For the second time in less than two weeks, I was attacked by fire ants. No lie! The first part of July found me doing paperwork, in the middle of the night, at the hospital. We had a family bring in 3 small kids covered in fire ants. Yes, fire ants. The entire ER and PICU teams were called to assist. We thought we were covered and protected. But most of us were bitten pretty badly.
Have I mentioned? I am allergic to insect bites. Once I began to have trouble breathing, I was immediately taken off the case. All of a sudden...I became a patient too! After a shower and a few shots, I was feeling better. And I was sent home. Things had been going fairly well since then.
I have continued to take my medication. And honestly, it was going pretty well. Better than some of the doctors who were working that night. My friend and colleague, Dr. M was attacked in the "unmentionables." Poor man. And Dr. A was attacked on his bald head. Seriously, why would you bite someone on the head?
Then there was this trip to Dallas. I definitely did not see this one coming. I thought it would be a quick trip back and forth. And we were staying in a $500 a night hotel. Actually, it is one of the best hotels here...if not THE BEST. But I didn't know there has been a recent bug problem in Dallas. It's Texas after all. People you should expect BIG THINGS when you come to Texas.
In the middle of the night when I got here, the Bellhops were killing and cleaning up roaches outside. I didn't think much about it. Probably because I was exhausted! I went straight to my room and to bed.
I woke up around 3AM. And I swear, I could hear something burring in my ear. I could not sleep. I began to get ready for the day. Then I started to remember the Medical Mystery show D and I had watched a few weeks ago. The lady had a junebug stuck in her ear. They had to kill it, then pull it out. It was close to burring in her eardrum. I was freaking out!
By 4:15AM, when I met the doctors from the hospital I work at, I was going crazy! Dr. S looked in there, but he couldn't see anything. Are you serious? I can hear it. Dr. M was not a happy camper either! Apparently, he had ants in his room...fire ants. And they had attacked somewhere he would rather not talk about. He got a different room.
We got to the hospital by 4:30AM. I couldn't take it any more. Dr. S pulled some strings in the ER and I was in. The doctors looked, but couldn't see anything! I started to tell them about the hotel, Dr. M's fire ants, and they began to put it together. That and the entire right side of my face was swelling up!
Meanwhile, my friends and colleagues were in the conference. And I am laying on an ER bed all alone. It was something about those moments that made me feel very alone and very small. I thought about calling D, but I knew he had a big day today...he needed his rest. And this news would only worry him. So I lay there...thinking. The doctors finally trickled in some alcohol solution. And all at once, these fire ants came out of my ear. After doing this a couple of times, and me laying there forever...the doctors finally looked inside my ear.
Those pesky little critters bit my ear pretty badly inside...and my face on the outside. Once we knew what had happened, I called Dr. S's wife. She checked my room and found all these ants in my pillow. Yup, in my pillow. She looked through my things and packed them up. Making sure that no ants were with my things.
No more ants, my face is swollen, and I am now here at the hospital waiting. They are going to release me. And I am on my way out of town. Yeah, I am not going to the conference. In fact, I have already missed part of it. So I am supposed to rest and take some medicine. I will be back Sunday like planned. But for now, I am ready for some quality sleep...without the ants!
XOXO
♥D
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