Author Topic: Riverbee's Journey  (Read 70241 times)

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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #20 on: January 16, 2014, 11:54:49 am »
If the bees knew how tough, stubborn, and a little mean streak, and get even attitude Riverbee has, they would think twice about stinging her. I think she's going through all the hades she's been through so she can show the bees she is still in charge, and can put them in a box she chooses to, and put them in an area of her choice without there consent. :D. I have several buddies who have wives 5ft.2" or 5ft.4" and there all alike ;D, i like to bring things up they done and want to forget (my wife says i'm sick  :-\) only to have them come straight at me laughing,standing on there toes and wagging there finger in my face, of course there finger is up above there head and they are looking up at me. :laugh: Why are the squirts always ready to fight. ;DJack

Offline Ziffa

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2014, 12:00:53 pm »
My brother once told me an old Chinese proverb - "Fall down 12 times, get up 13."  Your story brings it to mind.  You always just have to get up one more time. :)

I know its not easy to keep a smile on your face when the falls come in quick succession.  You have done a remarkable job of it though, Riverbee and I salute you.  Sometimes the hardest thing is to keep smiling, but somehow, once you do, it does seem to make the rest go easier.

Much love and light and wishes for a 'boring' 2014 for you. :D

love,
ziffa
"There's a spoonful of honey where your heart should be. . ." - The Wood Brothers - Honey Jar.

Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #22 on: January 18, 2014, 12:11:40 pm »
my apologies everyone for a delayed reply and an update to my monthly injections on wednesday last week.  i am in florida, on the very southern tip of captiva island.  i am very humbled by all the posts here and can't thank each of one you enough for all the kind things that have been said, even jack ...... :D good things come out of pint sizes...... ;D

i will update soon as i get a chance to sit down for more than a few minutes, the beach is calling me!  8)
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #23 on: January 18, 2014, 04:30:42 pm »
my apologies everyone for a delayed reply and an update to my monthly injections on wednesday last week.  i am in florida, on the very southern tip of captiva island.  i am very humbled by all the posts here and can't thank each of one you enough for all the kind things that have been said, even jack ...... :D good things come out of pint sizes...... ;D

i will update soon as i get a chance to sit down for more than a few minutes, the beach is calling me!  8)

I guess there's no allergic reactions to warmth?   ;D
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #24 on: January 22, 2014, 01:02:28 am »
off topic on my own thread, i hope you all don't mind, i returned last evening from captiva island florida. amazing, internet service was hit and miss. what warmth and sunshine does for the northern soul in january (temps plummeted to -20 here today)...... just wanted to share a few pix:

captiva sunrise......



my good neighbor clearing 7" of snow from our city driveway........



what i was doing when my neighbor was clearing that 7" of snow........ :D



captiva sunset.......

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Offline Perry

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #25 on: January 22, 2014, 07:05:09 am »
OK, enough of all this "Kind, strong" syrupy stuff.
What kind of person jumps on a plane, heads south out of the cold, lays around on a sunny beach, takes pictures, and then posts pictures of it to the rest of us that are freezing our keesters off up here?
Mean I tell ya, Mean as all get out!
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #26 on: January 22, 2014, 07:18:36 am »
OK, enough of all this "Kind, strong" syrupy stuff.
What kind of person jumps on a plane, heads south out of the cold, lays around on a sunny beach, takes pictures, and then posts pictures of it to the rest of us that are freezing our keesters off up here?

They're called snowbirds.   ;D
Greg Whitehead
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #27 on: January 22, 2014, 09:35:07 am »
Mean I tell ya, Mean as all get out!

   Well.. isn't that part of the female Genome Perry?  Over the years I have come to realize they are ALL mean once they get to know you!!  They draw you in with that syrupy sweetness, then GIGGLE when they stick their foot out and trip you up!!!     :laugh:

   I especially like the middle Pic..   footprints in the sand.
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Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #28 on: January 22, 2014, 09:54:25 am »
"They draw you in with that syrupy sweetness, then GIGGLE when they stick their foot out and trip you up!!!     :laugh:"

At the other Lazy:

A lady friend of mine says: "a man chases a woman until she catches him."  They're sneaky!

Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #29 on: January 22, 2014, 10:47:10 am »
"OK, enough of all this "Kind, strong" syrupy stuff.
What kind of person jumps on a plane, heads south out of the cold, lays around on a sunny beach, takes pictures, and then posts pictures of it to the rest of us that are freezing our keesters off up here?"
Mean I tell ya, Mean as all get out!"

a pint size little squirt?.... :D 
and i might add, a pint size little squirt that forgot the epi-pens!  the gulf waters are a big watering hole for the honey bees.

