Or the subtitle of this could be Hornets: Part deux.

When Jim posted this I thought that was the end of the story.

Yesterday morning I woke up with the nape of my neck itching like crazy.  I thought, “wow, this dry air must really be getting to me.”  By afternoon I noticed swelling around my eyes and rashes appearing in various spots on my body. As the day wore on, my eyes continued to swell and I felt irritations from my legs to my shoulders. “Prickly heat” is the best way I can describe it.  I couldn’t see anything biting me though, and I knew I hadn’t eaten any different foods or applied any different lotions.

We are deep in the woods staying in a “rustic” cabin.  My thoughts ran through bed bugs, ticks, spiders…I know, all gross, all very realistic.

After a thorough online search I concluded I’m experiencing an allergic reaction; to what is unknown.  I took a couple Benadryl and hoped for the best by morning.

Not a good plan.

By morning my eyes, nose, side of my mouth, and palm had swollen substantially, the rash areas had spread and grown deeper red.  And the nape of my neck itched so bad it felt like it was on fire.

With Jim’s help from afar, I ended up at a walk-in clinic in Marquette – about 30 minutes from the cottage.  Previous learning I’ve had about driving with a GPS: Even though I love my Garmin Nuvi, I’ve made a conscious effort to not rely on it completely.  Sort of like not relying on a computer for math to make sure I can still do it in my head.  Thank goodness I’ve paid attention while driving in this remote area, because it took about 15 minutes for the GPS to connect to the satellites.

I made it to Superior Walk-in Clinic just before they opened. After a thorough analysis by a nurse practitioner-in-training and a doctor, they concluded I’m experiencing an allergic reaction; to what is unknown.  With a steroid shot and prescription for Prednisone I was feeling much better by evening.

Even though I can make light of it now, it was a frightening thing to wake up looking like elephant woman.  This experience, like several we’ve had recently, reinforces what Jim and I have discussed: we need basic first aid and wilderness first aid training.  Swelling has reduced, rashes are fading, and we are learning as we go.

P.S.  Several followers have requested pictures so here you are…