Feeding Frenzy

Typically I'm all in favor of feeding frenzy, as long as I'm participating in the eating portion of the activity. Unfortunately, this feeding frenzy featured me as the main course - mosquito buffet.

While working at the Provo Airport yesterday, we saw a lot of bugs, but I was ever so hopeful that they were of the gnat variety. At about 5:00 am this morning, I realized that at least some of them were not as I proceeded to itch and itch and itch and....well you get the picture.

I don't know why it is, but a group of us can walk outside for 5 minutes and I will come back with a mosquito bite and no one else has been touched. And not only do I get bit, but my bites often become the size of quarters. I'd like to think I'm extra sweet, but K once told me she heard a report that it had to do with something related to cow's breath (which she then inferred was what I must smell like - for rude!). No matter the reason, when I'm outside, mosquitoes think Christmas has arrived early!

After doing some quick research online for remedies, since nothing I've tried in the past has worked, I went with old reliable - hydrocortisone cream (not much help) and then moved on to new ideas: aloe vera gel, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Nothing has really made a big difference, although the vinegar did help some if I remembered to put it on every hour or so. But tonight I'm bringing out the big guns - Benadryl. And even if it doesn't stop the itch, I'll sleep well since it tends to make me dead to the world.

There you have it! The sad story of my day with 30 mosquito bites. And yes, I counted. When you itch this much, you want to know how many of the little beasts contributed to your demise. And yes, next time I'll take the repellant, even if I think it will be too hot or the wrong time of day for them to be out.

The lessons we learn from life.