Tuesday, May 5, 2009

itch I have to scratch (!!!)

Okay. I haven't had poison ivy in quite a while, maybe so long that I thought I was impervious to it, which might explain why I took no precautions whatsoever while digging around in the fencerow on Sunday even though I should have known better. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon that I began to notice it, and it didn't really seem that bad, just a couple small spots on my arms, but overnight I lost control and managed not only to get it on my hands and fingers (I had been wearing gloves, of course) but somehow on my left knee and also my forehead (lovely) and it's been driving me mad all day now. This isn't some little insect bite or even a nice fat bee sting. At the moment I can conceive of nothing more satisfying than scratching the hell out of this stuff, even though I know it's wrong, so wrong. At this rate I'm going to wake up tomorrow with some in my ear and more on my lips, I swear. So let this be a lesson to me. Leaves of three, let it... wait. What leaves??

6 comments:

fremenine said...

Well, apparently everyone (else) knows that it can't be spread by scratching, but I found out today that any urushiol left on clothes or other objects can trigger another reaction weeks or even months after initial contact. And in spite of my hope that I'd be over this in a few days it seems likely that I can look forward to at least a couple weeks of this insanity. Yay.

I've had it much, much worse before, but O. M. G. is this driving me nuts... Hope I'm the only one of our crew who's in agony...

fremenine said...

Well okay maybe "agony" is too strong a word and yeah I know no one's really reading any of this but for the Love of God if there's anyone out there who could give me any relief I swear I would give up my first born child and all the rest of them too if that's what it's going to take and I'll spare all the details but suffice it to say I am plagued by weeping sores and if you saw me right now you would turn away in horror and repulsion. This is not an allergic reaction, it is an affliction, an abomination... a punishment, maybe. Yes, it's possible. Not likely though. But it is one hateful motherfucking rash.

fremenine said...

You'd think at some point the weeping would stop, but it doesn't. This morning I spent an hour covering myself with bandages so that I could get through few hours at work. Now my arms are bare, and needing attention every few minutes. I'm cold, but reluctant to do all that wrapping again just so that I can put on something warmer. Yes, I am complaining and yes, I am aware that things could be much much worse in almost every imaginable way, but this has been a little more than the minor discomfort I'd thought it might be. More of a hassle, and an interference, at a time when neither were needed. If I've learned anything from this, it's that there isn't much wisdom to be gained from a bout with poision ivy--mostly just regret.

The spot on my forehead has healed as of this morning, though, so I'm hopeful that the rest will follow soon, and I can turn my attention back to the work at hand.

fremenine said...

Just talked to mom and found out she's got it about a hundred times worse... I wish I could do something. She must be miserable.

JB aka JayBee said...

Em,

Jason and I are reading this and feeling bad for you. If there is anything we can do, put Calomine lotion on you, offer you the use of our jacuzzi bathtub, whatever, just ask.

JB

fremenine said...

Thanks for your sympathies. After seeing my mom this weekend I feel some chagrin at all my whining... all I can say is it's fiendish stuff. Happy to report that the worst is over and I'm on the up and up now, but I might still take you up on the jacuzzi and rub-down ;)