When a great day ends on a sour note. :(

or "One of the Worst Nights I've Ever Had"

We spent all yesterday on the river. It was Shanti, the dogs & me in one raft, with Braden, Heather & Braden's folks in the other. We leisurely floated down the usual route, from the salmon hatchery to Shady Cove. It took us 6 1/2 hours to get from start to finish.

Afterwards, we met up for dinner at Jackson Creek Pizza. And, apparently, here is where I consumed something deadly.

Dinner was fine -- a Very Veggie with pineapple & a Pepsi. Nothing unusual, no new foods.

We walked home, and about 3 blocks from our house, it felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. I mean I was doubled over in pain. I've recently realized I'm lactose-intolerant, but cheeses seemed to be OK. So, I thought maybe mozzarella was out of the question from now on. The intermittant pain continued all the way home.

Then, a block away from the house, the sneezing started. Out of control, allergy sneezing. Like the kind I usually get when I eat potatoes.

20 minutes later, the chest pains began, and I had so much trouble breathing that I considered asking Shanti to take me to the ER. I was wheezing, only able to take short breaths, and I was coughing up stuff.

Then I got hives on my chest, and my lip swelled up.

Shanti got me an antihistamine, and after an hour, I was finally able to take a full breath. That was -- without a doubt -- the worst allergic reaction I've ever had to anything. The most unsettling part is that I don't know what I was reacting to.

I had:
Pepsi
Pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes & pineapples


That's it. I've had all those things before and within the last 6 months. I'm left stumped and a little scared.