Sunday, May 15, 2011

Adventures in the Lily Fields

We were in Portland at the end of last week for Olivia's her regular Shriners check up. After the appointment, my aunt wanted to take me up to the Camas Lily fields because I'd never seen them blooming.

I packed the baby in the front carrier and my five-year-old Anna wanted to come along. We were hiking happily, enjoying the sunny day. The lilies were gorgeous, but before we were even to the top of the hill, I was hot. Really hot.

My hands started to prickle. Then my scalp. I thought I might be dehydrated, but I kept walking.

As we came down the opposite side of the lily field hill, I started to get really uncomfortable. I couldn't breathe so well, either. I tried coughing to get the junk out of my lungs, but it wasn't working.

Anna asked my aunt at that point how much farther we had to go and I heard her say thirty minutes. There was no way I could walk for another thirty minutes.

We were still a twenty minute hike from the nearest road, but it was closer than her home, so my aunt called the dashingly handsome (and have I mentioned heroic?) sidekick to come meet us at the parking lot. By the time we finally made it to the parking lot my arms were covered in welts. We had to stop several times so I could catch my breath.

My uncle is a paramedic. He was in a far-away town working for Life Flight (a helicopter rescue service where he works part time), but my aunt called the fire station anyway and asked his co-workers if they could help me. Aaron drove me down there and I sat in the back of the stationary ambulance so my uncle's friends could give me an IV for Benedryl and a nebulizer treatment to help with the asthma.

I hadn't had an asthma attack in months, which is why I didn't have my emergency inhaler with me. *sigh* Lesson learned. I'm thankful to have friends in high places (read: the medical profession).

I was pretty loopy on the long drive back home, thanks to the Benedryl. My poor DHHS had to basically care for our five children single-handedly because I kept falling asleep....

So, that was my weekend adventure. What was yours?

Make sure to check back here on Tuesday because I will be giving away a book and interviewing another debut novelist in a World's Quickest Interview. You won't want to miss it!

10 comments:

  1. Don't forget "Dashingly Handsome Cousin", who ran ahead to flag down DHHS, and courageously walked his young cousins home through the woods :)
    -Aunt Sandi

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  2. LOL! I didn't forget him, Aunt Sandi. I just didn't include him because it made the post too long. But many thanks to my cousin Chris, future engineer extraordinaire, who did indeed also help to save the day! :)

    Amy

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  3. Oh, no! So you didn't get to see the field of lilies after all. I sure hope *someone* brought you a bulb or at least a picture.

    What great luck to have a doctor (close enough) in the house.

    We've had our grandparents here, and a gorgeous day for ball games Sat., though today it's been pouring buckets. We went to High Mass and I was secretly pleased that all the games were rained out. They shouldn't have scheduled them on a Sunday anyway.

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  4. Oh my gosh! That sounds so scary! I'm really glad you're OK. You sound very calm about the whole thing. Our weekend was not nearly as eventful. Though, since I finished my revision, we've had lots more time as a family. A welcome change. : ) Take care, Amy!

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  5. How scary - I'm glad they got you medical attention in time! Those friends in high places sure come in handy. :)

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  6. That's the kind of story that might make you want to avoid getting out in nature! It had a happy ending though... yay!

    Take care of YOU!

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  7. Oh wow! That is crazy! So glad you're all right. And I agree with you---friends in high places is always a good thing.

    Take care and no more hikes without an emergency inhaler for you, young lady.

    I had no adventure this weekend. Soccer, soccer, and more soccer. :)

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  8. How awful. Was it to do with the pollen? And what were the welts on your arms? It all sounds like a nightmare. So glad you're better now though and of course having a dashingly handsome hero is always a help!

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  9. Scary. I'm glad you got the help you needed. Do you know what you reacted to, so that you can avoid it?

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  10. That is scaring. It's so easy to get lulled into not bring the inhaler along. I know I usually forget to bring the kids' since they rarely need it (except when they get a bad cold).

    Sorry you didn't get to see the lilies.

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