I am deathly allergic to fire ants. That sounds absurd, doesn't it? I wish I was lying, but I'm not. I am deathly allergic to ants.

An estimated four out of 100,000 people are allergic to ants. I'm one of the very few unlucky ones.

I found out when I was 14, and went into anaphylactic shock after being bitten by about 15 of them. Anaphylactic shock is terrifying. I break out in hives, my heart races, my blood pressure rises then plummets, my throat closes up, I can barely speak, and it is hard to breathe. I've even passed out after being bitten by ants before. It honestly feels like I'm dying, and if left untreated, it can, in fact, kill you. I am thankful to say that I've only gone into shock three times. You can be as careful as possible, and still come in contact with your allergen. However, if you have this severe of an allergy, it can easily control your life.

What does it mean to have this allergy?

It means constantly carrying an extremely expensive, but necessary, epi pen everywhere you go.

It means never wearing open-toed shoes. I have to, at the very least, wear tennis shoes. When I walk my dogs or go fishing, I have to wear yoga pants or jeans with boots. This serves to give me a few extra seconds to notice any ants that may crawl on me.

It means constantly checking my feet, and scanning the ground I'm walking on.

It means that I stay on the sidewalk, rather than walking through the grass or dirt. Concrete is my best friend.

It means popping Benadryl each and every time even one ant touches you.

It means constantly praying that God will keep you safe.

It means not being able to live on the first floor of apartment complexes, because the first floor of buildings are an easy target for ants.

It means putting out ant poison once a week -- just so I can walk around my own home.

It means keeping tons of pest control items.

It means that I am so very aware that my days are numbered; that this life may be over for me with one wrong step.

It means constantly battling my own body. It is getting angry with myself for over-reacting to such a tiny thing; well, a tiny thing to others.

It means wanting to live each day like it could be your last, while being very aware of your body's limitations.

It means constantly making peace with both myself, and God -- over, and over again. It is a fear I constantly battle. It is the thorn in my flesh that God uses to keep me in check, and close to Him.