Strange how Chrimbo days are times of special events. If it's not a psychological war of the between relatives there's something else going on. Which is probably one reason why I have spent more years in Scotland than in London at Chrimbo. It's a little more calming to be in the presence of Sparkling for me. I just happen to feel more relaxed around her. Even when things are not going well at the Fish Factory, which unfortunately has been on my mind quite a bit lately as well as nose bleeds from high blood pressure and bouts of mad-man-anger. Just to say there are a few things I need to get off my chest in the Factory. Fortunately, Sparkling is understanding and together we have done our best not to allow the steamed up crazy-red-popping-anger head to get a hold. Although I will say it does get more difficult bringing it down over a period of time. Enough of that. So as I was saying. Besides the times of psychological permanent scarring, which in this wonderful man-made-christian event, other things tend to happen. Things which can not be anticipated. Like they have been pulled out of a magician's bag, and instead of a white rabbit there's a bloody pink elephant. Like someone has been drinking too many martinis. The magician's bag obviously belongs to Doctor Who. There can be no other explanation. So it was as this Chrimbo day came to be other things decided to take place as well.
As a change from the norm of dried up turkey, we decided to have a dried Chinese instead. However, Chinese isn't dried up and tastes a lot better. So the order was put in for a Chinese, it was due to arrive at 5 p.m., in the mean time Sparkling decided to put a few items in the oven, little snack things needing to be cooked off. Mini sausages, stuffing balls, prawn sesame slice things, the usual little snacks. It was some time between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. when Sparkles had taken these out of the oven and took a fancy to trying one of the stuffing balls. These were sticking to the silver foil and ended up being a disaster in more than one way. She pulled one off the foil and thought no more of taking a couple of bites. The rest of the bits and pieces were put on plates ready for the evening's party. The Chinese pre ordered would be on it's way, and Rock Chick with Dangerous Sports lad in tow had done a little bit of Chrimbo visiting. This left just me and Sparkles in the house. I went into the kitchen to see how things were going and Sparkles looked at me. It was a worried look, a frightened kind of stare she had in her eyes. Followed by the words "I'm taking a reaction. To the stuffing balls." Sparkles pulled up her sleeves and there I could see the tell tale sign of hives. Big blooming blotchy skin welts all over her forearms. Oh my gaud, I thought. It's real, it's a anaphalatic shock. Sparkling was nervous and shaking. She drank water and there was a problem with swallowing. I wanted to call the ambulance, Sparkling kept shaking her head. Saying "no, I'm trying to get it under control." I wanted to ring immediately but Sparkles was doing her best to keep control. I felt myself welling up inside, a bubbling kind of panic. Heck, I didn't know what to do. Sparkling gave way and I rang the emergency services.
It seemed to take forever to get through to the ambulance service, while inside me I was thinking every second counts. Sparkles was blotchy and red, she said she was having a problem drinking water. She had gave a gagging motion when she tried a sip or two. The operator came through, I gave details of address, Sparklings age and then answered some simple questions. Like "is she conscious?" fortunately for me she was I don't know how I'd of held it together were she not. The ambulance was on its way. The operator asked
"Has she used her eppipen?"
"No."
"Then tell her she has to use her pen."
"Darling, you have to use your pen." Sparkles was sat on the arm of a chair, half panting and kind of nodding her head to say yes she knew she had to use it. The voice returned on the end of the phone.
"Has she used her pen?"
"No, not yet."
"You have to use your pen Sparkling." She looked at me once, looked at the pen and plunged it hard into the side of her thigh. It was dull. She looked at the pen again, pulled the top off and again stabbed it at her thigh.
"Has she used the pen?"
"Yes, she has now used the pen."
"OK, tell her the ambulance is on the way, keep her calm they will be there soon. I will stay on the phone to they arrive. How is she?"
Somewhere in between this conversation I managed to make another phone call to Rock Chick to get and tell her about the situation. The conversation went on with the lady on the end of the phone, I managed to keep it together and not turn into a screwed up panicking mess. Even though I was feeling like this on the inside. An emergency medic turned up, he attached a machine to Sparkling which monitored her vitals. Pulse rate was 67, blooming Aida I thought, Sparkles is an athlete. Blood pressure was high, which apparently was a good sign in this situation. It's when the blood pressure drops a full anaphalactic Chrimbo after all. Rock and Dangerous walked in to be greeted by three emergency personnel.
In the back of my mind I kept wondering where the blooming Chinese was, and if it turned up now whether there would be enough to share amongst everyone. We'd find a way I thought. But it didn't come to it. The machine was disconnected and little sticky pads were left on Sparkling's arms. We were all relieved. Sparkles had an adrenaline high over the next couple of hours and the stuffing balls went in the bin.
Long live the dry turkey.
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