The miscreant was not one of these: and I know that I am no longer deathly allergic due to the wonders of medical science
… slight swelling, no pain, little itching
Over the years, I have related on this blog about the time that I almost died from being stung by a bevy of bees or yellow jackets.
This happened almost 50 years ago in Bedford, Pa. when I was cutting grass at Coach Emil Salony’s “cabin.” I hit a nest with a push mower, and about 20 or 25 — who was counting — attacked me. About an hour later, a physician told me that in about another half hour, I would have passed from this world.
Consequently, I took shots for a number of years at the Lilly Clinic that worked well. I carried a kit with me for a while, but after I started the shots, I quit doing that.
And then, back in about 2005, I was swimming at Prince Gallitzin State Park and had left the water. I was in a lawn lounger when a yellow jacket alighted on my thigh. I could not get rid of it quickly enough, and indeed, it left its stinger in me.
I knew that there were lifeguards there at that time — no longer, unfortunately — so I figured, “Let’s see how this plays out.”
It became red and hardened and swelled slightly, but that was it. At that time, I knew that the shots prescribed by Dr. Jeffrey Rosch and administered by Shelley McIntosh, R.N., worked. A sincere thank you to both of them.
Sept. 7, 2021
That brings me to yesterday. I had taken the dog outside and was just standing watching her nose around when I felt a sting in the crook of my elbow. It hurt for a minute, but then passed.
About an hour later, I noticed that it had swelled a little in that area with two growths that looked like hives there. Still, no pain, no itching, nothing.
Then, after an afternoon tutoring session, I lifted my sleeve and saw that it had indeed swelled considerably and was very red. I had taken an extra-strength Tylenol after the initial stinging, so I took another.
About 9:30, when I was done with all of my tutoring, I looked again. I had taken an allergy pill and put some lotion on it, but it was really red and had swelled.
Still, it was not major, and I had no pain and hardly any itching over that day.
This morning, the swelling has gone down somewhat, and the redness is pretty much gone.
My question is this: I know that it was not a bee or yellow jacket or anything in that family. However, what was it? It was a very, very quick stinger that left so fast that I never saw it.
Weird, but the good part is that I know that I am not deathly allergic to bees any longer.
And that, my friends, is due to medical science that gave me those shots years ago.
And for that, I am grateful to medical science.