Anaphylaxis / Anaphylactic Shock

This weekend I was lucky enough to learnt what Anaphylaxis / or Anaphylactic shock is - the hard way. We had found a nice campsite that was right on the lake. We were planning to spend the weekend camping, boating, swimming, etc., Unfortunately however it seemed that our campsite was overrun with fire ants. Now, I've been bitten by fire ants in the past; a couple times while playing golf, once on a lake, once in my backyard, etc., and while it would swell up, burn, itch, etc., it wasn't 'that' big of a deal. The little bastards can sure pack a punch but it would go away after a couple days.

On Friday however I got about 7 bites at the same time on my foot. I brushed them off, killed a couple and said some colorful words but then went about my business. About 2-3 hours later however I was sleeping in the tent (which had some more ants in there as well) and my entire body started to burn. I woke up my wife and asked if she could see anything on me, ants, spiders, ANYTHING? - I was on FIRE. I then frantically went into our car to use the dome light and still couldn't see anything - but the burning was getting worse my entire body was on fire. I was starting to really freak out because it seemed that whatever had hit me or bit me - was still hitting or biting me so I took off my shirt frantically, then I fully disrobed in the van. I didn't know what to do - I was thinking about jumping in the lake. I wasn't sure if I had poison ivy and needed to wash my hands and my frantic actions were actually spreading the toxin? I just didn't know. Then the welts / hives started to spread and grow very FAST. Within seconds my ENTIRE BODY was covered in hives... under my arms, inside my thighs, legs, my hands were swelling, my ears were burning, and my mouth was starting to tighten up. I needed some immediate medical attention but we were in another town and we had no idea where to go. I was certain however that time was of the essence and I honestly felt like I was losing the battle.

We were driving down the road, and when we'd hit a red light (at 3:00am mind you) we'd ask people in the car next to us for directions. We finally found the hospital / emergency room and the employees there were having a hard time even looking - apparently I looked VERY bad. I was covered in hives and my face looked like I should have been in that "Thriller" video, very blotchy and looked as if death was setting in. When I looked in the bathroom mirror I'd never seen anything like it - my eyes were blood red and my face was indescribable really.

They rushed me to the back and quickly gave me an adrenalin shot (see also Pulp Fiction) as well as an IV with steroids, souped up benadryl and some other meds. The Nurse told me that my body was shutting down in response to the venom. Amazingly, within about 10-15 minutes everything had cleared up at the hives had essentially vanished.

The next day I went to the store and got a bunch of ant killer, spray, powder, etc., and treated our camp site. I had created a 'perimeter' if you will around the fire pit, our tents, tables, etc., and it worked well. I just paid close attention to not stopping or standing still in 'untreated' areas.

I had gone all day without getting bit, and at the end of the day I had decided to sleep in the car since I still wasn't that comfortable with the idea of sleeping outside after what happened the night before. Unfortunately however the car was hot and so I was going to see if my friend would mind if I slept on their boat instead so I walked outside (barefoot) and talked to them for a couple minutes (as they were still out by the camp fire) unfortunately I was standing still on yet another ant hill that I had not treated with ant poison yet and WHAM. They started nailing me again all over my feet. I frantically swatted them off and ran back into my car - where I found that a couple were still on my feet, one was between my toes and they just continuously kept biting. (as I read later they will bite, rotate around, and bite again.) This time however the severe reaction was almost immediate (where it took a few hours the night before). I instantly started to burn up, and hives started breaking out all over my body - but this time it felt much worse. I was wheezing and had hives sprouting up on the back of my neck around my hair line. I immediately rushed to the E.R. again where the same people were working from the night before. One nurse even gave me some grief "What are you doing here again!?" using the tone of a disappointed but caring grandmother. "Order up the usual" I mustered, and so it went again, a strong dose of adrenalin, rapid muscle twitches, a racing heart, followed by an amazing turn-about of events where the allergic reaction quickly subsided - but not without the help of some very strong medications.

I asked the nurse this time what would have happened if say I lived 50 to a 100 years ago or in another country without such advanced medicine and she said "you'd be a gonner - done, no question."

So now I have to carry around with me (at all times) what's called an "Epipen" which is an individual dose needle thing carrying a strong dose of adrenalin - that I'm supposed to stab / jam into my thigh in the event I get bit by another fire-ant (or have someone else stab me in the event I've passed out - comforting).

Unfortunately now, after coming close to death two times, before I put on my shoes I shake them out. Before I put on socks, I shake them out. I also pay attention to the ground a lot more, and I regularly feel like something is crawling on me. The "good thing" however is that I have a nice needle ready to go that I can "Swing and jab" (per instructions) into my leg at a moments notice. The best part was that this epipen thing came with two doses, and a third non-medicinal "practice" needle so that I could "practice" jabbing myself in the thigh.

Other than that we had a great weekend. The weather was just awesome and we told some good campfire stories. The kids had a great time. We all got a bit too much sun, and maybe drank 1 or 2 too many beers - but hey.... life is about the stories right?