it looks reaaaalllly bad...

... like the thing you get when appendages gradually fall off from something incurable, causing terrible disfigurement that makes people avert their eyes and cross to the other side of the street. But it is neither terminal nor permanently attached to my person. It has been making me think I would go nuts for several days but I know it's only poison ivy, and can expect a 100% survival rate. Still... I'm so itchy and trying so desperately hard not scratch it's crazy-making.

I was being helpful - and this is the thanks I get? After our little two day road trip into Up-state South Carolina last week, I made  myself available to do some yard work in Decatur. The project was to finish an on-going battle with some very invasive English ivy. One of those things you think you want until you have it and see that it can adapt to display characteristics similar to kudzu: unstoppable and very invasive, creeping, crawling, climbing everywhere. I think the stuff we were pulling had originated in a neighbor's yard, and due to benign neglect had come under, around, over and through fence.

In the process of pulling, whacking, snatching, breaking, bending, and piling the strands of ivy vines into yard waste sacks, we got ourselves infested with some highly aggravating poison ivy. Or maybe oak or sumac. But I think it was poison ivy, as it is much more common. And of course, we totally, blatantly disregarded the possible results in our determination to finish the project. So did nothing to keep the irritating oils we took away from the work to a minimum.
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It's on my face. And fore arms, and belly. And legs, and back. Argggghhhh....

After several days of misery, and a totally unnecessary office visit, a cortisone injection, and a trip to the pharmacy for Rx, I am better. Thankyouverymuch for your concern. It's still itchy and I am still trying to not scratch, but want so badly to claw it off my body. Which would, of course, only make it worse by spreading it to the few areas that are still un-blemished by ugly, red, blistered skin.

I got into some of the same stuff a year or so ago when doing a brush-whacking project with the United Way. I do recall how it was all over my arms for day, but apparently failed to recall  how miserable I was until it started to clear up. I am pretty sure I won't forget this. Might even mark it on my calendar as something so memorable I don't want to repeat!