Eric wrote:

 It seems possible that it was just the high  number of stings that caused the severe reaction, but can anyone speak to  that issue from experience?
> 
 What experiences can you all recount to me about people that continued  keeping bees after having severe reactions and how their bodies reacted  subsequently?

Eric, it has been my personal experience that one develops a certain amount of immunity to stings when receiving stings periodically over time. However, I've never gotten more than a dozen or so in one day. When I started beekeeping 7 or 8 years ago, I suffered from severe swelling the first year. With one sting to my arm, I once had swelling from my fingertips to my eyes. I seldom have any swelling now. In fact, I use stings for treating arthritis in my fingers and find that it works for me. My guess is that your friends reaction was from the high number of stings!

Jeanne

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