4th of July Surprise!

Happy 4th of July! I know I am a day late but honestly I am just happy to bee here. (that will make more sense in a moment). I love the 4th of July because it almost always starts with the Fabulous Fourth Bike Ride that starts right here in Tryon. So for a change everyone has to drive here to ride with me! I am always excited about this ride and the day. I always have my sights set on a faster ride than usual and then maybe stopping in Columbus for funnel cake (that did not happen this year). I always start at the back of the pack and take it easy for the first 5-10 miles and then start having some fun and riding a little faster. This year I happened to ride with Pam and her husband Scott (who was just humoring our pace) and Brad and then Laura too. Pam always has the potential to kick my butt on the bike but thank goodness she is still recovering from her Half IM. Laura has been very dedicated with her workouts showed huge improvement on the bike which was great to see.

A little over half way into our ride I felt a big smack in my forehead and then the pain. It was a pain I knew all too well. A bee got stuck between my helmet and sunglasses and of course I got stung again. Every week for the last 3 weeks I have been hit and stung. We were almost at a water stop so I put some ice on it. I even put a Penny on it, I stopped when someone suggested mud - Oh come on~! I will not lie - the darn thing hurt like someone had taken a hammer to my head. We rode on and bantered back and forth. At the next water stop I was feeling a little swollen. I tried an ice pack but it did not really work. Then some wonderful girl gave me some Benadryl. Kelly drained my lymph nodes - probably saved me from drying up the watershed. At this point I am still thinking this is all normal swelling. By the time we got to Saluda my eyes were shut and my face was getting more swollen by the minute. Back at Harmon Field I was shocked to see my face. I did not panic but at the urging of anyone who saw me I made my way to the hospital quickly. I literally ran in! Once at the desk I took my sunglasses off and a woman in the waiting area recognized me from Pet Therapy. She told her husband, "Oh that is Katie Malone, she is normally very pretty" and her husband's response "Yeah right!" anyway within a moment my friend's mother, a nurse in the ER, took me back and I realized it was a good thing I was there. The trouble breathing came as soon as I sat down - I guess I just got lucky. A few quality hours on a drip and I was as good as new. Well -I still don't look so great but I am now the proud owner of an EpiPen.

The hospital was amazing - did I mention that? They were quick, friendly, efficient. This happens to be the same hospital (St. Luke's) that I do the fundraising for with the Ache Around the Lake race. I am now more motivated than ever to make our race bigger and better than ever. We take donations big and small so if anyone needs a tax write off please let me know!