A week or so ago, I was trimming the hedges in the front of our house, and I felt a sharp prick on my arm. I looked down to see a bee/hornet/wasp/stinging kind of insect attacking my arm! We have perennials planted all around our house, so there are always swarms enjoying the flowers. Well, one got testy over my presence and let me have it -- my first sting ever, I think. I was alone at the time, so I didn't know what to do. I ran into the house, turned on the computer, and searched the Internet for the correct treatment! I don't remember what I did; it involved soapy water followed by an ice pack, I think. In any case, it became a mildly sore little red spot that disappeared in a day or two -- nothing major.
Well, yesterday I was washing windows on the house, and I was trying to get to the top of the living room picture window. We have a hedge up against the house with the flowers in front of the hedge, so it's pretty difficult to get right up next to the building. I was trying to cram the step ladder between the hedges and the window when I felt two stings simultaneously, one on each leg. Needless to say, I was at that point done washing the window! Today, one of the stings is pretty much gone, but the other one still hurts, and there's a white spot where the sting was, and the pain is spreading outward. Any suggestions, people, for what to do about it?
Yesterday, Susan and the girls and I picnicked at a park in Grand Forks and were pestered there by bees/hornets/wasps/stinging insects. Tonight we joined friends to picnic at a different Grand Forks park, and we were overtaken by a swarm of persistent stingers. I think they could smell the scent of their kin being emitted with my pheromones and were, thus, drawn to me in particular. I was completely emasculated in front of my family and our friends as I grabbed my plate and raced around the table, dodging the carnivorous pests. Meanwhile, Abigail sat completely unfazed, eating her mashed potatoes while bees/hornets/wasps/stinging insects circled her but otherwise did her no harm.
I can't say that I minded going my entire life up to this point without stings.
is the stinger still in the wound?
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I did a little digging around in the white part of the wound the other night, after which I dabbed it with hydrogen peroxide. That seemed to do the trick; the pain is gone, and the redness and swelling are going away.
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin, your story about stings reminded me of last summer when I led a nature center camp over a wasp nest. Out of the 20 kids about 5 managed to get away sting free. I walked away with at least 7 myself. The thing to remember is Honey bees are the only ones that the stinger remains in the skin (they sting once and die) all others have the unfortunate ability to sting more then once. As for us, we grabbed a bunch of freezies which the kids held to their stings and then ate afterwords. It did the trick:) Of course, I thought the itching was worse then the actual sting! Hope you and the family are enjoying summer. Any plans to make your way towards Wisconsin? Take care. - Anna Dutke
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