I'm Sorry to Report that

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shellfish and I are on a brake and all I have to show for it is a big fat lip!
Allow me to explain.
To take a break from our usual weekend activities in Margate, we decided to spend the day exploring Cape May.
The Cape May Zoo...

the Historic District...

the beach-side market all followed by dinner at the Raw Bar at the Lobster House. 

If you haven't been to Cape May, I highly recommend it.  It's charming, clean, has great local shops to peruse and plenty of shore-like restaurants to enjoy.  Second time for Jacob here and he always makes a wish and drops a penny in this fountain...

We strolled Washington Street which is the main shopping and dining area but opted for waterfront dining and headed to Fisherman's Wharf for some local seafood and sunset watching.

At the recommendation of a friend, we decided to give the Lobster House a try but when we headed inside, learned that it was all indoors.  Step outside and around the corner to the deck, we found what we were seeking and ditched our reservation.  Good thing too because what we stumbled upon was exactly what I've been wanting all summer!  

A fun, casual, atmosphere with live music and even livelier people watching.  It's all DIY and, at first, a bit confusing with people standing around everywhere scouring for tables, in various lines to order, drinking, etc but once you know the drill it's all good!
We scored a table on the patio right between the Raw Bar and the "American" ship that acts as a bar with live music and enough people to sink it.  
Sadly we missed the sunset but look at that moon!

We started with the crab soup which was amazing...can you tell?!

Followed by shrimp, clams, calamari, and of course lots and lot of...

Cold Beer...

Jacob and I ordered the lobster that came with a baked potato and corn on the cob...

By now, the boys were stuffed and left me to demolished the 2 lb. crustacean and I loved every minute of it until...

Right around 2am, I woke-up to the worst case of itchy palms, followed by feet and then...my face!
My upper lip looked like it had been injected with fillers (so I've heard (-;) and my tongue felt like it was going to explode out of my mouth.  Attractive, I know!
Not much of a hypochondriac, I admit that I was a bit freaked out and immediately went online to diagnose the situation.  

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Shellfish allergy symptoms generally develop within minutes to an hour of eating shellfish. They may include:

• Hives, itching or eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body
• Wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
• Tingling in the mouth

Allergies can cause a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. An anaphylactic reaction to shellfish or anything else is a medical emergency that requires treatment with an epinephrine (adrenaline) injection and a trip to the emergency room.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

• A swollen throat or a lump in your throat (airway constriction) that makes it difficult for you to breathe
• Shock, with a severe drop in your blood pressure
• Rapid pulse
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness

Naturally, the more I read the more I experienced each symptom...maybe I'm now also a hypochondriac? and immediately woke Phil up so that he could run out and get me allergy meds.  By then, I was looking like Will Smith from Hitch and probably scared him more by my appearance than by my symptoms.

While I waited for Phil to return, I learned that although most major food allergies begin in childhood, one allergy in particular stands apart—shellfish. An allergy to shellfish such as shrimp, lobster, oysters, crab, and scallops may develop any time during a person's life, but tends to present in adulthood. Along with fish, shellfish allergies are the most common adult-onset food allergies. It’s estimated that between 2 and 3 percent of American adults suffer from allergies to one or both.

When compared to other allergies, a shellfish allergy is different in other ways as well. For example, allergic reactions to shellfish are unpredictable, sometimes occurring long after a person has consumed the allergen and has shown no other symptoms. In addition, allergic reactions to shellfish often become more severe with each exposure.

GREAT!

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that I love to eat and grew up in Maryland consuming inordinate amount of crabs and other seafood so how am I now expected to monitor my shellfish intake?

I guess Karma is a bitch and my previous insensitivities to people with allergies have finally come and bit me in the ass or...more like in the lip!