Walking with my standard poodle at night before I go to bed just has to be done. I live near the beach and have a great green area for her to pee before sleep. As we are about ready to retire and walking around the last hedge towards my home we were attacked. I mean this was a full blown asault. The two of us heard a noise in the hedge and I thought it is my neighbors cat so I grabbed my dogs collar so she couldnt pursue a chase. Suddenly a raccoon lunged towards my poodle I instantly released her collar. Yelling for her to go home I suddenly was being charged by a second raccoon. Straight out of the bushes and charging towards me I backed up when it jumped. Yes, racoons can jump. A struggle pursued and I got the wild animal off me. I started towards home when then the chase insued. The sucker chased me down the alley! I ran, shoes flying, while my 13 year old watched me from the window running for my life. I heard My pet whimpering and I yelled loud enough for her to respond and come to me. With a moment of freedom we both high tailed it up the stairs to our Apt. Once inside my thoughts went towards my Poodle Joy. She seemed fine and had no lacerations or bites. I on the other hand had a bite. The little shit bit me on my stomach. My son started crying that I was going to die and my neighbor had heard the racoons snarls and came over to help.. Well off to the emergency room I went. Taking Joy with me I stopped for gas paid ten bucks then proceeded towards rabbies city hospital. Meanwhile I forget to actually put the gas inside my car. I realized my blunder when the gas light went on in the parking lot of the emergency room. When I was being checked in I noticed my toes had been scratched by racoon talons. Blood flowing, belly wound changing colors I realized this is only going to get more interesting. A small asian doctor looked at my wound and stated I would need a tetnis shot a rabbies series. I was ok unitl the nursre walked back and fourth infront of my room filling multiple syringes. I thought the rabbies had kicked in when I felt faint, light headed and very hot. She explained I was just having a panic attack. A second nurse came in and the plan was to tag team me with shots. One in each thigh, each buttock and each arm. Both nurses would go at the same time. I freaked and took twenty minutes to calm down enough to move ahead. While pleading for a valuim or a beer the shots were over. The doctor came back and had me remember a song. 3, 7, 14 then 23, this is when I have to come back to the Er for the rest of the shots, YEAH! By the time I left the hospital twenty hospital staff members came to see me and asked to see my bite and hear my story. The were patient and nice and laughed with me when I told them I still needed gas to get home. What a life and how rare to be attacked and bitten by a wild animal. Two weeks of antibiotics and my shots are in my future. I thought I was taking it in stride until I read the information I was sent home with about rabbies. It is fatal if not treated but the clincher is stated as follows. As with any medicine or vaccine, there are very small risks, However a serious problem could occur, even death after getting the vaccine. But the vaccine is still safer then the disease. What!!!