Hello Everybody,

    I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season! Well guess what? I was stung Tuesday 30 Nov 2004. I was shopping at Dominick's and while in the produce department a yellow jacket flew up my pants leg. I had felt something but figured it was my imagination. I thought I had maybe a dryer sheet in my pants or some of my hair. ( I have a lot of hair and sometimes in the wash it will get in my clothes ) So I figured I was just panicking. Well I felt a sting and we all know how much those hurt. But since I have been having panic attacks I assumed it was that. In less then a minute I felt my blood pressure dropping and breathing was difficult. I went to the service desk and asked if there was a female who could go to the bathroom with me so I could check my pants. The female security guard was there and she came with me.

All within a couple of  minutes from the time of the sting to the bathroom I had took my Benydryl and had my needle ready. But in my mind I am telling myself this is a panic attack. It was in the bathroom when I saw the stinger in my leg that I got very scared. I told her to please call the paramedics. I went and sat in the security office. The security guard said I looked very pale when I walked up to the service desk then I started to break out in hives by the time I was in the security office.

The paramedics were there in just a few minutes. They said my oxygen and blood pressure were very low. The good through all of this is I never lost consciousness. Everybody was so shocked because it is winter in Chicago. It was about 33 degrees here that night. What is a bee still doing around? What I don't understand is, Why Me? There must have been between 7-10 people in that department. Do I give off a pheromone that bee's like? I don't wear perfume anymore and I had my pants on all day and I don't think they smelled like laundry soap or fabric softener? I smoke, if they smelled at all they should have smelled like smoke. I don't think bugs are attracted to smoke smell.

The doctors did not release me from the emergency room until about five hours later.  The doctor told me to go to my doctor about getting checked for asthma, low blood pressure, low blood sugar and said get back in the immunotherapy because it took so long to come back up.  The low blood sugar may be because I forgot to eat that day.

 I saw my allergist ( who is also a asthma specialist) today 03 Dec 2004.  Good news I do not have asthma. He wanted to start me on shots Monday, I remember being told to always skip a month if your stung. I am going to wait. The funny thing is I was excited to go back for my shots because I figured they worked because I did not go total anaphylactic. But as soon as he said start Monday I got scared because I questioned on how quick he wanted me back.

This whole thing has blown my mind. It is freezing here, when can I let my guard down? And without sounding like a brat, WHY ME? I honestly want to know if I give off a scent that bee's like. Or is it because I have been sort of worried, did it smell  my fear? Or what???????

I hope everybody is enjoying there cool seasons!

Sarah