Every year we get the same phone call from Orange County Health Department about two to three days before school lets out. It's a friendly community reminder about a killer single cell amoeba that thrives in hot, fresh water. Once exposed to the human brain through the nasal passages it is almost always fatal. 
At first people exposed to the amoeba, naegleria fowleri, suffer from flu-like symtoms. Soon afterwards, the symptoms worsen. Coma, abnormal movements of the eyes, and then parts of the brain start to die.
My kids are HORRIFIED of fresh water lakes. I am horrified because of the gators that lurk among the fresh water lakes. My kids have an intense fear that the amoeba will eat their brain if they don't plug their nose while swimming . . . which they never do. We have decided to err on the side of caution and we avoid fresh water lakes altogether from June until about October or November. But this year we will be going to California and Utah for almost one month. How do I start prepping my kids now that it will be o.k. to swim in a lake there?
12 comments:
I have never heard of that. Yuck!
Um. What lake will you be swimming in in Utah? I PROMISE you you won't be seeing me in Utah Lake. :)
something about the high salt content killing all living organismas ought to do the trick.
That is really gross--and scary!
Will you be heading down San Diego way?
You can tell them that Grandpa has already inspected the fresh water lakes in Utah and found that Jordanelle Reservoir 1) has no such bugs in it 2) has a boat reserved for the Hazen/Ramirez family while they're here, and 3) Grandpa wouldn't allow such creepy things to get next to his grand babies. In addition, Grandpa and Grandma live in Utah (and used to live in California) because there are no such bugs there. It's too cold for such bugs to survive here. Besides, if Grandpa can paint their rooms, he can keep silly bugs away from them while here.
On the other hand, thanks for the heads up on creepy bugs in Florida. There ain't no way, I'm letting one of those bugs eat my brain cells by going in a fresh water lake. I can't afford to lose any more cells.
I guess we could always use a clothes pin on the nose, just to be safe.
Padre
As if swine flu and West Nile Virus are not enough.
Happy Birthday Heidi! I hope you are spoiled rotten and get to do whatever your heart desires!
Love You!
Happy Birthday, my twin that is way thinner and cuter!!
This post scared me...who knew?!
I like what Andrea said...tell them that about the water.
Oh...yeah...feel free to send me your laptop...heh, heh, heh...just kidding, friend.
So this is where we leave Happy Birthday wishes too?
Well then ... Happy Birthday sweet darling daughter. I told Mom what number this was and she hasn't spoken to me since. She thinks I've lost it!
In any event, may you have many many more and who knows? Maybe next year, we will come to Florida to help celebrate it. ... Wait do you think the creepy lake bugs will be gone by then? Oh well, we can always celebrate your number ?? (ryhmes with something like our old friend Morty) on the land.
Happy Birthday my first born! We love you and can't wait until July to see you and the family.
Padre
Hey Heidi, there aren't any bugs at Lucky Peak in ID. That's where the IRONMAN was and I swallowed plenty of water for the triathlon and I think I still have a brain!
And when are you coming to utah? If you have 10 sec. I'd love to see ya and the family. Haven't even seen the PG gain this yeat yet! I told Heather to watchout because I'll be that weird cousin on the doorstep just making my visiting cousing route.
all the fresh lakes have been blessed by memebers of the church...all is well in Zion, all is well
Utah has holy water. As for California, hmmm. I don't know.
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