The End of the Wasp Season

I was hanging out at the pool with Joseph and Eli last Sunday and I saw someone reading a book titled...

The End of the Wasp Season

I had no idea what the book was about, but the title of the book felt like a slap in the face. It brought back many of the emotions and grief of my father's death a year ago. I can't believe it has been a year since he was stung by that wasp. I haven't written about it very much, but I think now is the time...

On the first day of the 2011-2012 school year, I was sitting in my classroom frantically working on my schedule when I got a phone call...my dad had been stung by a wasp...one wasp...on his finger. He went into anaphylactic shock and the EMS was trying to revive him. He had just enjoyed lunch at his favorite Mexican restaurant with his sister and was at her house for the afternoon. He reached down to pick up a flower pot...that's when he was stung. He said something like, "Damn it, I've been stung." Due to his history of severe allergic reactions to stings, my aunt turned to get her keys to head straight to the hospital, but within seconds he was on the floor and had stopped breathing.

He went approximately 50 minutes with no oxygen to his brain. The doctors were able to restart his heart, but we knew the situation was serious. Our family still had lots of hope, because he had already overcome a massive stroke just a few years earlier...we were told he wouldn't survive that stroke and if he did he would never be able to talk or feed himself or remember any of us...but he proved them all wrong. This time it was very different though...several tests showed that he had no brain activity and his organs were beginning to shut down. We quickly realized that he was already gone...only the machines and medicines were keeping his heart pumping.

Two short days later, my dad's close family stood by while the machines were stopped. I didn't know what to expect...even though the doctors and nurses had prepared us as best as they could. It was all over rather quickly...he was gone. Even though I didn't have a very close relationship with my dad, I loved him very much and it was hard losing him so suddenly. I worried about my aunt who was with him when he was stung...she blamed herself even though there was nothing that could have been done...the doctors said an epi pen wouldn't have saved him because the reaction was so severe. The EMS hit him 6 times with epi and he didn't respond at all. I worried about my sister who was so close to my dad...I knew it would be extremely hard on her, but she has done a great job managing her grief this year.

The next few days went by in a blur...and I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from everyone...my sister-in-law kept Eli, a friend brought dinner to the hospital, another friend picked up Joseph from school, etc, etc, etc. I feel like I never properly thanked all of the people who loved us, prayed for us, and supported us through that time of grief. If you are reading this, please accept my apology for not appropriately thanking you...I love you all so much!

With All My Love,
Dana