Rowan woman dies after being stung by yellow jackets | News

SALISBURY - It was a routine garden chore that Patricia Vaughan might have done any day without a second thought, but on Wednesday it cost the well known former teacher her life.

"She was just out trimming deadheads off the rose bush," her grief stricken husband Keith told WBTV on Friday. "And she ran into a yellow jacket nest."

Patricia, who taught in Cary and at Cleveland Elementary School in Rowan County, was stung several times.  She went inside her home and applied Benadryl cream, but then a short time later passed out.  Keith called 911, the Locke Fire Department and First Responders arrived quickly.

"They were great, they administered the first help, then took her to Rowan Regional Medical Center," Keith Vaughan added.  "At the emergency room there was nothing they could do, it was too late."

Keith Vaughan says his wife suffered an allergic reaction to the stings.  He said she had been stung before but had never suffered an adverse reaction. 

Now as he prepares to bury his wife he struggles to understand what happened, but hopes at the very least it will serve as a warning to others.

"My pastor said that God has a plan," Vaughan told WBTV.  "And maybe part of his plan is to warn other people of the possibilities, and if we can get the word out, I feel like God's plan will be helped in some way."

Patricia Vaughan's funeral is set for Saturday at Thyatira Presbyterian Church, Saturday afternoon at 4 pm.

On Friday afternoon Pro Med Physician's Assistant Roy Waronsky told WBTV about yellow stings, the treatments, and precautions.

"Watch for swelling, if you start developing hives, any sort of respiratory or breathing problems you need to call 911 immediately."

He says people react differently. 

"One is a localized reaction where if you get stung on the hand it stays localized to that area with the swelling, the other is more of an anaphylaxis, and that's where you have swelling to organs in your body and your throat and your throat can close up on you," Waronsky added.

And if you know you're allergic, there is one thing he says you must do.

"If you know that you have an allergic reaction to bee stings, wasps, yellow jackets, you should discuss this with your doctor and discuss having an epi pen that you would carry with you at all times. In the case of a sting you would inject yourself in the leg with the epinephrine as soon as possible," said Waronsky.