Bittersweet Sun

It all started around three and a half years ago...

We took a family trip to Cabo {my family, and my then, fiance's family}. We were there for a week, after three days of fun in the sun all day long, I started to get hives on my stomach. After another day they went on my back and down my legs. On the fifth day they were all over my body, including blood shot eyes and even on my scalp. After getting tipsy off of benadryl {we were in Mexico, so they still had the "good stuff" in it} the night before, we all decided that this was from something I ate.

After much chatter with both families, I decided that I needed to head over to the resort "doctor" {I use this term lightly here because I do not believe he was an actual doctor with a medical license, I more so believe that he read a book or two on the topic and then just decided that was good enough}. He hardly spoke English, and what I could make out hardly made sense. After much difficulty communicating, he made a phone call. I figured this was to get a translator. Boy was I wrong.

Ten minutes later an ambulance pulls up out front. Keep in mind I came into the "doctor's" office straight from the pool with just a swimsuit and shorts on. There were two EMTs, one spoke ZERO English {we'll call him Frank}, and the other spoke perfect English {we'll call him Ted}. Praise the Lord. While Ted told me what was going on, Frank tried to get an IV in my arm. After five minutes of trying without success and not to mention the most pain I've been in in a long time, Ted tried and got it right away... Must have been Frank's first day. I begged and pleaded that going to a {Mexican} hospital was not what I wanted to do, but Ted explained to me that since the resort "doctor" said this is what I needed, this is what has to be done.

This all started before lunch.

The only thing I remember about the ride to the hospital was that it was very cold in the back of the ambulance. Both my parents came with me and when we arrived to the hospital, they would not let me walk or even sit up in the bed. They rolled me into a huge empty room and the EMTs walked out. Right after they left, about five male "doctors" came in and told my parents to wait in the hall and locked the doors {again, nobody spoke English}. After the doors were locked, they proceeded to take my shorts off and tried to take my swimsuit off. I started freaking out and screaming for my parents. Again with this damn language barrier. Ted started knocking on the {locked} door and after a couple of the "doctors" exchanged glances, one opened the door. I was never so happy to see an English speaking stranger in my life. Right behind him were my parents. As soon as those three people came into the room, one of the "doctors" hooked some kind of medicine into my IV and I immediately started feeling like I was floating, but at the same time having an anxiety attack.

I did not know what was going on and what to do. I felt like I was being held at this Mexican hospital against my will. Ted tried his hardest to translate what the doctors were saying, but about 30 minutes after I received the medicine {to help with my hives} he had to leave. I felt so helpless when he left. All I wanted to do was go home. Around 7pm I was finally able to find a nurse that somewhat spoke English and explained I wanted to check myself out of the hospital. She explained that this is not what the doctors recommend and would like to keep me over night. With the help of my parents, we said NO and we were out of there by night fall.

The next morning, my {then} fiance and I were on a plane home and I was at my doctor's office within an hour of landing. Turns out I have a sun allergy. She explained that this allergy can last around 4-7 years. Last summer I thought I had kicked the allergy early as I did not get any hives all summer long, until the last weekend at the lake {we were there for four days}. On the last day, sure enough I started getting the hives on my stomach and forehead.

So now I know that I cannot spend more than three days out in the sun all day long. I have had so many people tell me that it is so many things other than a sun allergy. But I have tried not using sunscreen, changing the brand of sunscreen, changing my laundry detergent, changing my soap and lotion I use, etc. Nothing has worked.

Yes, I still go to the pool. Yes, I still lay out. Yes, I am better about wearing sunscreen and a higher SPF than before. Yes, I still get hives. And yes, they do itch. The only thing I miss about Mexico, is the benadryl.