Last week was tough, and so far this week ain’t gettin any easier.
Why just yesterday I had my first asthma attack in over TWENTY years. And well, because it’s been two decades since I’ve needed an inhaler I scrambled to find one of the kids’ inhalers. Naturally I found Ethan’s in the junk drawer in the kitchen.
I yanked off the cap, put the nozzle up to my mouth, and inhaled. Once. Then twice.
Fifteen minutes later something was wrong.
I felt my whole body heat up. I was sure I was turning bright red too. How’d I know that? Because Harley walked into the living room, took one look at me, and shouted, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU? WHY ARE ALL RED?”
I looked down at my arms. This is what I saw.
I'll save you from looking at pics of the rest of me. Trust me though, I'm hideous.
I’d been through this before. It’s called anaphylaxis. And it’s some bad shit. Luckily my airway didn’t close up. I just swelled up like a giant…well…swollen person.
I yelled out, “BENADRYL! I NEED BENADRYL!”
For which we had none. And CVS apparently doesn’t deliver.
Long story short…my teenager went to fetch me some. And while she was, you know, shopping, she also bought a deck of cards and some dry shampoo. And a poster board for her history project. No rush here, Riley, I’m only DYING from ALLERGIC REACTION.
Yada yada yada, I’m doing much better now. The rash is totally gone and I fear I may actually live to GIVE THIS SUPER COOL CAMERA TO ONE OF YOU!!
Was that not the weirdest story leading up to a giveaway EVER? I like that about me.
Anyway, this camera is the coolest little gem I’ve come across in a long time. Remember Polaroid cameras? Well this is like that, but sleeker and hipper. And the pictures are mini-sized and ADORABLE.
You want to win this? Good, because I have an extra one.
To enter to win this funny fun fun camera (plus film!) all you have to do is leave a comment telling me how you keep from dying from things. Like from allergies, or a bus running you over, or from stuffing too many mini marshmallows in your mouth, you know, normal ways in which you defy death daily.
A winner will be picked at random and announced on Wednesday, January 16.
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I’m allergic to cedar and even thought I love Austin, the cedar here is horrible in January. So, I either need to find enough money to buy a second house and move there for a few months every year or just leave Austin. I’m thinking about leaving Austin, but I’m going to wait until my Mother In Law moves here first.
I’m allergic to cats. The annoying thing is that people think I’m being dramatic when I go outside because my throat is closing up. Like it’s not a “real” allergy but something I need to “get over.” Of course, I handle in maturely by wishing for their throats to close up also.
PS: Just finished Relative Insanity and looooved it!
Becky´s last [type] ..Allergic, but still adorable.
I totally need that camera!
I got hives like that one night. Middle of the night. Snowstorm. Family sleeping. Rather than wake anyone up and trouble them, I drove myself the 12 miles to the hospital at 3am in a snowstorm.
They fixed me up with a lovely shot of epinephrine (that stuff is amazing!) and benadryl.
I don’t know how I keep from dying of a hangover – especially with two children. I just try to stay in a quiet dark place…
Well, there is always a jumbo size box of benadryl in the cupboard, past that I guess I just hope the stars are keeping an eye on me! I’m not alone very often, so I just hope that whoever I’m with will know the heimlich
I’m allergic to the sun of all things, hives, itching, the whole works. I’m an avid hiker and kayaker so I swim in SPF 5,000 all summer and go about my day but if I leave any part of me exposed you’ll know it by the splotches that pop out. Possibly the worst part about it is that I’m naturally translucent so without sun exposure for a little coloring you can practically see through me. Tanning beds produce the same reaction. I’m destined to be pasty white and gummy from the sun screen. So annoying!
Love that camera! Someone was just telling me about that!
I keep myself from dying from being super paranoid about everything! Wine sometimes interferes with that but still….
I always have benadryl on hand in an effort to keep from dying, although I have no known allergies. You can never be too careful. Awesome camera!
Jesus Shauna.. Take your ass to the hospital.
I am allergic to dog hair, which works out well since my husband has a big ass shedding dog.
When I was having panic attacks, I was always afraid one would hit me while I was driving and I’d crash the car and die — I learned to fight the panic off by rolling down a window (no matter the weather) and singing the “Hippopotamus For Christmas” song as loud as I could. Finally, after two big/bad/ugly/ER-trip-inducing attacks within a couple months, I had an ER doc refer me to a cardiologist; my problem was A-Fib, not pure panic. I pop a Toporol with breakfast every morning and I haven’t had the panic or the A-Fib any more since.
Debbie´s last [type] ..Notes From A New Job.
I manage to keep from dying by being a worry-mess most of the time. It’s fun. My kids love it. My husband thinks it’s fantastic.
Or I drink to make believe that they love me for my worrying.
