![\"epipen.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/mainecourse.com\/mt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/07\/epipen.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI get up and ask, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What happened?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jeff had an anaphylactic reaction to an insect bite, and I gave him a shot and some Benedryl,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karen answers.<\/p>\n
Now I can assemble all the pieces of visual information, none of which make sense in the context of this happening ten feet from me. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the how can I be so out of touch with the world, and how can one couple be so casual about something so life threatening.<\/p>\n
Jeff is holding a paper towel over the puncture wound on his thigh and complaining about feeling disoriented, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m pushing future world without the EpiPen out of my mind.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Look, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to understand this. Jeff almost dies, you administer some ad hoc home remedy and then you call it a day? On the one had I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m staggered by your frontier spirit, but on the other I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m alarmed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, this has happened before,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karen answers. “I gave him the epi early and neither the epi or the Benedryl can hurt him.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
My stomach settles on that point, but I wonder if this is enough. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to let this hivey, rudy-red hulk carry himself up to bed?<\/p>\n
At which point Jeff stands up and says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going upstairs to read a book.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Karen asks for reassurance that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s okay, and he says he is, but about two minutes after his climb up the steps he lumbers back down alarmed by the swelling around his pelvis. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to Deaconess,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Karen states firmly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jeffrey, should we call 911?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Jeff says \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and I think I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t listen to my father the other night, why should we listen to Jeff now<\/i>? I guess because he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s always right and he and Karen are Epi-veterans. <\/p>\n
My truck is parked a few blocks away on Bellemeade, and as I climb into the back of their truck Jeff says, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to get stuck in the emergency room. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll call you from the hospital. \u00e2\u20ac\u009d Again, I take his advice and climb out of the truck. As Karen and Jeff drive off I think to myself, You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re right, Jeff, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to get stuck in the emergency room, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m damn good at CPR.<\/i><\/p>\n
In the emergency room I learn about the time Jeff had a similar reaction on a long bike ride. He needed two shots, and then, because he didn’t want to disturb anyone’s recreation, Jeff drove himself home. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I could hardly keep my eyes open,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said.<\/p>\n Perking up.<\/p>\n *Note to all: Jeff\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ER doc said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you need a shot of Epinephrine, you need to come to the hospital.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jeff tells me daily that I need treatment for my computer addiction. This time I’ve buried my head in Matt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s laptop, and I’m checking on my audible.com credits, when I hear Karen say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Michael\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s missed all the excitement.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m hunched … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n