A young girl battles an attack of the hives. (I am going through the same thing myself; I have hives on my neck, and they DON'T feel good! I wouldn't wish hives on ANYONE! This story is based on my current battle with the hives. It is strange how I get my story ideas at times...STUPID HIVES!)

GREAT. Just before I go on a date with my boyfriend to see "The Passion of the Christ", and I have HIVES!

It all started yesterday. I was doing laundry, not thinking anything about the strength of the detergent, and when I woke up this morning, I was surprised to find my neck was itching really badly. It felt like a million little needle-like teeth were gnawing at my neck, and when I looked into the mirror, I was horrified to find some ugly, red welts on my neck. I didn't know what was going on; but when I told my mom about it and showed my neck to her, she said I had an outbreak of the hives (medically called uticaria). Hives are a result of an allergic reaction to something, be it food, detergent, or even something like a beesting, and the hives can be very itchy and annoying. It can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, bsaed on the severity of the outbreak, and the only way it can be treated is with medicated creme to soothe the hivey areas and to stay away from whatever brought them on in the first place. If the treatment didn't help, I was to report to the doctor pronto, especially if I developed a worse rash or trouble breathing, both, of which, were signs of an anaphylactic, or severe, reaction. Then I would have to go to the emergency room for treatment and a shot of epinephrine to counter the allergy attack. If it was bad enough to affect my breathing, I would probably need some oxygen, and then maybe be admitted into the hospital, in the pediatric wing. This is what the doctor told me after I showed him my neck, before he gave me the Benadryl creme and the pills. I told my mom that all I was doing was washing the clothes, and she said that maybe it was the detergent that got me.

Anyway, she took me to see Dr. Emmons, as I just said, and when he looked at my neck, he confirmed that I had hives, and he then gave me a prescription for Benadryl and some medicated creme that would relieve some of the itching and dry up the hivey areas on my neck; and he said to call him if I had any problems or if the hives got worse. I told him I wasn't planning on doing anything to aggravate the hives, and I certainly didn't want to have any trouble with my breathing or go into the hospital.

But I still am mad. I was supposed to meet my boyfriend after school today, and we were going to go see the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" and then go out to eat if our stomachs weren't too floppy from the violent scenes that were in the movie (heard it is very graphic at times, the violence). Oh, we are still going, but I am now going to have to take my hives with me, and I am wondering how people are going to react when they see my neck. I have these big, red whoppers on my neck, and it looks like I have a serious case of measles..or maybe leprosy.., and I am wondering if people are going to overreact, thinking I have some contagious disease or something. I wonder what HE is going to say when he takes a gander at my poor NECK! I look AWFUL!!

*To be continued.*