Wednesday, March 20, 2013

strawberries....hives...and the emergency room

You should know straight off that I love strawberries.
My sister, Cheri, and I make homemade strawberry jam each summer.
I make fresh strawberry pie for the 4th of July every year with real whipped cream.
Strawberries and Greek yogurt are my go to breakfast.
Until 3 days ago.
When I got weird leprosy like hives on the backs of my hands.
Which I thought came from a new antibiotic I was on.
Not from the strawberries on my grape nuts breakfast cereal.
My doctor was as perplexed as I was at my visit with her yesterday,
changing my prescription and saying, "Give me a call if anything changes."
Something changed.
Last night after I had a bowl of strawberries and yogurt
my tongue started going numb....and then the roof of my mouth....
I became alarmed when my throat started to get in on the action.
I started popping Benadryl tablets like M&Ms,
I grabbed my son's epi-pen and Scott raced me to the hospital.
At the speed of 25 miles per hour.
Special thanks to the granny driver who was directly in front of us.
Our marriage may have unraveled a bit in that 7 minute drive.
He was being loving and spiritual praying for me with a gentle hand on my knee,
Unbeknownst to me, I don't enjoy a hand on the knee
when I am staring death in the face.
I told him, "Don't touch me."
He looked surprised and hurt and said, "I'm trying to pray for you."
And I said, "I'm sorry...it's making me anxious...here, hold my hand....
can you drive faster?"
He said, "I won't tell people if you die in the car that your last words to me were
"Don't touch me."
I think it is safe to say he would have gladly stabbed me with Addie's epi-pin...
to save my life, of course.
Needless to say after a 3 hour stay in the emergency room, an iv,
a breathing treatment, a round of steroids,
and some chatting to repair our wounded marriage,
we were on our way back home.
I now own my own epi-pen.
When I told the boys that they gave me steroids, Will perked up and said,
"Hey, Mom! At least you are not a boy so you don't have to worry about
your testicles shrinking." Good point.
There is always an upside, people.
I'm alive. Praise the Sweet Lord.
I'll take breathing over strawberry jam any day!

6 comments:

pamelitarose said...

Although the newly found allergy & reaction are no laughing matter (glad you are doing better!!!) the retelling is hilar. Thanks for a morning laugh. :)

Amy said...

Sorry for your near death experience, but your retelling caused laughter here! But, please, please, please take an ambulance next time! As a nurse, I have experienced people who took the "short drive" to the hospital and did not reach us! Ok, soapbox..stepping down. Thanks.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

You are funny when you stare death in the face.

I guess I won't send you that strawberry-rhubarb pie in my freezer.

So glad you are OK. And that you don't have shrinking testicles.

Nina said...

"I won't tell people if you die in the car that your last words to me were "Don't touch me."

I don't really LOL very often. I am more of a smirk amused kind of gal when it comes to reading.

But, I laughed...loud...TWICE. (Will! That kid got a dose of funny too!)

Glad you are alive. I thought I was allergic to strawberries once in middle school. Turns out the hives were from the vegetable oil I rubbed all over my legs in hopes of getting a sun tan with while laying out with friends.

ChristianMom2Boys said...

Poor Scott, trying to pray for you, and get's told not to touch you... and then giggled at by your bloggy fans. ;)

I'm so glad that you are okay!!! I never would have thought when you mentioned it at dinner Monday that it was an allergic reaction!

Unknown said...

Wow Sue! Genna is allergic to strawberries - or at least we think she is. She loves them, but had a couple of reactions to them at couple of years ago. We just went to the farmer's market today and all but Genna were enjoying the berries. She was so sad so I said - "well, maybe we can give it another try next time." I was sort of hoping that she "grew out of it" before I did so, I signed onto my computer and was reading your blog...came upon this one! So, I'm taking it as a sign and not giving her strawberries today. Love you Sue and glad you can breathe!