Bee Stings and Plantain

This last Thursday my middle daughter stepped on a bee's stinger that happened to be in the carpet by the window. She and I are both supper sensitive (possibly allergic) to bee stings. Poor girl! Her foot swelled up like a football and of course was as itchy as could be. For nearly four days she couldn't wear shoes and could hardly walk on that foot. In fact, she developed a fever the morning after she was stung. I'm not sure if the fever was related to the sting or her cold. None the less, I would feel more comfortable carrying an epi-pen in case of future stings. Unfortunatly, I've asked our doctor about getting an epi-pen and she didn't feel we needed one. I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it! But I'm at her mercy. So, I decided to do the next best thing... Plantain! No, not the banana variety. Plantain is an herb with very strong drawing abilities. It has many other beneficial qualities as well, but being able to soak up or draw out toxins is its most noted. The best method of use is simply a fresh plantain/spit poultice. Since I don't have access to fresh plantain for at least 6 months out of the year I use it dried. I took about a teaspoon of plantain powder wrapped in a small baggie (I put the dried plantain leaves in the coffee grinder to powder them) and placed it in a small Altoid tin. Along with the baggie of plantain powder I put in three fast melt Benedryl tablets and the directions for their use along with their expiration date.

I put my new Bee Sting Kit in my purse so I have it wherever I am. Armed with my new bee sting kit, I feel a little more prepared to help the next sting victim.
*To make a plantian/spit poultice chew up a fresh plantain leaf and spit the wad onto the affected area. Let it sit there for a half an hour. Repeat as neccessary. Using plantain powder, I will just mix some good ol' mama juice (spit) and enough powder to form a paste and apply it to the affected area for the same amount of time.