What's A Guy To Do?

I came home from work the other day and took Lucky out back for a few minutes and came upstairs to change. As I was taking my shirt off I felt a little pinch on my cheek and rubbed it a bit. It started to hurt pretty bad, not really hurt, it was like when you get fiberglass foam on you. It was tingling and really started to bother me.

I splashed some cold water on my cheek and started rubbing it while looking in the mirror to see what was going on. I think it was at this point that I started to feel that familiar feeling that’s happened so many times in the last two years. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw the bite on my cheek and noticed the swelling had started.

I went and got my epipen and shot that into my thigh and started going down the stairs to get some ice. I heard Maegan down there and yelled to her that I had been stung. As she tells it, it was more like one long slur instead of words but she eventually got it and hung up the phone. We got the ice and I came back upstairs to take my Benedryl cocktail. I then buttoned down for an evening of groggy bliss.

My left cheek swelled to the point that people thought I had some chew in there. Friday night it felt like my teeth on that side were being pulled out. It was only after a few beers that the pain subsided. I was really surprised how much it hurt. I was out with friends and probably should have just come home but I go out so seldom that I really wanted to stay.

I was taking ibuprofen and that was really effective for the pain during the day and I would do the Benedryl thing at night. The problem with the Benedryl is how groggy it left me during the day. I wonder if the venom has something to do with that?

It’s now Monday morning and I’ve shaved for the first time since Thursday. The bite is still visible and it’s still swollen. It doesn’t hurt like it did and I’ll keep taking ibuprofen until the swelling is gone. I didn’t take any Benedryl last night because I have to work today and I was groggy all day yesterday. I have to think clearly today, as I have to work.

There has got to be something in my chemistry that attracts these things. Being allergic is one thing but ask yourself when the last time you were stung by a bee. I can bet that it is nowhere near the frequency that I do. Maybe it’s my sweat or something that I give off that attracts them but it’s pretty ridiculous. I’ve looked on the web to see if there is anything I can take or do to help but it looks like I’m just flat out of luck.