Poison Ivy

My grandpa didn't get poison ivy. He could pick it up with his bare hands and be fine.

I've been around it multiple times in my life, so I assumed I got the same genes as Papaw. I even bragged about it a few times. I was wrong.

A few years ago after helping clean out some stuff around our shed at home, I had a small breakout on my leg of little blister looking things. I thought it was a series of spider bites, but the internet told me it was poison ivy. After days of rubbing around the spot to relieve the itch, the actually poison ivy went away, but the bruises from where I had rubbed so hard stayed for weeks. Just in time for sports season.

Earlier this summer, I pulled some weeds at my grandpas, including what I thought was a potato vine. Days later I broke out with what I thought was acne on my chest (occassionally if I'm working out too much, I'll get a few spots) and on my face. It'd been a while since I have had a breakout (thanks Rodan and Fields) so was pretty ticked that this was happening the day before I was leaving for two back to back vacations.

While I was in Texas I started itching more and more and I had the spots on my left arm, where my sports bra went around my chest (I had tucked my t-shirt up to create a mid-driff) my thigh, my face and the back of my leg. So it was a great beach vacation of an itchy body with sand and sweat. Somehow it was spreading so I had to not wear half of my clothes because I was worried they were "the carrier." It eventually went away (although I still have scares on my thigh).

Well here I am just two months later with another breakout. Ugh. I pulled weeds and trimmed the bushes in front of my building last week and while I was 100% certain the vines I was pulling were not poison ivy, apparently they were, because I'm itchy again. All over my right pinky, my right thigh (last time it was my left, so at least the scars will be symmetrical) the inside of my left upper/lower arm and my face again (also the opposite side as last time). This time the spots got so bad I went to the doctor. I'm on a series of medicine and scrubs to make sure the oil isn't on me anymore. I have washed every piece of clothing and bedding in my apartment, took a Clorox wipe to all other surfaces, and I even got these wipes to clean the cat. (She can't get poison ivy, but she can rub it on me if it had gotten on her.)

So here I am, Labor Day weekend, laying at home and itching. But I also got a lot of craft projects done today, as well as other things around the house while waiting on the laundry to get done. Event watched 10 episodes of "Scandal". (I'm on season 3, so don't spoil it for me.)

Also, if you ever get poison ivy, I highly recommend this Zanfel stuff. Just after one use I haven't had the need to itch at all! It's expensive as can be though.