Lesson Learned from a Bee?

I think I'm getting acclimated to this July weather.  We've had so many days with over 90 degree temperatures that this morning's 87 degrees feels almost cool.  Almost.... 

Taking advantage of the slightly cooler weather, I decided to clean up the flower beds a little.  It has been so hot that I haven't had much desire to be outside for more than a few minutes at a time.  The weeds have begun to take over, and the spent blooms are looking pretty sad.  Our goldfinches won't like me very much since I clipped most of the dried blooms from the cone flowers.  They seem to be their favorite meal this summer. 

While pulling dried stems from the day lilies, I felt a sharp stick on my right index finger.  Looking for a stinger with a bee still attached, I quickly pulled back my hand only to see a small red dot on my finger.  How can something so tiny, hurt SO MUCH!  I went inside and tried to remember what my sons' pediatrician told me years ago about bee stings.  I think he said meat tenderizer would break down bee venom.  I don't have meat tenderizer...we eat our steak tough.

Well, I'm not sure this was a bee sting.  In recent years, the fire ants have moved steadily northward and we have seen their tell-tale hills in our yard.  Maybe it was a spider...or a snake, perish the thought!  All these wild imaginings began to run through my mind.  If it was a snake, he only had one tooth, so I think I'll rule that out. 

Okay, Laney, what are you going to do?  Then I spy a fresh lime on the counter that I had planned to use to make salsa.  I cut it and start squeezing lime juice all over my finger and hand.  I'm home alone...what if I go into anaphylactic shock?  Look for a Benadryl...took what I thought was a Benadryl then called the pharmacist.  "Can I take more than one Benadryl when it says to only take two in a 24 hour period?"  "What", asks the pharmacist, "are you sure you took Benadryl?  The package should say you can take one or two every four hours"...."No, the one I took says one every twelve hours...oh,....sorry...it's not Benadryl.  Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Pharmacist."

So, I call my husband and ask him to check on me every few hours to see if I'm still breathing.  At the same time, I am stuffing my finger inside a lime.  Ouch...that paper cut from yesterday is really burning.  It's overshadowing the pain from the mysterious sting or bite.  Okay, now I'll surround the whole thing with a cool wrap from the freezer, then sit down and wait to die.

Well, as you can see, I didn't die...yet.  The swelling has subsided, along with most of the pain.  Lesson learned:  wear garden gloves, don't stick my hand in someone else's business, clean out medicine cabinet, limes have multiple uses.  Shopping list addition....a funky pair of reading glasses.


Copyright 2011 Charlotte Laney