Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Painful Pest


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Yes.  This is just about exactly what the little bugger that stung me on Sunday looked like.  There's me, casually getting into a very hot car after a lovely dinner.  I sit on the seat and feel a burning on the back of my leg.  My first thought was that I must have leaned against something metal that had been in the sun.  I moved my leg fast and looked down.  No burning metal, just a devil in the form of a yellow jacket.  I quickly opened the door and shooed him out. 
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As we drove the 10 minutes to get home, the sting site got a little bit raised and red.  By the time we got home, it was the size of a quarter and I was in a lot of pain.  I made my sure-fire home remedy of baking soda and water paste, spread it all over the back of my calf, took something for the pain, and pretty much went to bed.
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Here I am, over 48 hours later trying to decide when this is EVER going to get better!  It just seems to be getting worse, and I'm now sorry I've watched all of those emergency room and strange malady TV shows.  My leg feels like a golf ball is wedged under my skin, and it burns and itches like crazy.  I didn't photograph the welt because it is totally disgusting, but it is HUGE and angry looking.
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I've now tried all sorts of topical creams and gels, and I'm guessing the venom will just work it's way out over time.  How?  I don't even want to think about it.  I found a helpful site HERE that proclaims that the key to minimizing yellow jacket sting pain is to act quickly.  And remove the stinger.  I looked when it happened and didn't see any stinger, but I'm thinking I should have looked harder.  Here's hoping that none of you have to experience this discomfort, but that if you do, you know to ACT QUICKLY!

6 comments:

Stocki said...

Ouch! Is a yellow jacket the same as a wasp? It looks far nastier...and hopefully it is a different nasty and we don't have them here in the UK. You 'shooed him out'? You have amazing patience! I think he would have been a very squashed yellow jacket if he had done that to my leg! Sending you a healing hug from the Uk.. Jill:)x

CelticKnot said...

Awww, Jennie! So sorry that the little bugger got you. If I had been there I would have punched it in the face for you. :-) I hope you feel better soon. <3

Jennie said...

Hi Jill! I did a quick internet search and found that a yellow jacket and wasp are part of the same family- both can sting people repeatedly. I didn't shoo him with anything close to humanity in my heart... I had nothing to swat him with, and my 5 year old was in the backseat. I just wanted it AWAY!!! I appreciate the healing hug :)

Thank you, Kristine!

Evelyn said...

my daughter got stung last summer and I was able to get the stinger out very quickly I don't know how as I was frantic, guess it's mothers instinct.

hope you feel better soon.(hugs)

Ribbons Undone said...

Aagh!!! I'm so sorry to hear this! Hope you're feeling better.

Donna -Little Tiny Stitches said...

Oooo.. Jennie, that sounds nasty!

We don't have yellow jackets here, but i read about them once, and I think they are a nastier version of our wasp too!

I don't like wasps at all, as they just go round stinging on purpose for the fun of it!
Where as Bees only sting if they feel threatened!
(Not sure that would make you feel any better when you have a bee's bottom sticking outside your leg though!)
xxOOxx