[pct-l] Yellow jackets and Epipens on the PCT

[Tortoise]

Growing up in Iowa, I was stung by wasps and reacted. First time when I was 
young and my parents didn't recognize anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis) but 
I was nursed and recovered. Years later I was way up on a ladder painting a 
gable above the 3rd floor of a house when I was stung. I made it safely 
down the ladder and recovered.  Years later I realized what this was, had 
allergy tests, and confirmed I was allergic to wasps stings. Since then 
I've carried emergency treatment -- first an Anakit now EpiPens. Some time 
after being diagnosed I was stung by a wasp on the back of my thigh. I 
stayed calm and didn't have a reaction nor did I have my AnaKit. Maybe the 
wasp didn't inject any venom; maybe I'm no longer sensitive. Who knows why?

Since then I haven't been stung again. I am very cautious around wasps and 
hornets. I also have a MediAlert bracelet with that information. Way out in 
the woods the bracelet may only serve to identify my body and give the 
coroner a clue as to what happened to me. What else can one do?

Now I almost always have my EpiPens with me unless I forget. ;-( When 
hiking they are in the cargo pocket on my hiking pants so I have the pens 
with me even when I'm away from my pack. I wish the AnaKit was still 
available as it is a lot lighter.

Tortoise

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable
President John F Kennedy,  1962

All content is copyrighted. Reproduction or use elsewhere is is expressly prohibited without the express permission of the author. Use within the PCT-list is permitted.

On 2012.09.10 16:04, Brett Fisher wrote:
> I'm not allergic to bees. That said, I've been stung several times on my
> thru hike this year.
>
> Once on our first day on the way to Hauser Creek. And twice on the trail
> above Deep Creek. There's also an infamous hive a few miles before reaching
> the water faucet below Fuller Ridge leaving the San Jacintos, but I wasn't
> stung there. I've also received a few stealth stings or bites on my ankles.
> This is based on the pain, wound, and swelling I observed later - one in
> the Station Fire area, and the other north of Sierra City.
>
> I started observing yellow jackets themselves on a regular basis on the
> climb out of the Feather River canyon and on into Northern California.
>
> I know they are here in Oregon just waiting. (I was born and raised here,
> and hiked my first hikes here). Waiting to annoy and bite. Rude little
> creatures.
>
> -Backtrack
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-L mailing list
> Pct-L at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> All content is copyrighted by the respective authors.
> Reproduction is prohibited without express permission.
>