"They draw you in with that syrupy sweetness, then GIGGLE when they stick their foot out and trip you up!!!     :laugh:"

i am giggling!  you guys are too funny! lazybk, met a guy fishing on the beach, from iowa.  i asked him what he was fishing for or if he was just fishing for the heck of it, he was fishing for the heck of it.  we laughed.  we shared a couple cold ones and yammered about fishing and all the folks back home freezing their keesters off....... :D
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Offline jb63

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #30 on: January 22, 2014, 10:41:27 pm »
Good for you River.You have the common sense to go to a sunny beach when it turns bad.That's not jumping ship from the snow man team,it's just good time management.
I don't know.It was like that when I got here.

Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #31 on: January 22, 2014, 11:36:35 pm »
I'm not as brave as i was now  ??? i thought RB was snowed in and couldn't get out.I thought i could give her a hard time and she couldn't get down my way to hurt me :o, and by spring she would forget what i've been saying to her.I'm glad she got a break from the cold weather anyway. Some of my bee club buddies are snow birds and love calling me and telling me the temp. and saying they just got back to there cabin from swimming in the ocean. I tell them to be careful, that i heard they have shark warnings out in there area. :laugh: Jack

Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #32 on: January 23, 2014, 12:27:17 am »
"I'm not as brave as i was now   i thought RB was snowed in and couldn't get out.I thought i could give her a hard time and she couldn't get down my way to hurt me , and by spring she would forget what i've been saying to her.I'm glad she got a break from the cold weather anyway. Some of my bee club buddies are snow birds and love calling me and telling me the temp. and saying they just got back to there cabin from swimming in the ocean. I tell them to be careful, that i heard they have shark warnings out in there area. :laugh: Jack"

oh my stars jack!  i heard of and saw some WARNING signs on the gulf side of the ocean....like this...?  i didn't see any sharks while i was down there.....but..... do you have one of these in your front yard?  cuz i aint snowed in...... :D

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Offline Marbees

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #33 on: January 23, 2014, 01:27:05 am »
OK, enough of all this "Kind, strong" syrupy stuff.
What kind of person jumps on a plane, heads south out of the cold, lays around on a sunny beach, takes pictures, and then posts pictures of it to the rest of us that are freezing our keesters off up here?

A smart one? :D :D
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #34 on: January 23, 2014, 09:42:33 am »
My parents are snow birds.. they have a business in the Keys.. about the time it hits 55 I have to go to their house every day to make sure they didnt freeze to death between the door to the house and the door to the suv..  about fifteen steps away.  I get those calls every time the weather report for this area is bad..   
   HEY!!  How you doing up there? Just went for a walk in SHORTS and sandles, it was 78 degrees with a light breeze tonight, whats YOUR weather like?   (snicker)
   Sharks..
  Last time I went down to the keys, I went diving with my sister and brother in law..  Brother in law tapped me and pointed...  My sister had an absolute CONNIPTION FIT when she saw what we were doing..  brother and law and I both had a hold of a side fin letting a big hammerhead tow us along. Biggest one I have ever seen.  By the time we figured we had aggravated it enough my sister was back IN the boat, her tanks off and phone in hand waiting to call 911...   Cant say I have ever seen her that upset or mad before..    ;D  I had a blast, but I am sure my poor brother in law paid dearly for weeks.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey: 3rd Monthly VIT Injections
« Reply #35 on: January 24, 2014, 12:34:17 am »
okay, so back on track here...... :D
i received my 3rd monthly injections last wednesday,  january 15, 2014; 3 injections: honey bee in the left arm, wasp and mixed vespid in the right arm.  the honey bee injection goes in the left arm by itself because of my history of the reactions from the injection.

just some info to bring everyone to where i am today:  for 9 months, or approximately 35 weeks, i went in weekly for 3 injections.  these injections are medically prepared venom, start out very small and are increased in venom amounts until the amounts of each injection reaches what is considered equal to one sting; a full needle or 1.0 milliliters of venom;  so 3 injections= 3 stings or 1.0 milliliters of venom for each injection, so in simple terms, 3 stings.

for me, once that amount was reached (about november 2013), i was placed on a 4 week (monthly) maintenance schedule, and hope at some point to reach only requiring these injections at 6 week intervals.  i receive, and will receive  the same dose, 1.0 milliliters of each for up to 5 years, or maybe for life.

it is amazing that these injections and the reactions i have experienced are very much similar to an actual sting;  burning, welting, swelling, on fire, itchy, local reaction or large local reaction.  in the allergy injection world, anything as large as a silver dollar is an abnormal reaction.......
LOL, silver dollar? my reactions have been abnormal since the start.  needles are prepared with an epi wash solution before the venom is drawn,  to minimize the reactions, and i am supposed to take benadryl the morning of injections and for at least 2 days after.  i grew tired of the benadryl fog, so quit taking it, and figured i could deal with the reactions, and i do. 

