GEORGIA MOM, 43, DIES AFTER STANDING ON A FIRE ANT NEST AT HER HOME
When I first heard this news, I wasn’t sure how this could possibly happen. Someone died from stepping on a fire ant nest? Painful and infuriating (and scary) for sure. But deadly? I first imagined it was an older person who couldn’t get away and then fell on the nest from the pain. And to be honest, that idea pretty much horrified me. But no, the victim here was a 43-year-old Georgia mom. And for her, fire ants were her kryptonite. I’ve never heard of it before, but this poor woman was allergic to fire ants.
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FIRE ANTS ARE A BRUTAL, AGGRESSIVE SCOURGE SPREADING NORTH BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
I first learned about fire ants the hard way. And yes, the hard way is by stepping on a fire ant nest. I was 16 and visiting family in Texas, and was helping to hitch the boat trailer to the car at 5:00 am to go fishing in the Gulf. I was wearing flip-flops, and suddenly my feet and ankles were burning like dozens of acid filled syringes were dosing me. But no, they were what to me looked like innocent ants swarming up my lower legs. I danced a jig, suffered my grandfather’s impatience with his Yankee grandson, and suffered quite a while till the bites wore off. Quite a while…
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ONE BITE NEARLY KILLED HER 5 YEARS AGO, BUT HER ALLERGY MADE STANDING ON A FIRE ANT NEST A DEATH SENTENCE
But the Georgia mom Cathy Weed didn’t stand a chance if she was allergic. Her relatives believe she must have stood on a fire ant nest at her Lawrenceville, Georgia home. She usually carried an epipen with her everywhere she went. 5 years ago her epipen was expired by a year and friends had to rush her to the hospital. She was covered in hives, was vomiting and could feel her ear canals and throat swelling just minutes after one fire ant bite. But standing on a fire ant nest would have been impossible for her system to handle.
Be careful out there, folks. Watch your step. And always carry your epipen with you if you’re allergic to anything at all.