Angi´s last [type] ..The Road Less Traveled.
Well I don’t have any life threatening allergies. But my reliable stock of mental illnesses keep me on my toes for sure. I keep (small amounts of) alcohol on hand and showers are good for when I’m overwhelmed too.
love the camera btw.
Whiskey&ginger-ale is my medicine. lol@Riley–&she’s ahead of the curve, I didn’t even know what dry shampoo was in my teens.
“Go check out Shauna Glenn. I think you will relate,” says my husband…. So…apparently I am allergic to red dye. It only took me 10 years to figure out the culprit to my eye swelling up like elephantitus and my throat closing. This happened to me probably 20 times t/o college, typically when I was hungover. However, that did not stop me from indulging. I would just head to the ER and get the crazy epi shots. I was convinced it was something else. Imagine that, I was right! After going dorment for 10 years, the same ol’ wonderful thing has started again. I had to show my scary face at church, and someone mentioned that a friend had the same thing and it was red dye (which is in sooo many things, btw). AhhhHA! It occured to me that the past two occasions I had 1. taken Ibprofen (again for the hangover) and 2. eaten half a bag of cheetos. So…I went home and shared this wonderful news with my hubby, mother, and BFF (all of whom have had the pleasure of witnessing my horrific allergic reaction). I was so relieved! So, I decided to take some benadryl since the eye was still a little weird. My husband noticed it looking a bit worse. My throat started closing again…DUH!!! Benadryl has red dye in it! So…I guess I will stick to CVS brand allergy meds and cut out one of my all time favs…Diet Cherry 7 Up. Not sure how I will get all my antioxidants anymore. Ho Hum…
Thanks for your blog! Read your books. Oh, and I’m pretty sure you jog by my house. I might get the courage to see if its really you next time.
Well, I don’t do crazy shit…anymore, now that I’m old. But mostly I don’t die from things of that nature because I’m only allergic to chewing gum and Christmas trees (only if I touch them)!
I’m only allergic to bullshit so I stay away from the crazies
When I was driving on an icy road near Michigan, when I started to skid, I avoided death by driving into the skid. Wait. Maybe I skidded away?
It makes me sad to think of how old I’ve become and the number of ways I prevent myself from dying. It’s truly annoying to think of the number of things I’ve stopped jumping off of or out of, the motorcycles/skidoos/other-vehicles-intent-on-killing-me I no longer drive, the drinks I no longer drink (not that I actually *remember* the drinking). What’s next? Knitting and drinking tea?
Neeroc´s last [type] ..Alright, let’s just do this
Since I’m pretty sure I almost broke my neck while I was doing P90X, I try and avoid working out to keep myself alive. It’s totally working so far …
OMGosh that looks like the most awesome fun camera ever!
Oh, well I mean sorry for your rash and close call with Mr.Grim Reaper. No close calls with that from me. Child however, yes. After 7 days on antibiotic his entire body looked much like your arm. And he said “Momma its hard to swallow” so I freaked, drove super fast to the ER (we live many miles from town, ambulances dont much know our part of the woods and I was out of benadryl) So a few awful shots later and he/we were fine.
That was @ 6mo ago. And today I want a camera.
My son is learning to drive so I feel like I’m going to die on a daily basis and I keep from dying by holding onto the holy shit bar and pumping my air brakes!
I have severe food allergies and carry an epi pen. It’s a fun party trick.
Ash@paperheart12´s last [type] ..Ink
I avoid hanging out with my crazy old neighbors more than once a decade.
Holy crap Shauna, 20 years, and then this. Glad to know you didn’t die while your child was picking up some other goods from the store. I think I picked a good day to catch up on what I’ve missed for the last week or so. Since I love cameras, I LOVE this giveaway.
Things I do to stay undead, look both ways before crossing the street. Seriously, I still do this. Even in our parking lot at work… you never know what crazy ass is coming through. I wash my vegetables/fruit before eating them. I mean I live life on the edge some times, and not wash something that was bagged properly… Oh, and I choose not to wash windows on tall standing buildings for a living.
BF´s last [type] ..Polar Plunge and other nonsense
Also, am I on something or did you say you are picking a winner on January 16th? of 2013? I can’t wait…
BF´s last [type] ..Polar Plunge and other nonsense
I was on inhaler for an infection and got into trouble when I was at a party with out one, lucky my s-i-l poured enough cola down my throat to dialate my airways…guess she doesn’t want me dead afterall!
most embarrassing was having my skirt yanked up and an epi-pen jammed into my thigh as I discover I am allergic to penicillin while chairing a conference… fun times! I need the camera to record these moments
Need that camera for taking quick pics of my six sweet grands. Several in the fam have alllergies
I wonder if the cavemen did, as well; or if this is all due to some quirk of evolution??????
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