Not exactly about food, but way too much about anaphylaxis! (Part II)

Now before I go any farther, you need to know that I have NO allergies. I’ve been stung by a wasp before and nothing happened. So I was totally unprepared for what happened next.

I was laying on the floor having a seizure when my mom called. Nathan answered the phone, but he thought I was playing. So he kept telling my mom that was being silly on the floor. By this time, I was terrified. I was complete aware of everything around me, but I had no control over my body. I was afraid I would die right there in front of my babies.

All I could think to do was to call for help, so that my mom knew that I wasn’t alright. So I just moaned help over and over again. My mom started freaking and yelling for Nathan to hang up the phone so she could call 911. Poor Nathan finally realized that I was playing, and he started to get scared so he put the phone on the floor beside me. The convulsions had finally subsided, and I was able to move my arm enough to hang up. After that I could only move my hand a few inches.

So I lay on the floor nearly paralyzed, breathing shallow breaths praying for God to keep m alive. My sweet Nathan even prayed for me. “Dear Jesus, make Mommy better. Amen.”

It felt like an eternity, laying there, waiting for help to come. The craziest thoughts were running through my head. What is Nanny going to think when she gets here? My house is a mess! I don’t have a bra on! We just got new insurance and now we’re going to have a huge bill to pay! Am I going to die? My thoughts were interrupted when the phone rang. I just looked at it. I tried to reach for it, but my hand didn’t want to move. I finally inched it up to the phone but it was too late, the answering machine picked up. It was my dad, and he sounded worried. Shortly after he called, the phone rang again. This time I only had to move my finger a few inches to touch the loud speaker. It was the 911 operator. I could barely speak to answer his questions.

Thank God my nanny arrived at that moment. (I’m so glad I live in the South and my family never knocks, but just lets themselves in!) At first, Nanny didn’t see me. She came in like always and was talking to Nathan. When she saw me on the ground, she started calling my name, but I couldn’t answer. I mustered the strength to lift the phone a couple of inches toward her. She took the hint and picked up the phone and talked to the operator.

In the distance, I could here the sirens of the ambulance. I felt so embarrassed to be causing such a scene, but mostly I felt helpless and alone, and there’s never been a moment in my life when I wanted my husband more.

When the paramedics arrived, they started asking me questions and of course I couldn’t answer them easily. It was like my brain was working perfectly, but nothing was attached to it! So I guess the paramedic thought I couldn’t here him so he started yelling his questions at me. Well, that only made things worse because I was getting upset and starting to cry and choke up, which made me feel like my throat was closing up. Once again the paramedic yelled at me that I had to answer him. That’s when my daddy came to the rescue. He told that guy that I would answer him if I could! I don’t think I’ve ever loved my daddy as much as I did in that moment when he stood up for me.

As the paramedics brought in the gurney, my sweet daddy laid his hand on me and started praying. There’s nothing more calming and soothing than being prayed for by someone who loves you. The paramedics lifted me onto the gurney. As they were wheeling me out of the house, my last sight was my babies sitting on the couch with Nanny. And nanny was soothing Nathan telling him not to cry, because Mommy was going to be ok. So with tears filling my eyes, I was rolled out to the ambulance and placed inside.

Inside the vehicle I was hooked up to oxygen, a hear monitor, and an IV. I still could barely move, but I could breathe and I wasn’t convulsing any more. I remember laying there feeling so alone. There were all these strange voices around me; I wanted so badly to hear a familiar voice. That’s when I heard my dad cough from the front seat, so I knew I wasn’t alone.

Posted by admin on September 20th, 2007 under Life with Beth

One Response to “Not exactly about food, but way too much about anaphylaxis! (Part II)”

  1. The Real Crazy One Says:
    June 12th, 2008 at 5:36 am

    The next time that happens (I hope it doesn’t), please call an ambulance right away. Every second counts.

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