One evening a couple years ago, Rowan and I went for a ride and I inhaled a bug of some sort. It wasn't particularly large and I didn't think much of it ... I just figured I'd hack it out and be fine.
But I ended up hacking and hacking and hacking, and my sinuses let loose like when I have an allergic reaction to something ... and I tried to drink, and I had to stop to blow my nose and cough up mouthfuls of stuff and wipe my eyes.
Later that evening, it felt like I had a large grape lodged in my throat, and my throat, the back of my tongue, and back of my mouth went numb like if I had a dental freezing. The next day, I wasn't feeling particularly well, and was still experiencing the same symptoms except that my voice also went all deep and raspy. I was actually starting to get a bit worried.
The following day, the "grape" had shrunk down to a "pea" and my throat, tongue and mouth went into pins and needles like when dental freezing starts to come out.
For the next 2 weeks I was a congested and had a sore, scratchy throat, with a raspy voice.
I didn't know what kind of bug it was ... but I'm guessing it let loose with some sort of protective poison in a last-ditch attempt to avoid being eaten.
However, I did some research I think I found type of bug I swallowed ... based on what I saw just before I swallowed it and it's size, and my reaction to it.
A rove beetle.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/parks/rovebeetles.htm
"The body fluids in the rove beetle are a poisonous animal contact toxin. Contact with the beetle can cause a severe skin reaction.
If you crush the beetle the toxin is released and absorbed by your skin. The beetle can be crushed if you swat it like a fly or mosquito, or if it collides with you at speed (such as bare skin on a motorbike).
The toxin causes reddening of the skin, and a 'burning' sensation. This is followed by painful irritation and itching, with extensive pustules and blistering of the skin after four days. The affected areas remain irritated, blistered and sore for 10 days. Toxin on the hands, or near body joints, can spread the toxin to other areas of the body and to others."