I took the kids to playgroup this morning at the playground down the street. As is becoming more common we were the only ones there. sigh. It was rather warm and humid so I told the kids we wouldn't be staying long. Still we were there for about our normal time (45 minutes, without a watch I always want to leave after 45 minutes, weird!).
We were close to leaving, 5 minute warning, three minute warning, etc. I was pushing Peter in a baby swing and Luke was in the stroller about three feet away from me. Suddenly I felt a very sharp prick on my hand and looked down to see a bee on the front of me. I calmly brushed it off and then began to make sure that it didn't return to land on me. I have never been stung before, I had no idea what to do. So I panicked.
I quickly and sharply told the kids we were leaving in my "I'm scared beyond words voice." They hustled to the car knowing that it was serious since the last time I used that voice it was because the neighbor's house was on fire. By this point I was lightheaded, dizzy, weak and shaking like a leaf in the wind. I was praying I would make the 1 1/2 minute drive home okay.
The sting site was a tiny red dot and a white swollen area around it about the size of a pencil eraser. I kept thinking how seriously inconvenient it would be to have to go to the hospital, but since it was my first time, I didn't know if I was dying or not. My head started hurting by the time we got home and I hustled everyone inside. I quickly sat down and googled for bee stings.
All the websites I found said to pull out the stinger quickly. More panicking. I couldn't see a stinger! I frantically checked for signs of allergic reaction. It was all very unclear. I did put on an ice pack, but I didn't know what else I could or should do.
So I did what every mature adult mother of five would do.
I called my mommy.
No answer.
So I called my second mommy.
No answer.
More panicking.
I called my husband.
He advised me to wash it and put some neosporin on it. Which I did.
It hurt for a long time. I whined, I moaned and I got a little teary from the pain in my hand.
Now seven hours later I am miraculously alive and my hand is mostly just stiff and a little achy. I can't even see where the sting is. I think I would be classified as a very mild reaction. It's funny how what I think can become what I feel even if I'm not really feeling it.
Though I will probably deny it after this, I know my kids aren't the only drama queens/kings in my little family. I guess all those years in theatre rubbed off on me, or maybe I've always been like this . . .
4 comments:
Funny, funny, funny! Not the bee sting--the reaction. You ARE a drama queen and I think that's perfectly ok. I've been known to overreact myself. Sorry I wasn't available by phone but I'm sure I wouldn't have known what to do either. Thanks for sharing your "near death experience." And I'm really very glad you're ok.
Oh, thank you! I needed a little chuckle at the end of a very challenging, high blood-pressure kind of day. I am glad that you are okay!
I'm sure every woman who reads this is saying..."Oh ya, just try having a baby". At least that is what my wife says whenever I complain about a little pain. You made me laugh. thanks.
You're lucky that you didn't have a reaction. My "cool brother" Joey batted down a wasps nest next to his front door a couple summers ago and a bee stung him on the hand and his hand just kept swelling each day til it was all the way up his arm. He had to go to the hospital everyday to get shots and it kept swelling. It eventually went down but he was in a lot of pain and I'm seriously surprised he doesn't have stretch marks from it. He was given an epipen in case he gets another one. Bees are serious business!
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