Hospital

Went for a walk around Pollokpark. 20 minutes into the walk I got stung hard on my ankle. It was a wasp. Having not being stung by anything like this since I was a wee kid, I was suprised at just how much it hurt. I walked it off, thought little of it. Robyn inspected the sting and I took a photo as a reference just incase it got worse.

We joked that it's a good job I wasn't allergic.

We got back to the car about 20 minutes later, and I started scratching unlike anything I've experienced before. Robyn couldn't believe it. I was scratching so much there was blood stains in the car. Absolute violence.

Decided I'd take a cold shower as soon as we got home, and that's when Robyn looked at me and I'd broke out almost instantly in hives all over my body. My hands, face, ears started to swell. Proper cauliflower ear. I was a fucking mess. We couldn't help but laugh.

Robyn called the non-emergency line for advice while I was swelling up. She was kept on hold and informed there wasn't adequate staff, but to keep waiting. At this point I noticed it was getting harder to breathe, so we just packed up and went straight to A&E just incase.

On arrival, I told them what had happened. "Go take a seat over there." Ok. I went and sat down, the itching had stopped, but my swelling got worse. And I was starting to burn up. My resting heart rate was 170bpm.

Five or so minutes later, a nurse came out and called my name.

"There will be a 4-5 hour wait before you can be seen."
"Ok, I live up the road, would it not make more sense to just go home and wait out of everyones way and call an ambulence if I get worse?"
"If you call an ambulance you'll be waiting at least 3 hours for one to arrive"
"Ok."
"Is that your partner out there?"
"Aye."
"She can't be here, she has to leave."

Mint. I decided to stay at the hospital, and Robyn left.

I was getting hotter, and thirsty. I tried to get a drink from the vending machine. They were fully stocked but none of them would dispense a drink. I called Robyn to come back with a drink. I'd been waiting for just over an hour and had started burning up proper, the waiting room didn't have aircon so I stepped outside for some air. No way I could sit in there for another 3 hours in that heat.

I slumped on a seat out front, and Robyn turned up with my Lucozade. She noticed I was getting quieter, as I commented I felt sick. Sounds were hurting my head. I felt like I could see the words I was saying in my skull. It was bright white. Robyn was talking to me, and it was more of the same. I sort of whispered to her to shush, recoiling at my own sounds. And I just sort of... passed out? I dropped my phone, slouched back. Robyn said I was grey at this point. I came round, was very dizzy and felt like I wanted to vomit. We decided I should go back into the waiting room incase I stopped breathing all together. I went in and waited. The room full of people gradually got less and less, and then there was no one left. I somehow still had like 2-3 hours left of my 4-5 hour wait... I collared a nurse that came out, and asked if I was called out earlier.

"Sorry, what's your name?"
"Lee..."
"Ah, yes. We've marked you as discharged as we called you and you didn't respond."
"Yeah, I popped outside for some air. I got worse, and passed out."
"Well... we did shout you..."
"..."
"I'll see if I can get you back on the list."

Anyway, the doctor called me through. Gave me some steroids and sent me on my way. Lovely chap. Been mostly fine since. Unexpected night, that.