by cheneyt119 » Mon Sep 19, 2011 3:29 pm
I feel your pain brother. That looked like allergic swelling to me, not infection.
I did the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River hike a dozen years back. I got stung by the side of my eye and on my ankle by wasps I think, while seeking water at a creek on a Thursday morning. By Friday night driving home my eye was swollen completely shut and my ankle was quite swollen and infected as well.
I spent Saturday morning with an IV in my arm for 4 hours, (I even had to bum some coffee from a nurse) the IV had steroids, anti-biotics and benedryl. I carry the Benadryl Severe Allergy & Sinus Headache because as they pointed out at your medical facility at least in my case I am losing resistance to the poison and need fast medication to fight it. The Benadryl will prevent any real itching and therefore the cause of the infection. Usually a couple days of oral tabs will take care of it for me, but if not the swelling last for weeks in my case.
I will even zip up my jersey and just pour water on myself for cooling when it's hot just to avoid the bee funnel effect of the open 24 inch bike jersey zipper.