Sometimes I wonder if I made an irreversible mistake by having a large, vibrant sunflower tattooed on my shoulder. This weekend, on Saturday afternoon, I felt something land in my hair, perhaps hovering above or around my sunflower. It's weight felt like a large bug and instinctively I reached back with my right hand to swat this ill placed creature from my scalp. Immediately I had burning pain on my finger and when I recoiled my hand I saw a thorn in the side of my finger - that creature was a bee and he landed stinger in me!! I got stung on the finger, and luckily on my right hand - the finger without my ring which I wear daily and the hand that I don't write with, eat with, etc. with. I'm a lefty, how lucky. And, luckily also I was not on my head or neck!
I'm allergic to bees. When I was a younger gal, maybe 8 or 9 I got stung on the leg while at summer camp. A bee or wasp flew up my (again brilliantly colored) floral printed shorts and stung my thigh. I swelled from knee to hip. At this time I was told by the camp nurse that if I ever get stung again I may need to go to the hospital immediately. In my unfailing honesty to Peace Corps during my application phase I reported this allergy and thus have an Epi-Pen. However, the facts for the Epi-Pen state not to keep it in degrees above like 90 or something, which lately would be impossible. So its at home, sitting my travel backpack, useless and unused.
Immediately after being stung on Saturday I said to the gals that were with me, "I'm allergic to bees..." My wonderfully concerned and caring friend, Terra, asked if I should go to the hospital. I laughed at this a little because it was only my finger that was stung. Had my neck or face been swollen then yes, to the hospital we go but I just waited it out, cursed the pain and watched my finger swell, hoping it would stop at just one finger. More or less it did, but now, on Monday afternoon its still swollen and irritatingly so. I spent yesterday mildly tranquilized by Benedryl watching my finger throughout the day as it maintained a ridiculous fatness with some red coloring indicating that I was not quite on the mend. The swelling has got to go down eventually right??
It seems appropriate that after being stung once I should be in the clear with the bees right? Well... that's not happening. Since that moment my bee mojo has been awful! After the sting on Saturday there were other bees flying around us, getting way too close to comfort. I mean, sure, maybe the bee that stung me died since he was careless enough to leave his stinger lodged in my skin, but I didn't ask for him to do that! Its not my fault bees so bug off!
Sunday evening, after heading into Belmopan for a meeting, (and sleeping on the bus both ways - gracias a benedryl), I reached home in the evening to see two wasps outside my front door circling around two small hives that are suspended to the ceiling of my patio area. Not cool. I go inside choosing to leave them alone for now. Jose was over a while later and I asked if he would help. He took a broom, and while I waited inside, he knocked the hives down smashing them up. Unfortunately for me, both wasps seemed to have gotten away. So we destroyed their home, but not them. At some point later on the wasp got inside my house. By now, I'm nearly panicking. I locked my patio gate and left my screen door open, thus allowing the wasp an exit. I then locked myself in my room, took another benedryl and went to bed.
This morning the wasp was out of the house and I was going to close the screen door just in time as I saw him trying to fly back in. I trapped him out and a bit later made a getaway safely and unstung. I don't think these wasps are very aggressive and they appear to be solitary - meaning there's not a huge hive by my door. However, being as allergic as I think I may be, I'm terrified of being stung again! I haven't yet come up with a plan. The internet tells me to use citrus extract spray. I have bleach in a spray bottle and am considering using that. However, being as terrified as I am my instinct is flight and not fight. Anyone want to come fight for me? Any suggestions on improving my mojo?
No comments:
Post a Comment