but it's enough to make you feel like you will never cool down. Then there's my office which acts like a greenhouse until it becomes stiflingly hot. But worst of all are the bitey insects of dawn and dusk. Sneaky mosquitoes and other gnats delighting in a little feast on your arms or legs or wherever they can get to.

And it is that last problem that I am having a seriously unlucky summer with. I got several bites on my legs in Italy back in June and seemed to react quite badly, some of them blistered and then a couple got infected. I was in agony by our last day but determined not to let it ruin our holiday.

As we arrived home late on a Friday I had to phone the NHS helpline 111 for advice on the Saturday. They referred me to a community hospital in a nearby town where a friend kindly drove me. I saw a nurse who prescribed me antibiotics and hydrocortisone cream. After a while things improved and although I have a few faint marks left where the bites were they've disappeared.

I then experienced a few more bites last week. Although they were horrible and uncomfortable they weren't anything to worry about. A few days after that I got bitten again. Lucky me. This time I had another reaction with one of the bites taking over half of my thigh. It soon became obvious that it was infected. So off I went to an emergency GP appointment where I was prescribed more antibiotics and advised to use insect repellent when I went out and about.

I am much better but I couple of days ago I was feeling wretched and very sorry for myself. I've always been favoured by mosquitoes - I must have delicious blood - but I have never reacted this badly before. To think that I went to Brazil seven years ago and only got bitten once or twice, but yet in my favourite country, Italy, I got attacked and then again in my home country and I have had these horrible reactions. Grrr. That's all I can really say. Grrr.

Mosquito bites are probably the only thing that makes me long for winter. I am otherwise happy to have summer around for as long as possible, so I guess I'll stock up on insect repellent and hope for the best!