My husband has always taken my bee allergy seriously. One sting can send me to the hospital, so for 11 years, he’s kept track of my EpiPens—checking the dates and replacing them before they expired.
Two weeks ago, I was driving when I spotted three big bees buzzing around inside my car. I pulled over, terrified, and reached for the EpiPen I normally kept in the glove box.
It wasn’t there.
I called my husband, shaking as I explained what had happened. He was already at the pharmacy. That morning, while cleaning out the glove box, he’d noticed all three pens were nearing their expiration dates. He’d taken them to be replaced and planned to leave me a note—but I’d picked up my keys from a different place and never saw it.
When he realized I hadn’t been stung and was safely pulled over, he laughed with relief. Then he told me to meet him at a gas station two exits away. He arrived 11 minutes later with two fresh EpiPens: one for my car and one for my purse.
He’d even brought a third for his own glove box. “Just in case I’m the one who finds you first next time,” he said.
For 11 years, he’d quietly kept track of the dates, renewed the prescriptions, and made sure there was always a backup. I knew he cared about my allergy, but I hadn’t understood how much of the responsibility he’d taken on himself.
That day, three bees and an empty glove box showed me all over again what it means to be loved by someone who’s always looking out for you.