Tastes like burning
For any of you curious just how bad getting pepper sprayed is, I will tell you: It's horrific.
I say without exaggeration it is like getting sprayed with hot oil from a fryer with your eyes open, hitting all of your face and neck from hairline to collar, but without the permanent damage. And it burns agonizingly, to the point you can't think about anything else, for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, it is incredibly painful, but you start regaining control of your breath (we have to have a "safety person" to watch over you until you're walking around because people tend to hyperventilate and freak out).
For the next hour or two after that, it still burns a lot, but you can open your eyes and walk away from the air conditioner (up to this point, I was sitting with my eyes pried open, using my fingers to let my eyelids blink, two inches from the air conditioner for over half an hour). But every mucous membrane is freaking out, nose running, eyes tearing and swelling. I started eating lunch, and I was like, "huh... the corn tastes.... weird." They suggested I got a little of the pepper spray in my mouth, I thought it was sweat... until I realized it was my own tears, which were pouring down so heavily (without my noticing) that all my food just tasted like salty tears.
For the rest of the day, your whole face and neck, and anything that touched your neck or face, or caught a splash when you're hit, or touches something that touched your face or neck, burns like the worst sunburn you've ever had (but without the nausea and lethargy). I had to wear gloves to go to the bathroom. Also, if you sweat, you get a reflash (your eyes start burning again, snap shut, etc. so no driving). When you shower, you get a reflash (and anyplace it drains to... so you have to wear a swimsuit or underwear into the shower).
Though... I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm kind of enjoying it now. It amuses me that I'm in so much pain, I look terrible (eyes completely red, whole face and neck crimson, spots on my arm and hand crimson), and I'm ignoring it and going out to Sven's, seeing my landlady to give my first check and signed rental agreement, having a barbeque. Plus it's an interesting stinging pain on so much surface area... it's weird.
I hope I never, ever have to do that again. I shouldn't.
ETA: I accidentally licked my lips. Now my tongue is on fire. Awesome. I was really enjoying my damn mocha.
I say without exaggeration it is like getting sprayed with hot oil from a fryer with your eyes open, hitting all of your face and neck from hairline to collar, but without the permanent damage. And it burns agonizingly, to the point you can't think about anything else, for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, it is incredibly painful, but you start regaining control of your breath (we have to have a "safety person" to watch over you until you're walking around because people tend to hyperventilate and freak out).
For the next hour or two after that, it still burns a lot, but you can open your eyes and walk away from the air conditioner (up to this point, I was sitting with my eyes pried open, using my fingers to let my eyelids blink, two inches from the air conditioner for over half an hour). But every mucous membrane is freaking out, nose running, eyes tearing and swelling. I started eating lunch, and I was like, "huh... the corn tastes.... weird." They suggested I got a little of the pepper spray in my mouth, I thought it was sweat... until I realized it was my own tears, which were pouring down so heavily (without my noticing) that all my food just tasted like salty tears.
For the rest of the day, your whole face and neck, and anything that touched your neck or face, or caught a splash when you're hit, or touches something that touched your face or neck, burns like the worst sunburn you've ever had (but without the nausea and lethargy). I had to wear gloves to go to the bathroom. Also, if you sweat, you get a reflash (your eyes start burning again, snap shut, etc. so no driving). When you shower, you get a reflash (and anyplace it drains to... so you have to wear a swimsuit or underwear into the shower).
Though... I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm kind of enjoying it now. It amuses me that I'm in so much pain, I look terrible (eyes completely red, whole face and neck crimson, spots on my arm and hand crimson), and I'm ignoring it and going out to Sven's, seeing my landlady to give my first check and signed rental agreement, having a barbeque. Plus it's an interesting stinging pain on so much surface area... it's weird.
I hope I never, ever have to do that again. I shouldn't.
ETA: I accidentally licked my lips. Now my tongue is on fire. Awesome. I was really enjoying my damn mocha.