I got stung by a bee right between my eyes today and a tale of nice folks

[prolesunited]

I was riding my bike to day and I felt this bug hit me head on. No biggie. But then the sting hit and the bug stayed there. It was kind of wedged between my eyeglasses, so I ripped then off my face (scratching the lens when it hit the pavement. :-( )

I finally got to a stop and pulled out the bee sting Q-tips out of my first aid kit and just couldn't seem to get them open. But finally mangled three before getting the liquid. Although I'm not allergic, I get total panic attacks about stings.

I called Jason, but he was in the yard. I didn't have a mirror so I couldn't gauge the swelling. Then this nice older couple came up and asked me what was wrong. Luckily, she lived right in back of the train and offered my ice.

When she saw how skittish I was, she invited me to sit down. Jason called back and said he would come pick me up (I was about 15 miles out.) She gave him directions and helped guide him in later since he didn't know the area.

We just sat and chatted about everything and anything and they kept me calmed down with their friendliness until Jason came. She had me go in the house to see the swelling wasn't so bad and use the bathroom. They greeted Jason warmly when he arrived and thanked them for taking care of me.

I'm not sure if they were red or blue, fundamentalists or snake handlers, they could have had a shrine to Bush for all I know. But, they were nice, good people. As the battle lines become more entrenched, we need to remember our common humanity — a willingness to help someone in need, regardless of ideology.

It was a lesson I needed to be reminded of today and hope to carry with me.

[skygazer]

1. Good story

It's always great to run into decent, kind people. Glad you're okay.

[prolesunited]

6. Yeah, I think I get trapped in the political bubble

too much and it's started to shade my outlook on people. Today was refreshing.

I think the immediate application of ice really helped keep the swelling to a minimum. My one eyelid was a bit droopy, but that was about it. My panic is worse than the stings, and left to my own devices, I work myself up into a tizzy. And then I have asthma, which can flare up with stress and it's a whole self-feeding trip.

[asthmaticeog]

2. Good post, proles.

That sucks about the sting, glad it turned out OK. :hi:

[prolesunited]

7. Thanks!

I appreciate the concern. :hi:

[nytemare]

3. Glad you are ok and the folks helped you out.

:hi:

[prolesunited]

8. I definitely have to pay this one forward.

Certainly not life and death, but still sucky.

[Beware the Beast Man]

4. I don't buy it.

:P

Just kidding. It's nice to hear an anecdote about how people can do good for someone in need. Thanks.

[prolesunited]

9. If I made this up, it would have been much more dramatic

and clearly I would have turned them into stalwart Bush haters and had them marching in the streets with me next week.

[Beware the Beast Man]

10. heheheh...

:rofl: And their tantrum-throwing son would have thrown feces at you- and had a cold.

[Thtwudbeme]

5. You are incredibly lucky it wasn't a Daddy Long Legs falling off a tree!

You could have thrown down your glasses hard enough to smash them into smithereens, and run into the tree, losing your cell phone, and causing serious damage to yourself, and your bike!

(I am deathly afraid of Daddy Long Legs, but recognize it as a stupid phobia...and will not kill them)

Seriously, glad you are OK...

Steph

[prolesunited]

11. I'm like that about bees

So freaked out, in fact, that I had a full blood allergen test done at Mayo just to make sure they can't kill me.

I somehow kept control of my bike. It certainly was nice to have my knight in a blue sports car come rescue me since I was 15 miles out. I was just too shaky after that.

Thanks for your kind thoughts. :)

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. Great story....

I am happy that you are all right. People who help don't need to be red or blue. There are kind people of both kinds.

Edited for stupid typo.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

13. bee stings are the worst.

there is always a moment of absolute panic that results from a bee-sting. those little bastards. . .

we don't really need bees do we? I mean can't we kill them all and let the bee-god sort them out?

[prolesunited]

14. We kinda do need them

Who would pollinate everything?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

15. AND we would get rid of the pollen problem.

think of the suffering we could prevent by eliminating both bees AND pollen. Millions of lives could be spared. ;)

[prolesunited]

16. I should be for that since I have allergies

But, then what about flowers, fruits and vegetables? Mother Nature is amazing, although sometimes the unintended consequences suck.

[atomic-fly]

18. I think there are more good people than not.

Good to here.
Did your face look like this?
This guy had to drop out of tour de france (they wouldn't let him to antihistamines)

[prolesunited]

19. Yikes!

No, actually I'm already on all sort of crap for my allergies and asthma and I immediately used two of these sting swabs followed by an ice pack (from that nice lady). My eye swelled a bit that you could notice if you were looking for it.

I'm sure glad I didn't end up looking like that. He must have gotten stung more than once.

[Az]

17. The point is to make a better world for us and them

Always has been always will be. I look at the opposition not as the enemy to be despised. Rather as people who have been swayed by bad ideas and misconceptions that need to be helped.

[Magrittes Pipe]

20. dolo amber once jumped from a moving car after seeing a praying mantis.

Don't feel too bad about the bees.

[dolo amber]

22. IN THE CAR

It's not like it was relaxing on a tree by the side of the road... :eyes:

[Magrittes Pipe]

23. That's okay, sweetie.

Just remember that you are very special. :hug:

[prolesunited]

24. OK, but you jumped OUT

of a moving car!?!?!?

They don't bite or sting, do they? You were in more danger jumping out of the car.

[Magrittes Pipe]

25. Oh, dear proles... you are trying to appeal to her sense of LOGIC?

[dolo amber]

26. I felt something hit my shoulder...

Looked over, didn't see anything, thought "Hmmm...that was weird..."

About 30 seconds later, I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye...this FREAKIN' ENORMOUS praying mantis was on my sun visor, like 4 inches from my face. I opened the door, and evacuated the vehicle.

Did I mention I was driving? :D

Fortunately, I was only going about 20 mph, and my car came to a stop by bouncing into a nice solid blue US Postal Service box on the corner. My passenger was less than pleased, but there was no damage other than to nerves. And no, to my knowledge they don't bite or sting or anything, but they are double-plus grody. x( :puke:


I'm glad you had some nice folks to take care of you. :hi:

[prolesunited]

28. Now *that* is a good story!

Remind me NEVER to go anywhere with you behind the wheel. :P

[Magrittes Pipe]

29. It is truly a harrowing experience.

I'm glad you're okay, though. :)

[GreenPartyVoter]

21. I am sorry about the sting but it was nice to hear about some Good

Samaritans.

[eyesroll]

27. Ouch.

Hope you're doing better -- I've only been stung once, on the arm, and it wasn't too bad. Can't imagine it on the face.

I'm glad some good people helped you. Once, when my fuel pump died on the exit ramp on I-94, I was never so grateful to see a "WWJD" sticker on a truck. The driver was a lifesaver.

[prolesunited]

30. Sounds like he really practiced WWJD

Did you have any "incriminating" material in or around your car?

I was hoping my kind folks wouldn't be put off by Jason's Darwin fish or DU bumpersticker when he parked in the driveway, but their dog loved him, so I'm sure he would get a pass.

[eyesroll]

31. My car has a lot of stuff in it, but not on it

...so unless someone was looking too closely, they'd miss it.

My Jason, though, has a lot of incriminating stuff on his car -- "War is not the answer," "Send Joe Home," a Human Rights Campaign equal symbol, and a "WTF '04" sticker. And a child safety seat and toys, too (so there's the added "you're corrupting your child" factor).

[prolesunited]

32. I wonder if Jesus would have stopped for him?

Hard to tell. But, overall, I think women get more offers of help than men.