There’s been a few times lately when someone has said something to Karin and I while we’re out that has me shaking me head for a few days afterward. They may not have happened today, but they have stuck in my mind and keep replaying themselves, so I just need to start sharing them.

A few weeks ago we had an appointment for Karin to see an allergist in New Westminster. He became concerned when he heard about an abnormal reaction she had to her last bee sting. It was declared that she must caring an Twinject injector with her from now on, as if she had a sting near her face, it might swell her throat shut.

His nurse comes and demonstrates the unit to you after with a demo unit they then let you keep. The instructions start:

“You’ve just been stung by a bee, and you can feel your throat swelling up. You are too far away for medical help to reach you in a reasonable time. First, you twist the case to open it.”

She twists open the case and the injector falls into her palm.

“Then you take the red and green end off each side.”

She removes caps the cover the needle hole and the plunger.

“Next you take of the top tab.”

She removes a tab that keeps the plunger from being accidentally pressed.

“Next you check the expiry date that that tab covered up. Once you’re sure it has not expired, you proceed to…”

When the instructions were the same again as Karin this time handled the injector, it took all my might to not ask what happens when you find it has expired. But it still bugs me, I want to know, is there a special position you can lie in to minimize the pain of suffocating when you accept your fate, put aside the expired injector, and wait to die?