i typically suffer from a reaction to the honey bee injection (larger than a silver dollar), and to a lesser degree the wasp injection.  last wednesday i suffered a very large local reaction from the honey bee injection that extended below the elbow.  i suspect that my doc might adjust my injection for this once again.  unfortunately for me, the adjustment to an injection schedule,  but also  i was on an airplane early friday morning on my way to florida with my left arm swelled up and itching like crazy, and was too stubborn to take any benadryl.....LOL.....well i didn't want to be in a benadryl fog for the 4 days i was in florida.....i just dealt with it.   i am getting used to the 'drill', and someday it will get me back to bees.

i started a thread in general beekeeping on how to use an epi pen, if you haven't seen it go here:

Information/How To Use an Epinephrine Pen

i will be posting some similar information here in this thread in the future on bee venom allergy's, testing, reactions, etc.  if anyone has any questions or i am not making sense  on something,  please feel free to ask me.

one last comment.....  thank you.  doesn't even begin to describe my appreciation for all of the encouragement and support you all have given me and what has been written.   what a great and caring 'bee yard' here to be in.

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Offline riverbee

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Re: Riverbee's Journey; Allergy to Insect Stings-Reactions
« Reply #36 on: January 28, 2014, 06:41:44 pm »
Allergy to Insect Stings.

some good info describing reactions, what is normal and what is not on insect stings  this is a pdf file no longer available on the internet but has good info on the different types of reactions:  normal, local, large local, cutaneous (mild systemic), and systemic (anaphlaxis). i reprinted the info here and also uploaded the pdf document; to download the pdf file go to the very bottom of my post, left hand corner, where you see the 'paper clip' 'allergy to insect stings.  click on it and you can download it.

 "ALLERGY TO INSECT STINGS

There is some confusion among the general public about insect stings and allergic reactions. Insect stings come from ants, bees, or wasps but not from other biting arthropods such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas. For example, a person may be stung by a wasp, but is bitten by a mosquito.
We've all heard people say that they are allergic to bee or wasp stings. Often, these people mention that they could die if they are ever stung. However, the fact is that true allergy to stinging insects is rare. Inaccurate statements about sting allergies cause people to have unneeded fears and unjustified prejudices against stinging insects.
People can have allergies to a variety of materials such as pollen, food, and dust. Stinging insect allergies specifically refer to reactions that take place in parts of the body distant from the place that the sting was inflicted. In fact, allergic reactions are usually whole-body or systemic reactions, and the effects are fairly widespread in the body. Differences between normal and allergic reactions to insect stings are listed in the following table. 

Table 1:  Reactions to Insect Stings
Normal  Reactions
1.  At the time of the sting
-pain, sometimes sharp and piercing
-burning or itching burn
-redness around the sting site
-a white area immediately surrounding the sting puncture mark
-swelling at the sting site
-tenderness to touch at the sting site
- large local (but non-allergic) reactions are characterized by massive
swelling around sting site over an area of 4 inches (10 cm) or more and
frequently increasing in size for 24 to 72 hours, sometimes lasting up to a
week
 
II. Hours or days after the sting
-itching at the sting site
-residual redness at the sting site
-small brown or red damage spot at the puncture site
-swelling at the sting site
 
Allergic Reactions (Potentially Life-Threatening)
1.  Cutaneous (skin) reactions
-hives or nettle rash anywhere on the skin
-massive swelling remote from the sting site
-generalized itching or tingling of the skin remote from the sting site
-generalized redness of the skin remote from the sting site
II. Systemic allergic reactions
-allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis (swelling and redness of nasal or eye membranes)
-respiratory problems (difficulty breathing)
-abdominal cramps
-severe gastrointestinal upset
-weakness
-shock / unconsciousness
-hypotension or fainting
-difficulty breathing / laryngeal blockage (massive swelling in the throat)
 
Table modified after Schmidt, J.O. (1993). Allergy to Venomous Insects.  Chapter in “The Hive and
the Honey Bee.” Bookcrafters, Chelsea.
 
NORMAL REACTIONS
Description
Normal reactions to insect stings take place at the site of the sting and are not considered to be allergic. Symptoms may include swelling, redness, and itching of the surrounding area. Even a large local reaction such as from a sting on the hand that results in swelling to the elbow is a normal, non-allergic reaction. If the swelling was caused by venom from a snake bite, the average person wouldn't consider the reaction to be "allergic". In fact, such swelling is exactly the type of reaction that the insect venom was designed to induce. Though the pain from the sting in a normal reaction should not last beyond a few minutes, swelling and itching may last for hours or days. Local reactions, however large they may be, are not a cause for concern unless they occur in places where they threaten to block air flow such as the neck, inside the mouth, or in the nose. Victims should also seek medical care for severe swelling near the eye.

