Beware of Fruit Bearing Gifts - Food Poisoning

I have probably eaten more watermelon the past several months than I have in several years.

I get one a week and we eat it all enjoying the sweet juicy fruit. I was at Walmart this week and true to my current habit, I was looking at the watermelons and someone came past and told me that they were really good. I had been getting them for months and they were really good.

I picked one and purchase it and when I get it home, I notice it has a puncture in it. I didn't think that would do much so I just cut around the puncture and finished cutting it and put it in a bowl. I did notice that there was some dark lines going through the melon but didn't think much of it as it tasted sweet.

It wasn't until I got about ten bites in that I tasted a really moldy taste and smell. I immediately spit it out and washed my mouth out. I went into the kitchen and threw it away. Before that however, Princess Five had taken about three pieces and she stopped saying it tasted funny.

I didn't give it another thought until the middle of the night. I was working on getting stuff cleaned up as I have some company coming and we will be out of town for weddings, travel, missionary homecomings, farewells and other family things.

I had Princess Four helping me as we have been getting rid of tons of items in the house and even some of my mothers estate items as I am trying to whittle down my belongings and since I have four of the girls belongings here it has gotten rather crowded with my mothers estate stuff.

Last week I was able to get everything of Princess One's out of the house and I think we will be able to continue getting through things as Princess Four is home for a few more months before leaving on her mission. I need to get so much more done but with my mom living with us and then her death and the accident, pageants, babies, and my health problems, we have been struggling to keep up with the house, pruning, dehydrating, cleaning etc.

So, I look at Princess Four at some point and said, I am in trouble..... I am going to throw up!! I HATE to throw up and only usually do it with major migraines. I looked at her and said, I think I ate something that was bad.. I then went through what I had eaten and it didn't take me but a second to figure out it was the watermelon.

Sure enough, that watermelon came back to haunt me in many ways. I won't give details but my body has not enjoyed this watermelon and it may be sometime before I enjoy any watermelon!!!! Not only did I visit the porcelain throne several times, I kept a multi-bagged lined garbage can on a chair by the bed in case.

I did feel a bit better today but didn't eat until about 5 p.m. and then when I did eat, my stomach wasn't feeling all that great and now I am suffering the revenge of the watermelon!

So, beware when purchasing a watermelon.... Make sure there are NO puncture marks, and when you cut it, if the color is inconsistent, DON'T EAT IT!!!!! Your body will thank you!!! I am so grateful that Princess Five didn't eat any more than she did as she didn't have the same problem as she didn't eat as much.

I know that forever more I will examine all fruit I purchase VERY carefully!