Merrily, Merrily, Merrily....Life is but a Dream

I am in heaven doing yard work. I get to be outside in beautiful temperatures surrounded by birds and squirrels and bright flowering life. I am physically moving, working up a sweat and feel a sense of accomplishment.

My brothers yard

and then I woke up!

I awoke Easter Monday, April 13, with what looked like a spider bite on each of my wrists. I know we have small spiders when we moved into the house but I have scoured all the surfaces when we arrived and I clean the house ceiling to floor weekly. I know they can be hidden but I could not image that it could have been a spider.

I sent my brother a picture to see if he thought it was poison something or other but it did not look like any posted images from Google of Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac.

I also went outside and took pictures of the weeds that I had pulled, sent them to my brother and we identified them again as not being poisonous.

So I avoided itching them and went to bed. Upon awakening I noticed I had more on both arms.

I went outside again and took more pictures and found Poison Sumac on the fringe of the property where I had not cleared. I now assume that I must have cleared some with out realizing it. Poison sumac is a woody shrub or small tree that can grow to 27 feet tall. Yikes!

Poison Sumac, Toxicodendron vernix

Later I discovered Poison Ivy as well, again, in a different area than where I was working.

Poison Ivy

Mike who ears long pants, a sweatshirt and head gear was not effected at all.

So now that I knew what it was I started to research the toxin.

"The poison leaves have a sticky, long-lasting oil called urushiol that causes an itchy, blistering rash after it touches your skin. I did not have this in the beginning." (WebMD)

"Poison ivy is the only one that always has three leaves, one on each side and one in the center. They’re shiny with smooth or slightly notched edges. Poison oak looks similar, but the leaves are larger and more rounded like an oak leaf. They have a textured, hairy surface. There may be groups of three, five, or seven leaves. Poison sumac leaves grow in clusters of seven to 13 leaves, with one by itself at the end." (WebMD)

"It forms within 24 to 72 hours of contact, depending on where the plant touched you. It usually peaks within a week, but can last as long as 3 weeks. The rash doesn’t usually spread unless urushiol is still in contact with your skin." (WebMD)

Over-the-counter medicine can ease the itch and keep you more comfortable. Unfortunately I had no Calamine lotion or Diphenhydramine, but I did have Hydrocortisone. I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol to keep it dry. Then would apply the Hydrocortisone for the itch. Hot or even warm water irritated it to no end. Showers were painful, cool splashes of water were soothing.

"Don't scratch. It won't spread the rash, but can cause scars or infection. If someone in your household has poison ivy, oak, or sumac, you can't catch it from them, even if you come into contact with the blisters." (WebMD)

Lastly clean everything you possibly touched with hot soapy water then clean it again with isopropyl alcohol. Dispose of everything safely.

Day 3 AM

Day 3 PM

Day 4 the spread continues, forearm

Day 5, the oozing begins, Yellow puss drips from the center of the wounds.

Friday, I break down and go to the grocery store to get Calamine lotion and hopefully more alcohol to clean the yellow puss from my body. At this point it is on both of my arms and legs, chest, armpit and face.



They have none but I find this aerosol can and grab it before I leave.

It relieved the itching immediately and I finally got some sleep that night.

Day 6, red irritated skin and scabs start to form, more puss.

Day 7, I am miserable. My arms are swollen, fire red, and itchy. Mike goes back to the store to get me more Calamine spray and Hydrocortisone. He talks to the pharmacy who tells them I show go to the Dr. 

I called Patient First and they said they were not busy and I could come in. I did not want to go if they were seeing Covid-19 patients and they ensured me they were not. A different facility was handling that. They were not busy so I drove the mile to the clinic and was seen immediately.

The Dr. was great, told me I was severely allergic to Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac and that I should have come in sooner. I have not willing been to the doctor since I broke my foot in 1994. I only go when I have to for the visa process of the international schools I have worked for. I have a high threshold of pain and did not want to bother anyone.

He gave me Prednisone and sent me on my way with a warning to my husband that I might become grouchy on the steroid. You will have to ask Mike if I did or not!

Then the healing began. Wish I started sooner.

The puss stopped the next day and it continued to dry out, the itch was still there but not as bad. Red bloody scabs continued to form but luckily they did not burst.

Healing and relief!

The scabs got knocked of easily and would catch on everything. I was now itchy due to the drying and cracking of the skin. I would use a fingernail clipper to remove the scab before it tore of my body.

I have used a full bottle of rubbing alcohol, 3 bottles of Calamine Spray, 1/2 tube of Hydrocortisone (can't use it with Prednisone), 1/2 bottle of Calamine Lotion, and a bottle of Hand Lotion in the past 16 days.

This is with lotion on, you can see how cracked and dry my skin still is on Day 16.

Day 17 and there are no more bumps on my skin. It is smooth and bright pink as it is healing. No more itch either. 

During the first 10 days I was afraid to go outside. The doctor said that I could be so allergic to it that I could get in off a strong breeze. Yikes! I felt a prisoner. I have overcome the fear and we are back at yardwork!

My suit has arrived so I am good to go!

Picture taken from Wallpaperflare.com