Just like this fishing vessel I am in dry dock here on Hilton Head, S.C. No playing in the water for me today.
For those of you who read my post about Cobia Fish I want to tell you what happened to me after I ate the fish. I ended up in the ER at 4AM with a case of Acute Hives that were so bad I could not sit down on my " buttocks" to quote Forest Gump. The itching was worse then watching a flea on a dog and I had the urge to howl at the moon! I even had hives on my ears and on the back of my head as well as most of my trunk and under my arms.. I was covered in a giant ball of red skin that seemed to pop out of nowhere and attach itself onto the next hive creating a giant blob. Not a pretty sight.
I called my Dr. who suggested the regular procedure of some benedryl. It seemed to take the itch away for about 2 hours but there were so many new hives there was no way I could keep up with this so I decided after 24 hours the ER was the best place for me as my hands were getting numb and my upper lip felt like it was swelling. It really scared me. Hubby said can you wait until morning? I told him to turn on the lights and take a look at me. The look on his face confirmed that I had indeed turned into a character in a horror movie.
The Dr. in the ER said he could not say for sure if it was the Cobia fish, a fish bite on my foot (not jelly most likely not sting ray as he could not see a barb), or the new flavor of sun chips I was eating , or an exposure to a chemical as I was playing in the garden or a bee bite. I am allergic to bees and would have blown up like a blow fish within 5 minutes so I know it was not a bee. It is a mystery?
Lots of meds in the ER and 4 prescriptions later I am feeling better. The hives are receding and thankfully less itching. As you can tell from writing this I can now sit on my Buttocks once again. Of course I am having a reaction to one of the meds as I awoke this AM with a beet red face. I not sure which med is causing this problem? It is a never ending battle. So here I sit in dry dock contemplating the great mysteries of life!
I am not sure if it is the Cobia fish but I wanted to say to those of you who have shell fish allergies you may not want to eat the Cobia even though it is Not a shell fish. I am allergic to crab and lobster but not to shrimp or other shell fish which is strange.
I was given an epi pen to carry with me at all times and was told to inject myself and go directly to the ER at the first sign of my next hive episode. I pray this is the last of the hives for me ever again!
