In the long run, I won't regret this

[ritaxis]

I had a flash of brilliance and decided there were probably rat turds behind the refrigerator.  There were: and in the motor compartment too.  I donned a carpenter's dusk mask and latex gloves and had at it.  For an hour, I vacuumed and scrubbed and dug and . . . I guess it's clean.  The floor and walls are, and everything I can reach in the refrigerator is.  But I suspect they're nesting in there.  I've patched up the hole in the back plate -- not severely, but enough so I will be able to tell if it gets breached.

Currently, my skin is tingling, my lungs are kind of whimpering, and I have a weird taste in my mouth.  But after I dump the trash outside and I get someone else to clean out the vacuum cleaner and wash the clothes I was wearing, there will be a lot less rat epithelial toxin in my environment.

I asked Tom the Wonder Carpenter (My Favorite Archaeologist) about more effective ways to kill rats and he had nothing but warfarin to offer . . . not using warfarin, because that results in rat corpses in the walls or under the house, which does not get rid of the epithelial cells at all. Have I shared my deep suspicion that my lack of focus, energy, ambition, memory, or any character at all is partly due to the rats?

Comments

I'd probably be itching too.

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

I am positively allergic to mouse urine (I get hives, sometimes it is a way to tell we have mice before the cats even know...).

Re: I'd probably be itching too.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

I was smelling the rats and nobody else was. I would have thought I would be the last to smell them because you get accustomed to the smell of your own house, but even when I thought the smell was strong visitors swore they didn't smell it.

I had an allergy test after I had a frightening asthma attack (I looked at a chart and it looked like, inretrospect, it was barely a moderate one and I sure didn't want to experience a severe one!). The only thing I was allergic to was rats. And I was extremely allergic.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

College Answer (http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/NorwayRats.asp).

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've read the piece and I think it has a couple of pointers I can use.