dispatches from the new world of work

User Friendly Award!
(Where You'd Least Expect It)

At 6 p.m. Monday, I was out brushcutting. I apparently woke up a yellowjacket neighborhood buried in the mud. In short order, I was stung perhaps a dozen times—one YJ got stuck under my shirt. Luckily, I didn't go into anaphylactic shock. But, in a few hours the reaction was body-wide. I went to an ER the next morning after a truly crappy night. The doc said I should have come at the time—because I had some wheezing, which meant I'd moved in the direction of impeded breathing.

The good news was that I was on the mend in 12 hours courtesy an elephant-sized Benadryl injection and prednisone—courtesy the latter, I'd definitely test positive on an Olympic doping test. The bad news: once stung so badly, my predilection for full-blast anaphylaxis in the future soared. The additional good news: if prepared, one can handle the bad stuff—hence an EpiPen was prescribed. (The EpiPen, to be carried with you at all appropriate times, lets you self-administer a blast of Epinephrine, usually adequate protection-against-disaster until you can hustle to an ER.)

That's all prelude to my design story. The EpiPen, upon being wanged into your thigh, through clothing, if necessary, ejects a needle that in turn injects the Epinephrine. The package includes two locked-and-loaded doses. Now the best part: There is a third dispenser—which is for practice administration. Upon being yellowjacketed again, God help me, there is no time to read the directions! So the practice pen, sans needle and Epinephrine, lets you pull the pin as you actually would, and if you smack your thigh hard enough, it indicates that you've passed the practice test—the practice pen is infinitely reusable.

As all of us know, manuals are almost always (99%+) infuriating. This was the exception, to say the least. There was a mini-manual, but the practice injector went above and beyond. Trust me, I have a couple of testers for this and that (e.g., blood sugar measurement), and the directions merit the standard D- grade if I'm in a generous mood.

So hats off to the EpiPen designers—winner of the Tom2008 user-friendly-design award.

(Now all I have to do is pray I'm not stung again—and if so, pray that the Epinephrine was not made in China out of anti-freeze.)

On the non-yellowjacket side of the balance, a couple of pictures from the farm last evening.

Tom Peters posted this on 08/08/08.

Comments

Tom;
The farm looks beautiful. Glad your okay after the bee encounter. I too spend hours on brushcutting, first with a walk behind DR that I love because you really see everything from the ground. This year for my birthday I got the 5' for the tractor, makes much more progress but the perspective isn't the same from the tractor seat. I wonder if we could develop an energy source from the prickers and scrub saplings? If I find a market for the rocks, I'll be on easy street. Thanks for making your corner of the world a beautiful place.

Posted by bonnie at August 8, 2008 7:38 AM

We're glad you're well, TP. Continued God-speed! I, like Bonnie, appreciate the beauty of the farm and the care which you and Susan give. (We loved the flower photos too!) Thanks! What beauty!

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 8, 2008 11:45 AM

Incredible pictures, Tom. My niece has about every allergy known to man and has had an EpiPen go with her everywhere she goes since she was small. At 4 years old she could self-administer if needed. Now THAT is usability.

On another note - to pick up on the Apple point. I just bought a new iPhone. The manual: a very small accordion flyer called "Finger Tips". That's all you need, for arguably one of the most capable phones out there.

Three cheers for taking the time to make things easy to do!

(p.s. welcome back, Judith)

Posted by Martin Koning-Bastiaan at August 8, 2008 12:21 PM

Hi Martin. Thanks!

Regarding TP's photos, I wonder if the "A Day in the Life" photo gallery could include others. This would be really nice.

Posted by Judith Ellis at August 8, 2008 12:37 PM

Beautiful countryside.

I mow about ten acres of yard, and have been stung infinite times in the past several. The Epipen lives comfortably in the allergy medicine drawer!

Be well, TP.

Posted by TP Lowe at August 8, 2008 1:48 PM

The epiPen sounds like a smaller version of the
device used in the movie Pulp Fiction to revive
the character played by Uma Thurman.
Uma - Uma - Uma!
Maybe that should be the chant one uses as the epiPen is slammed into a body part.

Posted by x at August 8, 2008 2:22 PM

During my years in the Air Force as a Life Support/Survival Trainer my greatest fear was one of my students getting stung and going into anaphylactic shock. We carried Epinephrine syringes and gave Epipens to those who though they might be allergic. I've used and seen them used about 9 times...worked great every time. I was doing a chemical warfare briefing with another person and describing how to use the Atro-pen injector for nerve agent exposure. They too came with practice pens which my partner was supposed to be using to demonstrate how auto inject atropine. This fool however grabbed an "live" injector and again I can confirm the results were impressive. It worked it's way through his clothing and into his system and he incapacitated himself in a real short period of time. Technology is truly a marvelous thing...Be safe!

Posted by Dave Wheeler at August 8, 2008 8:57 PM viagra with prescription online

I had an anaphyalctic shock many years ago whilst working in India - As an aside, I was delighted to find myself in Bombay rather than UK, as a doctor arrived in less than 5 minutes. I fear that, had I been in UK, I would have been intercepted by a receptionist, who would have asked me 'if my shock was serious?' and 'could I call back on Friday to make an appointment?' etc.

Anyway, adrenaline and steroids administered, I was fine again in about 30 minutes, but remained very sensitive to salicylates for many years after. So, as others have said, take care.

An Epipen would have been just the job!

Peter

Posted by Peter Cook at August 10, 2008 3:46 PM

Get well soon Tom. Carry the Epi every where as you never know when the next Yellow Jacket Nest will be uncovered.

Posted by Brad at August 13, 2008 1:34 PM

Tom,

Glad to hear you are ok. My son is allergic to nuts so we're all to familiar with the drill.

A couple of months ago he was at a Cub Scouts Den meeting working on his "Readyman" activity pin which is for first aid. I am the Den Leader but on this night I was at a business meeting. One of the women in the Pack is a Captain in the Navy and an MD so she was in charge.

I got a call that night and my Son had somehow managed to activate the EpiPen while showing a fellow Scout how it worked. Upsidedown! Putting the needle through his thumb!

Apparently this isn't all that uncommon so be sure which side is down...

He was fine, shook up but fine.

Posted by Dean Brady at August 14, 2008 5:53 PM