Wednesday 18 May 2011

When Nature Attacks!

My parents were visiting over the weekend, so I didn't quite stick to my usual routines. I did manage to fit in a nice bike ride on Monday morning though. I cycled to playgroup with Emma on the back, and after I dropped her off, I headed into the local country estate for a rural, woody bike ride. It's a scenic route, but there were millions of buzzing insects all over the place.

Again, I felt quite fit and kept up a good speed. I had about 30 minutes to cycle before meeting Mum and Dad back in town, so after about 3 miles in one direction, I turned round to come back.

On the way back I was just wondering whether I was going to make it on time, when suddenly, a huge black animal flew into my face! Well, maybe I exaggerate slightly, but a black fly definitely went in my eye, and it felt pretty big. I didn't have time to stop, but I rubbed my eye for a bit and it felt sore. Annoyingly, I was wearing contact lenses when I usually cycle in my glasses, so it was access all areas for the opportunistic fly.

When I met my parents, Mum had a good look in my eye but there was nothing there. Anyway, we browsed a few shops and I had a lovely cup of coffee with them before I cycled (and they drove) home.

All day my eye felt sore on and off, and by the time I went to my Pilates class at 8pm, my vision was quite blurry in the left eye. As soon as I got back home I went in the bathroom to take my lenses out, and as I looked in the mirror, there was a big black squidge in the corner of my eye. The fly had been lurking round the back of my eyeball and then come out the other side - an intrepid journey which had taken 11 hours! Yuck!


See - it's massive!

(I wasn't totally unprepared for this, as the same thing happened once before with a contact lens, and luckily I'm not too squeamish about eyes. If something had flown into my ear I'd have died on the spot).

My eye felt a lot better after the unwanted body had been expelled and full vision was restored. I think I'll be wearing my glasses if not proper goggles every time I go out on the bike from now on!

9 comments:

  1. Ouch, your eye must have been so sore and red for those 11 hours and a few hours after wards. But still I'd rather have one in my eye than swallow one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ouch. How could you stand that for so long? Glad you got it out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ewww! I hate when I get bugs in my mouth or nose while cycling but have never gotten one in my eye - ouch!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yuck, that happened to me in the States last summer. Fly was encased in a ball of grossness too :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. I dislike bugs at the best of times but seriously, a bug in your eye. Your so brave. I get the odd one or two bugs in my mouth or nose but never in my eye lol.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yuck! And bad luck that just that day you didn't wear your glasses! I wear contact lenses too, because I'm so vain, but I must admit: glasses do offer more protection from insects.

    momshomerun.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ouch! Lately I've had a lot of bugs flying into my face (but not my eye, thankfully) - the time of year for it, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  8. OW! That is a big bug to hit the eye! But hey, I say the official first day of spring is the first day that a bug either flies into my eye, mouth, or up my nose while running or biking :) Welcome spring!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh no...ouch! I had one of them fly into my eye on a run last year and that sucker hurt!!! I'm glad you got him out!!!

    ReplyDelete