Treatment
If a stinger is present, remove it as soon as possible. The stinger should be scraped away, rather than grasped and pulled. Remember only honey bees leave their stings--yellow jackets and other wasps, hornets, and bees do not have barbed stingers and can sting repeatedly. Treatment of normal reactions usually involves washing the wound to help prevent secondary infection, then utilization of ice packs and/or pain relievers to reduce pain. Heat or warm compresses should never be used. Oral antihistamines and topical anti-itch creams such as hydrocortisone may help reduce discomfort. See a doctor or pharmacist for recommendations. 

CUTANEOUS (SKIN) ALLERGIC REACTIONS
Description

Reactions that take place on the body away from the sting site are considered to be allergic reactions, and are definitely a cause for increased attention and concern. Allergic reactions can be separated into two categories: cutaneous (skin) reactions and systemic reactions. Cutaneous allergic reactions  are characterized by itching, tingling, swelling, or redness of the skin in places away from the sting site. This type of reaction is not life threatening, though it may be frightening.

Treatment
Those who suffer from cutaneous allergic reactions may decide to consult a doctor about immunotherapy.


SYSTEMIC ALLERGIC REACTIONS
Description
Systemic reactions can have a variety of effects on the body and range from stomach upset to respiratory problems to unconsciousness and even death. Any systemic reaction such as these or others (see Table 1) are cause for serious concern and immediate medical attention is needed.

Treatment
Immediate treatment for a systemic allergic reaction is needed if a victim is suffering from dizziness, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps, or any other signs of a systemic allergic reaction. Use of an epinephrine (adrenaline) shot is recommended. The shot should be given on the way to the hospital, or while an ambulance is being called. Scraping off the stinger and use of ice to prevent spreading of the venom is also helpful, but these measures should never delay calling for an ambulance or driving to the hospital.

An epinephrine kit requires a prescription from a doctor and anyone who works with bees or is known to be allergic to stinging insects should become certified for administration of epinephrine. See a doctor about certification.
 Immunotherapy for long term management can be very effective in preventing future allergic reactions. Anyone thinking about immunotherapy should discuss the pros and cons with an allergy specialist or other physician.
One important thing to remember is the psychological factor of having a good attitude. If you're having a systemic reaction, don't think you're going to die. Positive thoughts and level-headed responses help immeasurably in such emergencies.
 

MASS ENVENOMATIONS (Massive Sting Episodes)
Description
On very rare occasions, people and animals are stung hundreds or even thousand of times in a single episode. The total amount of venom from the stings in these mass envenomations  can be extremely dangerous or fatal. The cause of death in these cases is not an allergic reaction but rather a result of the poison itself, much like the body's reaction to a snake bite. 

Treatment
The number of stings that can result in death varies based on the person=s age and body size. People receiving over 1,000 stings have often survived such attacks. Anyone receiving 100 or more stings in a short period of time should seek immediate medical treatment as for an allergic reaction. Treatment for infants and small children should be obtained at much lower sting numbers. If in doubt, bring the child to a doctor or emergency room. 

IMPROBABILITY OF FATALITY
Though many of us have a real fear of insects, for the most people, this fear is unfounded. Insect stings cause less than 0.002 percent of all deaths. This figure is even lower for honey bees, less than 0.0008 percent. Put in perspective, the chance of being killed by a lightening bolt is more than twice that of being killed by an insect sting, and more than five times greater than being killed by a honey bee sting."


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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #37 on: January 28, 2014, 11:52:45 pm »
IMPROBABILITY OF FATALITY
Though many of us have a real fear of insects, for the most people, this fear is unfounded. Insect stings cause less than 0.002 percent of all deaths. This figure is even lower for honey bees, less than 0.0008 percent. Put in perspective, the chance of being killed by a lightening bolt is more than twice that of being killed by an insect sting, and more than five times greater than being killed by a honey bee sting."

   Well, thats good to know!!   BUT?? Does it count when you jiggle the pole, with the bucket taped on it, and the great clinging GLOB of thousands of bees MISSES the bucket, and falls DIRECTLY on your head?
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Offline Jen

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #38 on: January 29, 2014, 12:35:32 am »
One of two senarios:

1. You're dead meat
2. Remain very still and calm, don't panic! while breathing slowly ask the wife to go get the camera and post us a pic! ;) 8)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Riverbee's Journey
« Reply #39 on: January 29, 2014, 08:53:32 am »
LOL   Well, this year, there is a very real chance it will be video'd so you will be able to hear me scream like a girl and watch me run...     Be sure to cheer!!
   RUN FOREST!
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