Friday, August 2, 2013

Attack of 1000 Yellow Jackets.

First off, I wasn't involved.  (I say that because of that pesky bee allergy.)

Secondly, everyone is okay.

Now then, my husband was on a hike with 15 kids and an additional naturalist on an off-trail hike.  That off-trail hike involved flipping logs over to find "the good stuff."  Tens of thousands of logs are flipped in the park yearly.  Never has it been a problem.

Until yesterday.

Hubs was 50 feet out with his group and the other naturalist flipped a log with one of the 9 year old campers.  Hubs said that the swarm was aggressive.  The kiddo was covered.  Hubs actually said that the kid looked like a bee keeper minus the uniform.

He ran over and hung over the kid to shield him while wiping and grabbing handfuls of bees and "crushing them" with his hands.  Kids were screaming.  The poor kiddo Hubs was trying to protect was getting stung time and time again.  Frankly, so was Hubs.  He was so concerned for the kid that he didn't even notice.

Hubs called 911.  The ambulance met them at the trail head.  5 people total were stung, 1 with 3 stings, he had probably 30, his coworker and a little girl probably had 20 each but the kiddo he was trying to help ended up with the most-- 100 or better.

Incredibly, the 9 year old didn't have any type of severe reaction, but out of caution he was transported for observation.  Hubs came home absolutely emotionally exhausted and worried beyond belief for I-.  I gave Hubs benadryl, zantac and rubbed down his stings with Betamethasone.  We waited until 8 PM and when he didn't hear anything, he phoned and left a message.

Thankfully, the mom called back.  I- was doing well, but wouldn't be attending the last day of camp.  (Some observation continuing is my guess.)  She thanked Hubs and said how I- said that Hubs was trying to help him and protect him.

Hubs did for I- exactly what he would have done for K-.  I'm proud of him.


2 comments:

Carolyn H. said...

He was so brave! So glad this story had a happy ending, but how frightening for all involved!

Rach said...

I still can't believe it. I was telling GG about it, and she was shocked too.

Then, she told me about the time she was out hiking with Aunt Terri and Jeremy and Karen (Jeremy was about two or three and Karen nothing but a wee one) and Jeremy poked his walking stick in a hole in the ground.

Yup. They were swarmed and running and the kids were covered and Aunt Terri and GG were covered and stung and it was an unholy mess.

Not as bad a sweet little I, though. Poor baby. I'm glad M was there to sweep in and save the day. Not everyone would have done so, you know.