Brush With Death

So I am being slightly (but only slightly) melodramatic here, but Jon scared the daylights out of me today.  We went to Lauderdale By The Sea for a nice beach day.  Jon took off snorkeling and I was playing with the kids.  After a good while, I see some commotion going on.  A man is yelling to another man askng him "is it a shark?"  I immediately started scanning the water for Jon and realized he was the one being yelled at!  The man tentatively swam out to him, slightly wary it was a shark, and the EMTs/rescue were shortly behind.  I was panicking.  Luckily, a nice family that was by us, sat with the kids while I ran to see Jon being pulled from the water.  His face was ghost white and he was covered in Man O War tentacles.  But, I was SO relieved to see he had all his limbs and it wasn't a shark attack!  He was in excruciating pain.  They got to work on him quick, using credit cards to scrape off the tentacles and spraying him down with vinegar.  After about 20 minutes, they told me they were taking him to Holy Cross Hospital.  I threw everything in bags and the same family helped me to the car.  I threw the kids in their car seats, sand and wet diapers and all.  We got to the hospital at the same time as the ambulance.  Jon was shaking really bad and looked completely miserable.  They had only given him Benadryl so far.  It felt like it took forever for them to get some pain killers in him but they eventually did.  Janelle came and picked up the kids and seriously saved the day.  I feel so bad for being such a burden and just calling out of the blue like that.  But her and hubby Brian were SO helpful!  They sent us home after a few hours with some good drugs. 
I feel awful that I didn't see him struggling and yelling to get back to shore.  He was at least 100 yards out.  I feel like I should have been watching and I could have sent someone to him sooner.  I am so grateful he was able to make that swim in the shape he was in.  He had last a flipper, and he thought he was still dragging the darn thing with him, since apparently the tentacles detach.  Next time, we'll make sure we snorkel with a buddy.  But for tonight, I am so grateful to have my hubby safe and in one piece.
So, apparently this is what happened.  He was actually almost done and wrapping things up when he felt a sting on his left arm.  He naturally went to grab it and his first thought was that it was fishing line.  He pulled on it and then the thing just went crazy on his back.  Apparently it had been behind him and he had kind of swam into after diving down.  He lost his flipper and his wedding ring :( in the struggle to get away.  He said he was yelling for him and seriously doubting his ability to get back to shore.  He was in SO much pain.  It is a thought I still can't even entertain right now.  I almost feel like I need to sit and watch him all night to make sure he doesn't go anywhere.  The doctors said it should feel better within 2-3 days.  It may scar and the next time WILL be worse.  They gave us a number to call.  He said if there are Man o War sightings, don't even go.  I am tired but I will post more pics tomorrow.  He pretty much looks like he was whipped.  Poor guy.  My stomach still turns in knots looking at it.