We are planning an addition. (As if I haven’t mentioned it before, or maybe I haven’t). Anyway, part of the work is to clear the woods up just a bit, 10′ or so, and we are going to plant grass when the work is done. I started on the clean up of the area that will become grass. We have poison ivy back there and lots of downed branches, decomposing stuff, you get the idea.

So Sunday, I took 2 hours out to work on this. Nice… I was making some very nice progress. I had cleared about 30 ft across, 10 feet back when I heard a buzz by my ear, I immediately moved away, but was stung. Crap. First, it’s been 14 years since I was last stung. Second, it hurt!

I went inside and I thought Dr. Jay was still taking his shower. The girls were having Pokemon battles. I called up for them to get Dad as this was an emergency. Luna came over and said "did you get stung by a bee?" and I replied yes. They ran. Within 1 min, Jay had given me benedryl and I had stabbed my thigh with an expired epipen.

The girls got right into the car as asked and we drove to the closest ER (10 min away). I was breathing slowly and calmly. Keeping the girls calm was the important part. Soleil asked if this was the kind of bee sting that could kill me. I said yes, but we are doing all of the right things, so I would be fine.

Jay dropped me off at ER, and he went to park the car. The triage woman was taking in 2 other patients, so I waited for a few minutes. Jay came in, but the girls wanted to stay outside. I said fine. Then shit hit the fan, my throat started to swell and it felt like someone had poured cement down it. I was gasping for air and couldn’t talk much. Jay yelled that we needed a doctor since I was having trouble breathing. I still don’t know how, but I was on a stretcher, wheeled off somewhere, stabbed with an IV, and asked questions. At first, I couldn’t answer. It was so hard to get air. After a few minutes, my throat eased enough for me to talk.

The majority of the time in ER, I just closed my eyes and rested. I did everything right, including using whatever epipen I had, expired or not. I did ask if my kids could see that I was fine and the doctor let them come back once everything was stable. Dr. Jay then took them out to McDonald’s, let them have ice cream and go play with the ferrets at the pet store! They loved that. I was discharged within 2 hours and Jay came back to pick me up. I was alternating between hyped (epinephrine) and tired (benedryl). I took a shower and rested.

To be honest, I was more scared that the kids would freak. I am glad they took it in stride. I am still having after effects, mostly my tongue and throat are swollen, and my left arm is bruised to the max from the IV. I am doing better.

I am glad I knew I was allergic to bees. I don’t want to ever have that feeling of gasping for air again.