Singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards is lucky to be alive today after a yellow jacket sting yesterday in Windsor, Ontario sent her into anaphylactic shock following a concert.
"Anaphylactic shock is not fun," Edwards tweeted last night. "But not as bad if it happens right AFTER you play the show. #ouchy"
This morning a Facebook post revealed that the incident was far from a laughing matter.
"Just want to thank the St. Johns ambulance and the Winsor EMT's," Edwards wrote this morning. "I went into anaphylactic shock yesterday after getting stuck several times by a yellow jacket. An epi-pen saved my life, says the ER doctor. Bees and wasps are no longer welcome at my shows. Thanks, paramedics."
Edwards was performing at the Shores Of Erie International Wine Festival in Amherstburg Sunday on a bill with Alex Cuba when the incident occurred.
Anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction of the entire body to a chemical that is an allergen. An EpiPen contains ephinephrine which is the first and best means of treating the allergic reaction.
Edwards also tweeted a rather Cronenbergian photo of her arm mid-swelling.
Kathleen Edwards twitter
The road seems to be a constant source of misadventure for Edwards. She had to cancel a number of shows in April because she had lost her voice.
Barring anything unforeseen Edwards will still go ahead with her U.S. tour next month in support of her new studio album Voyageur. Prior to that the singer will perform in Toronto as part of the Polaris Music Prize ceremony on Sept. 24 with Edwards being one of the 10 short list nominees for the Prize and its accompanying $30,000.