Itchy

[willow_25]

So, the evil I mentioned yesterday, turned out to be poison ivy.  In a big way.  As in, they sent me home from work, fearing I would infect the whole office.  I can barely use my left hand, the swelling is so bad, and that's after mineral baths, alcohol rub, benadryl, and several applications of calamine lotion.  And, I never even saw the sneaky bastard plant that infected me!

Okay, so I'm starting to see their point about infecting the whole office.

Anyway, I've been sleeping since I got home, due to the benadryl.  Which means I'll probably be up all night.  I may not be back here, though; the pain is just too much to justify typing.

Edit:  Thanks to everyone for the kind words and good wishing.  There has been some speculation that I was actually infected by a sumac tree, not poison ivy.  The doctor didn't do any tests to figure it out, just labeled it a 'severe allergic reaction to a chemical irritant' and treated it as such.  Evidently plant allergies fall into the same treatment category as man-made chemical allergies.

Comments

[mymagritte.livejournal.com]

it's a bit late to tell you that it's the oils from the plant that get you, and they can come from any part of the plant, including the roots, so if you flailed a plant around it amy have flailed droplets all over you...sorry you're in discomfort. At least you didn't get sprayed by a skunk too.

[draconin.livejournal.com]

I don't get it. If it's contact with the plant that causes the reaction then how can you "infect" others?

[nomdiplume.livejournal.com]

It's akin to a venom. In cases of strong reaction to poision ivy, the sufferer gets blisters. When the blisters pop, the fluid can cause further irritation. No other infectious properties that I know of. Sorry for the TMI.
-J

[mymagritte.livejournal.com]

yeah, the oils can get on stuff, it's how it spreads on your own body when you scratch, and how others can get it if you scratch, touch something, then the person touches it...etc. you cna get it from your pets too if they wander through the stuff; sticks to their fur, but they never get it!

[(Anonymous)]

Shite. It freaks me out just to think about all this. Wishing you a VERY prompt recovery, willow.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Ah -- I had a feeling that was it. I've had some experience there myself. I'd hug you, but ...

Actually, poison ivy doesn't spread except through the oils from the plants, so once you've washed really well and changed clothes you can't spread it anymore. It is important, however, to clean anything that got that oil on it -- clothes, tools, whatever -- because it can continue causing reactions for weeks or even months.