> Bee stings and real estate October 03 2019

Bee stings are like real estate.

It's all about location.

When asked the ever-popular question "Do you ever get stung?" we always say "yes," because we do. All the time.

It's just that some stings are more memorable than others because of their location. The one in the photo, for example, is the reason I never wear rings during beekeeping season. That was the only sting I got that day, not a bad one, right on the tip of my ring finger. 

Before I thought much about it, and figured maybe I should take the ring off, it was too late. The swelling had started, just enough to make my wedding ring, a hand-engraved, cigar band style, impossible to remove. 

After trying every Google-able tip or trick for getting a ring off, from plastic wrap to dental floss, I broke down and called my doctor. I needed to know whether or not to sacrifice a priceless ring for the sake of the finger. She said if I pressed the nail and it went from white to pink again, then I still had circulation. (She has a peculiar way of offering information but no advice.)

So, I took Benadryl and ibuprofen, then lay awake all night, miserable with the throbbing. 

Jeff once was stung right below the tip of his nose, and he felt a sensation of the bee venom, or his body's reaction to it, rush through his sinuses. This past spring a glancing sting on the edge of my eyebrow caused my eye to swell shut like I'd been punched in the face. 

Are you a beekeeper — or perhaps a more sensible, normal person — with a tale of an unusual sting? We'd love to hear about your experience, or even some tips for dealing with stings and swelling.