Monday, October 27, 2014

Poison Ivy - A True Story

I remember it vividly; as if it were yesterday, it was a Sunday in mid-August  I was in my "garden" at my home with my Mother-in-law trying to prepare my home for our house warming/ Labor Day party. 


Mind you, I was raised by a landscaper but I did not inherit his green thumb at all. 

As we were pulling the trillions of weeds in the rock covered flower beds the thought of touching poison ivy never crossed my mind. Skip to my grandma passes away that day and we are at her funeral the next day and my eye lid is super itchy.

My mother's first thought is "did you touch poison ivy?" my first thought is, "must be bug bites" - I am not very astute.



By Tuesday morning getting ready for the service my eye lid is swollen and red, little make up and I am good to do. Come dinner time that evening my face is covered in red bumps and a rash. POISON IVY!! My mother was right, yet again.






Philip and I hit up the Walmart Pharmacy where the well meaning pharmacist suggests a few ointments and I apply them liberally before bed.




When my alarm went off at 6:30 that morning I instantly knew there was a problem - I couldn't open my right eye. I had a rash all over my face, around my neck and on my left arm. I try calling  my boss but did not get an answer so I throw on a scarf push my hair around my face, put on my glasses and try to get into work on time. My awesome coworkers convince me I need to go see a doctor so I leave and get an RX for Steroids and a note to take the day off. I take some Benadryl and essentially woke up the next morning still covered in a rash. 





Over the next 3- THREE- weeks the rash slowly got worse and appeared in more places. When all was said and done both hands, arms, legs, stomach, neck and face were plagued. Each day the rash itched so badly I seriously contemplated just peeling it off but figured that would just cause more of an issue.




Finally after well over $100, 2 doctor visits, lots of creams, prayer, tears, and makeup less days. When the stinkin' party that started this whole ordeal finally came around my mother bought some wonder gel for me and it cleared it up OVERNIGHT! OVERNIGHT! 



So kids, the moral of the story is - leaves of three, let it be.

Have you ever had poison ivy??


20 comments:

  1. Oh mercy!!!!! I have never had it .... thank yo Jesus. My grandpa was always covered in it.

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  2. Ooohhh man. Girl, I have never had poison ivy (and I don't know how I haven't because God knows I've dug in things I totally shouldn't have). I'm glad it finally cleared up, but that looked so painful!
    Yes--leaves of 3 let it be!

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  3. just wondering why none of these pictures are your profile pic?? any solid reason?? ;D hahaha that seems AWFUL! this summer my pastors daughter and i got BEDBUGS from camp. mine was annoying but hers was FREAKING TERRIBLE. yuck.

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  4. oh hunny! what a terrible experience! knock on wood I've never had it. I've taught my oldest early on about the leaves of three. sorry you had to learn the hard way

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  5. It is NO good at all! I am very glad you have never had it!

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  6. it was seriously awful and I kept telling myself "one day this will just be a memory!" and now, finally, it is!

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  7. haha ohhh Stephanie you are funny. I can't even believe I showed these pictures online but it was kind of a funny experience! Bed Bugs!?!? that sounds nasty.

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  8. I thought I was invincible. CLEARLY I was mistaken!

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  9. oh how awful!!!! I have had it several times, NOT FUN!!!!!!

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  10. oh my goodness!!! i have never had poison ivy (knock on wood) and never knew it got that bad!! my arms are itching now!

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  11. Oh no, that is horrible!!! I'm glad you are feeling better!
    Melanie @ meandmr.com

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  12. Mary-Keith! That's horrible! I'm so sorry you had to go through that! Poison Ivy is so awful and I'm so paranoid about it that I annoy the heck out of those around me! I bet you'll be the same way from now on!

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  13. it is terrible! I had no idea how bad it could be! I had it once before but it didn't seem to last nearly as long

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  14. oh my gosh Robyn I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy! I stopped taking pictures after a while it was so red and 90% of my arms were covered!

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  15. oh I am such a poison ivy freak now. I have to wear gloves and wash everything down in PI soap. You just never know if someone touched it and then they touched something else the oil can be active for 5 years! I know someone who had it on his shoes got a terrible case of it and then the next summer put those shoes back on and BAM Poison. It is rough!

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  16. I have never had poison ivy before. But you have to tell me what the miracle gel was so that I'll know-just in case! Because it sounds like something I don't ever ever ever want to deal with!!!

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  17. OUCH! I've never had poison ivy before, but it looks so painful. I like to think that I'm immune because of the number of times I've tromped through the foods and come out rash-less.

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  18. it is Tecnu Poison ivy gel and it is AMAZING!!

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  19. you are very blessed! I never got it as a kid I think something changed when I lived in Texas because i got it for the first time there - it was rough!

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