Allergic reaction

Personal narrative

Jacob Cohen

Mr. Koch

Allergic Reaction

After a grueling football practice on a warm August evening, I began to relax in the passenger seat of my dad’s white Audi.  The smell from my rancid football gear was beginning to take over the car.  My stomach began to grumble as the hot breeze hit my face.

“You hungry?” my dad asked.

“Yes, I am so hungry that I could eat a horse, “ I replied.  

“Good because we are going to La Cucinia for dinner.”

As we entered the restaurant my stomach growled with hunger as I smelled the fresh Italian food and listened to the pizza crackle in the brick-oven. We took our seats at the pizza bar staring at the menu and looking at all my options. I decided to get the meat calzone while my dad ordered the filet mignon. As a precaution,  we reminded the waiter that I am severely allergic to shellfish. No cross contamination whatsoever. 

“Ok, yes, of course,” confirmed the waiter. 

When we finished ordering, my dad and I had a long discussion about sports while watching some college football. In addition, my good friend Tyler texted me if I could pick him up to go to our friend Grace’s house. 

I replied, “Sure bud, once I'm done eating.” Immediately after our conversation ended our food came. 

Mouth watering, sizzling, cooked golden brown, scent of fresh tomato and basil, I took my first gulping bite into my calzone. Sauce and cheese dripped down my face. Relieved after a long day of school and football I finally had a nice warm meal inside me. During the beginning of my meal my dad realized that his steak was undercooked so he asked our server to take it back. As a favor they brought out some mozzarella sticks that tied his stomach over as the steak was cooking. After all he didn't even want any so with the crispy mozzarella sticks sitting there and waiting to be eaten, I quickly questioned the server if they are safe to eat. 

“Oh yeah, without a doubt.” 

Instantaneously I took a miniature bite into the golden mozzarella stick, delish! We finally finished off our meals, and soon after we payed the check and headed out to get Tyler.

On our way there, I started to feel a little throb in my throat. I tried to ignore it while unknowingly that was the start of a long night. We finally got Tyler and started driving towards Grace’s house. About 10 minutes later, still in the car, I began to feel even worse. My hands started to sweat. In the back of my mind I asked myself, “am I having an allergic reaction?” 

 Quickly I told my dad to pull over. Screeech, as my dad slamed on the brakes. 

Immediately after, he asked, “why? Whats up, are you okay?”

Stuttering, “I, I, I think I'm having an allergic reaction.” 

“What! No, how? Everything was safe,” insisted my dad. 

“Ehh, I'm scared, I think this is for real!?” 

“You got your Eipipen?” 

“Yes, yes of course, but I'm scared, I don't want to do it!” 

“Stop being a gigantic whiner and just stick the damn thing in!” 

At that point anxiety was taking me over. Consequently, I sprinted out of the car on to the shoulder of Evergreen Mill running my anxiety out, with my dad and Tyler yelling at me to get back in the car. Weirdly enough, I started asking for things like gum and mints to make my throat feel better. While Tyler was laughing hysterically, he got a text from Grace saying that her mom is a pharmacist. For some weird reason I would have rather had her sticking the Eipipen in me instead of myself or my dad, so as soon as I heard that I told my dad and Tyler to roll out of there and head to Grace’s. Making fast tight turns we finally got there. After my dad slammed on the brakes I sprinted out of the car to Grace’s front porch where her mom was waiting curiously and ready to help me. At this point in time it became insanely hard to breath. Tyler walked inside to some more of our friends wondering on how I was, at the same time my dad and I stayed outside with Grace’s mom. 

She was asking questions to help calm me down, “are you okay? Is this your first allergic reaction?”

About two minutes later it became almost impossible to breath as she stuck the Epipen in me. It felt like a new life was put into me. Immediately after I was full of energy and I could breath again. Lastly, I thanked Grace’s mom for every thing. Minutes later my dad and I decided that it would be a good idea to get a check up at Loudon hospital. When we arrived we quickly met up with a nurse that took us back in the ER for a post allergic reaction exam. As she told us what had happened to me we found out that we were very lucky for thinking of coming there because I had to take a steroid to prevent my throat from closing again. Once we got that taken care of we drove back to our house to get some well needed sleep.