The time I almost died

I have been lactose intolerant ever since I was a little kid. This fact has never stopped me from consuming milk, cheese, ice cream, etc. If it has dairy in it, I probably love it. Unfortunately due to my allergy, the cost for eating all these diary-heavy foods are painful stomach aches. Consequently I am usually popping Pepto chewables like they are Tic Tacs.

One night, while I was still living with my parents, we all went out to get Italian food. I probably overdid it with my order, because I when I got home I was not feelings so hot. I popped a few Peptos and went to bed. The next morning we were suppose to go to a family event, and I was running a little late, so quickly woke up and jumped in the shower. Afterwards, I drowsily put toothpaste on my toothbrush and as I opened my mouth to brush my teeth, I screamed. My entire tongue, from front to back, was black.

I quickly ran upstairs in my towel and scrambled to find my parents in my panicked state. My mom took one look at my tongue and started freaking out. She immediately hopped on the phone to try to call for help.

Thoughts were racing through my mind. What could have happened to me? What kind of rare, life threatening illness could I have possibly caught? How long did I have to live? Why was this happening to me? I was a good, well pretty good, person. Why did I deserve to have such a tragic demise? WHY ME?!?!

My mom came back from her string of phone calls, the last one ending with the people at Poison Control. They had asked if I had taken any Pepto chewable pills the night before. Apparently, if you take them before bed and had a tendency to sleep with your mouth open, the oxygen reacts with the medicine and turns you tongue black. They told her if I brushed my tongue, it would come off.

As I sat in my bathroom scrubbing my tongue, I was relaxed with the knowledge that I would live another day. I felt so relieved that I had prevailed and avoided such a painful and untimely death.