mexicanhat, thank you for the info about the correct medical terminology and the supportive words. petaloid, no it doesn't sound like he does, I will ask, and doubt that whatever he was supposed to wear around his neck was a medic alert but some drug, doesn't sound like EpiPen if that has to be injected. At the least, I could help pay for that for him, could have offered to do that already now that it has come up, when it is time to renew when it has expired, he can let me know (he's 22 now and has to take responsibility for what he can control). I also think community health might help him if he tried there. My grandmother never gave up her gardening but tried to be really careful about bees, and medical services and medications back in the 1950's were far different. I think I've been stung about 5 times in my life so people who have never been stung are fortunate indeed. Sometimes it doesn't hurt as bad for as long, depends on what part of the body and maybe the type of insect. I'd be deathly afraid of bee swarms or killer bees, try never to provoke them when I know they are there. They get in the house sometimes, and I developed a strategy to catch and release, we do need them for pollinating (one sting was from that not that bad). I would kill one if I had to, a bunch, no. If you miss, they might retaliate. They are super fast in flight when they feel trapped. And cute and furry as the yellow jackets are, there's no making buddies with them.

This is my third day keeping bees, so take a grain of salt. My 14 year old Golden promptly went over and lapped the sugar syrup off the box my bees arrived in. She got stung at least twice in the mouth, but appeared totally unfazed by it, barely reacted except to immediately leave the bee area---no swelling, no yelping---really nothing---but it reminded me that I might want to keep some benedryl on hand for her. I am fully prepared---knowing my dog and how she likes to go to the expensive, emergency vet on weekends, in the middle of the night---to be wakened up at 2am by a distressed, puffy dog, but so far nothing.

A dab of bleach on a cotton swab - presto! Gone.

I disturbed a ground wasp nest yesterday morning and got bit right around the achilles tendon. Felt like a searing hot poker, and it continued to burn and pain all day, finally subsiding about 10 last night. I had to ice my foot/ankle/leg most of the day - not a lot of swelling but jeez that hurt. I should have remembered the penny, maybe that would have helped. Today all is well, doesn't even itch very much. I don't remember cause I was too young, but mom likes to tell the story of when I was about 3 years old I disturbed a wasp nest or bee hive - got stung something like 17 times. After that healed and all was well I decided to play in a red ant pile. I actually do remember a bit of that - getting stripped naked outside to get the ants off. Many, many bites. That same year I fell out of the car (10 stitches on my head) and fell into the cellar from the trap door in the floor. Amazing I lived thru that year. I'm allergic to deer flies. I haven't been bit in a long time by one but I really swell from them. Hope you're better soon, Sharon. Itchy blisters, that can't be fun.