Stung!

The view from my towel before the vicious attack. Looks safe enough...

Have you ever been attacked by a Jellyfish? Well I have...it happened last Saturday down at Haulover Beach in Sunny Isles, FL. I was having a great afternoon. I had rode my new bike 10 miles down to the beach and was ready to cool off and play in the waves. After reading a few chapters in my new Agatha Christie novel and enjoying a few minutes of sunbathing I was ready for the water. I had been frolicking in the waves for about 20 minutes when suddenly it felt as if the entire left side of my body were on fire. It was an electric shock of pain that is can only be described as if a sea of flames were licking up my side, trying to devour me. I hadn't been informed that there were vicious Jellyfish prowling the waters, so I had no idea what it was. I tried to play it off, but the pain only worsened and my left arm began to go numb. I decided it would be a good idea to get out of the water...since I didn't really know what was going on AND I was beginning to feel a bit dizzy and lightheaded. I slowly made my way back to my towel. I took a peek at my side and saw that it had turned the color of a ripe tomato. Large welts were forming and something slimy was stuck to me. Seeing this, combined with the rest of the of my ailments, sent me into a tizzy. I panicked. I began hyperventilating. My throat closed up. Tears streamed down my cheeks. Not knowing what else to do, I stumbled over to the lifegaurd station. By this time I had realized something in the water had attacked me and I had convinced myself I was about to die, as a result. The lifegaurd rushed down to me and I showed him my side. He promptly sprayed me down with the bottle of vinegar he was carrying, peeled the slimy stuff off (the Jellyfish tentacle. Yuck!) sat me down and slung a breathing mask over my face. He called for backup, while explaining to me that I had been stung by a Box Jellyfish.

I'm sure this is how the damn Jellyfish looked after it attacked me

 By the time the paramedics arrived I was feeling much better and a bit silly. I was told Jellyfish stings are common at that beach and that I'd be just fine. Hmph! Well I wasn't so sure. I decided to play it safe and kept the breathing mask on for another 15 mins. I thanked the medics for their service, packed up my stuff and slowly began riding the 10 miles back home. I was sure that at any moment the Jellyfish poison would overtake me, but an hour later I was home and laughing about the whole situation.