I second the notion of getting a few trusted medical opinions after having so many stings at once.
It's possible that your next sting could be a real doozey, or you may have absolutely no reaction at all.
From what I've read, some people get more sensitive with each sting, but
other less. My guess is that it depends on the individual and other environmental factors that are impacting your immune sysem at the moment. I know my my immune response to various allergens varies greatly over time. I've never gotten a clear answer why. Luckily for me it's only been an occasional annoyance. George On 6/18/07, Louise Power <power_lou...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Tone, I don't know you, but does the word *anaphylaxis* mean anything to you. It sounds like you had a bad allergic reaction to the bee venom. I know, because I'm allergic, too. Forget why they came after you. Forget what kind of bees they were. Anaphylaxis is one of the true medical emergencies. If severe enough, you could die. If not from this one, maybe from the next one. It only takes a few over a period of time to build up your susceptability. That's what happened in my case. One year I wasn't allergic and the next sting knocked me on my butt. Maybe you're one of the people who needs to carry an epi pen at all times. I recommend you go to your doctor and get tested. At least check out the following site: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-anaphylaxis/FA00003 For those of you who may think you're too macho to get treated for this, how much more macho is dying from a bee sting? Louise ------------------------------ From: *"Tone G" <tone.ga...@gmail.com>* To: *texascavers@texascavers.com* Subject: *[Texascavers] One for Winnie-the-Pooh* Date: *Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:18:36 -0600* MIME-Version: *1.0* Received: *from raistlin.wokka.org ([69.56.185.90]) by bay0-mc10-f22.bay0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.2668); Sun, 17 Jun 2007 18:19:01 -0700* Received: *(qmail 48496 invoked by uid 89); 18 Jun 2007 01:19:03 -0000* Received: *(qmail 48487 invoked by uid 31338); 18 Jun 2007 01:19:03 -0000 * One for Winnie-the-Pooh A True Caver Account by Tone Garot 2007 June 17 I have come across some most interesting experiences when caving or doing caving related sports. Today was no exception. David Ochel, vertical practice leader for the UT Grotto, had contacted me several days ago to see if I could help out with Vertical 201 practice at the Urban Assault wall at the Greenbelt. Normally rock climbing walls, the bolts can also be used for training in use of a frog system. I arrived around 9:15 a.m. to find the big drop already rigged and Matt was finishing the rigging on one of the two ropes at the short drop. After I did the long drop then the small drop, I stayed at the top chatting with the guys about caving stories and whatnot. It was getting toward the time to de-rig and pack up, so several of us wanted to get in one last drop. I went down the small drop on the non-rebelay rope then went back up. Since the two ropes were maybe six feet apart, I stopped at the same level as the rebelay point of the other rope to take pictures of Gary Franklin, Director of Precinct 2 of the Edwards Aquifer, as he ascended. Pictures of these type are always useful for the UT Grotto website. Suddenly I hear buzzing. I try to shoo it away, but, as luck would have it, this honey bee feels that I did him an injustice. After assurances to my guiltlessness fail, he stings me, and I swat him, and he falls, and I do not. Then I hear more buzzing, so I immediately put away my camera and head up the last six or so feet of rope. As I ascend, the bees start stinging me like crazy. The next five minutes or so are a haze to me, so I will try to relate it as I remember. I pulled myself up the remaining rope with gloved hands, knees, and feet to reach the top, and start to run, all while hitting myself. Of course, I am still attached to the rope, so I only make it about six feet. I remember slapping my face really, really hard because these bees seemed to converge there. I also remember yelling something like "someone help me! Someone get me a towel!" Eventually I get my croll and ascender off the rope, so I start heading up the trail. Matt came to my assistance, smacking bees on me, then also finding that he is not immune to their wrath. Soon the worst was over. I still had a bee lodged in my T-shirt buzzing. I helped liberate his soul from this cruel world. I headed back to the vehicles with Matt following. As luck would have it, I am allergic to just about everything under the sun. Cats, some dogs, airborne allergens, something in beer, and I'm even lactose intolerant. I honestly don't recall ever being stung by a bee before, so I am a little fearful of the effect of over *twenty* stings. Matt and I chill by the vehicles talking about what just happened and pulling the stingers out. Yes, the stings are starting to swell and become red, and yes, they hurt. After about ten minutes, the rest of the guys come up bearing the rest of the gear that was left behind. It turns out that several of the guys got stung also. David, Gary, and Matt decided to get some lunch before returning to de-rig the ropes. I declined the invitation as I wasn't much in the mood for food at the moment. After everyone decided that we were all ok, I headed home. After a shower, I fell asleep. It must have been around noon. Gary called me around 2:15 p.m. to see if I was ok. I didn't make it to the phone, but I did call him back shortly thereafter. I was in a sort of delirium, and I couldn't believe how nauseous I felt. I eventually went back to bed. David instant messaged me around 3 p.m. to see if I was ok. I told him "the welts aren't much bigger. In fact, they look much the same as when I left the parking area." I asked him if he de-rigged and he said "I ended up wearing my muddy pants from yesterday, and my balaclava, and got on rope. Well, I had derigged the rebelay and was about to switch over to climb up, because all looked quiet... and then one of them started bumping into me so I changed the plan and went down... never been rappelling that fast!" He also said that he thought both Matt and Gary got one more sting while at the top de-rigging. As for me, I felt sick to my stomach and light headed from about noon to 5:45 p.m. I tried getting up several times only to lie back down. My plan to make it to the Sunday Swim at Pete Strickland's place was not meant to be. Today is Mike's birthday, and Chloe and I had made plans to get him there, have a cake, and make his favorite Mango Margaritas. Instead, I gave Mike the bottle of tequila I promised, and I told him happy birthday. So, at about 6 p.m. this evening, I felt very hungry. During my delirium, two thoughts repeated through my head. The first was a phrase from Eddy Izzard that Wes mimicked at Punkin cave, "I don't want a cup of coffee from you! You're covered in bees!" The second thought coursing through my head was to eat *honey* on a graham cracker. And that's exactly what I did—spitefully. Here's one for you, Winnie. "What do you want a balloon for?" you said. Winnie-the-Pooh looked round to see that nobody was listening, put his paw to his mouth, and said in a deep whisper: "Honey!" "But you don't get honey with balloons!" "I do," said Pooh. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
