Attack of the Jellies

My vacation took a turn today as I was rushed to the emergency room after I started getting tingles all throughout my body. It was a weird sensation, kind of like my limbs all going numb, but I could still sense touch.

This morning I went snorkeling with my family and just before we got out of the water, I felt a stinging on my left index finger. The guide said a jellyfish stung me and that they had some medicine to put on it. This lady took out the little stingers and applied some sort of medication to heal the wound when we got out of the water.

I was fine for the entire afternoon until about four hours after while I was sitting in my uncle's office. I started feeling sick and got that weird sensation I mentioned earlier. My mom, dad, and aunt rushed me to a hospital only to find out that they couldn't help. We took a cab to another hospital and by then, my entire body was "going numb." I was freaking out but my parents told me to keep calm.

The hospitals here aren't quite as great as in America as we had to wait forever for doctors. Finally a lady came to draw my blood and stick an IV into my hand. They shot some benadryl or some sort of allergic reaction medication and let the IV drip with salt water after. I got a bed to lay in and they wheeled me to the observatory when the tingling subsided and I felt better. This blip is of my hand now where they taped up the area the IV was stuck in.

Laid for another couple hours while we waited for a doctor. Apparently I had some allergic reaction to the poison of the jellyfish sting. I'm safe and sound now in my aunt's home again. I just have to take some steroids to make sure it doesn't come back.

My first emergency room experience and all I can say is that I am so thankful for a loving family and amazing friends. Today made me realize how quickly things can happen and how quickly they can change. I'm blessed each day to be healthy.