i'm going to do it

i'm going to tempt the black fates that mock human arrogance. i'm going to utter a phrase that no one with any common sense would utter for fear of jinxing themselves.

i have not YET been bitten. i've had close calls with animals - dogs and cats that is. i've been gnawed on by plenty of parrots - big and small. it hurts, but it's something to which i'm accustomed. parrot beaks don't frighten me much. but as for dogs and cats - not one has sunk its fangs into me. YET. but i know it' s coming. i try not to worry about it too much. and on a day to day basis, i rarely think about it. i've absentmindedly palpated a large dog's abdomen before while discussing disease processes with an owner - and nearly had my arm removed - but i dodged the bullet. i've examined a painful, glaucomatous eye and pulled my hand back fast enough to evade the quick, sharp teeth of an annoyed blue heeler. i've yanked my hand back just barely fast enough to avoid needle sharp cat teeth on more than one occasion - though the teeth skimmed me and ripped my glove open. yet, the actual teeth sinking into flesh hasn't happened.

it's not something i'm thinking about and worrying about daily - it certainly doesn't prevent me from doing thorough physical exams or being hand's on with my patients - but every now and then, i suddenly think - "hey, i'm gonna get bitten. probably more than once in my life. and it's gonna hurt like hell."

that scares me a little.