Sunday 29 August 2010

The bad bee

It’s quite cold out; this month was supposed to be the hottest on record – not as given then.


A bee sting in the middle of the shift took me to a theatre – I can’t say which one but its part of an Hotel that I could never afford to book a room in, probably. Although when I win the next forty million on Eurolottery I’m sure I will pop in there for a weekend (Royal Suite). Anyway, the lady in the audience slapped something on her arm (not her husband) and discovered by means of a sharp sting to her finger, that it was a bee. She didn’t identify the thing - I did. There was a stinger and venom sac sticking in her digit. The sooner it was removed the better because she’d be getting the detrimental effects of the whole container if not... and she was sensitive to stuff, like insect stings.

Bees sting when they are threatened and their venom can cause irritation and pain – it can also set you up for Anaphylaxis, if you are that way inclined. The first time you get stung, your reaction will be fairly normal but the next time and subsequent events could result in a full-blown Anaphylactic reaction with potentially fatal consequences. But let’s not fall out of our prams with distress here; generally you will not react that way or you will get plenty of notice that things are bad – generally.

I told her to monitor herself and if she gets stung again to look out for a reaction that is, shall we say, over the top. Apart from this, she got a plaster on her wound and a check over. Then she happily went back to watch the rest of the show.

The bee, meantime, would have gone off and died somewhere having had it's little backside taken away by a complete stranger. You can read that whichever way you want :-)

Be safe.

3 comments:

Japh said...

Poor bee aye... was just sitting around minding it's own buisness where someone hits it and kills it... poor soul..

At least you gave her a bandaid, I mean it's not like you get to give out bandaids everyday.... heh.

Anyway hope the charity and Mr Tonsilpus are doing well :)

Japhia.

Demetrius said...

Re Anaphylaxis, I was on TV thing a while back from Guys along with a lady who was being desensitised for wasp stings. If someone is having real trouble with stings that creates the risk of anaphylaxis they need to nag their doctors hard to seek advice and if suitable, treatment.

Fiz said...

Wasps! I hate them! so does my body. I have epi-pens all over the house!