Poison Oak Sucks.

That's an understatement.
(These are random pictures I found online)







Those of you who knew me growing up know that I was perpetually covered in it- whether I had come in to contact with the plant's oils by way of animal, clothing, someone else, or just the evil plant itself, I swear I was always battling one break out or another. My last encounter came just before high school graduation- my arms and neck were COVERED in the worst seeping blisters I had ever had... itchy graduation robe in the hot sun... guh. Then there was grad night at the high school, where I had to keep changing the paper towels covering my weeping blisters every 10 minutes- because yes, they were that nasty. Not exactly how you want people to remember you but there wasn't much I could do about it.



Two weeks after graduation I headed to Idaho where I later learned had NO POISON OAK! I went rogue in the outdoors- finally free to roam anywhere I wanted without the threat of my arched nemesis. Sure there was stinging nettle from time to time, but compared to poison oak it was a joke. Life was grand! I camped everywhere and went 6 months with out sleeping on a bed. I backpacked for the first time, went caving, mountain biking, climbed mountains and hiked in some really awesome places (Rexburg is actually a lot of fun if you have means of getting out into the country side). I have always loved the outdoors, but I was finally able to enjoy them.



Fast forward a few years, a husband and a kid later. It's Thursday night, and you find out your husband has arranged your friends to kidnap you for a night out of fun. He takes the kid to Walmart for some "man time", you bundle up knowing that the person in charge of kidnapping you is super hard core and you need to be prepared for anything. Then the power goes out all over Rexburg, and you think, "Wow! Brilliant! I didn't know they were that good!" Then the husband comes home with the kid because there's no where to go with the power outage. It get's late, and you decide that it's better to call the night off just because you know you're going to have to get up earl with the kid. Husband calls the kidnappers, who apologize for the lateness and ask to come over and say hello anyway. Half hour later, you're sitting on the couch by candlelight, minding your own business, when your kidnappers come bursting into the door, throw a blanket on you and duct-tape it around you. For practice. You don't struggle because, honestly, you've been entertaining a little one all day and your pretty exhausted. The kidnappers stay a little while then leave with some hugs...

And then it begins again- the red spots that you hope is just dry skin or a horrible food allergy, the itchiness that gets more intense as time goes on, the spreading dots that appear over the next few days, the welts and blisters... and you realize, you have been foiled. Again. In your own apartment, during a power outage, by your own friends' blanket and goodwill, after 5 years of steering clear of the stuff.

I can't describe how much I HATE poison oak. Hate hate hate hate hate HATE! No joke. Over the years I have become increasingly desperate to get rid of it as soon as possible. So Saturday night I found some bleach, and I put it on. You know, it didn't actually burn that much. I have to say it's drying out pretty well, and I think bleach is now my new best friend. I have a strict regimen of bleach, scalding showers, dermicort, benedryl (the gel, not the ingested stuff since Malcom's still nursing), and pretty soon my personal favorite, rubbing alcohol for the more sensitive skin like my face and ears. Ben has never seen me have it before, and I think he thinks my attitude about it is funny. How did he describe it yesterday? It's either me or the poison oak? Haha.

So yes, that's my story. Let's hope I can deal with this by Christmas! (so far so good I think). Now the little man wants some attention, and he's stuck in a corner. I know I'll regret saying it later, but I can't wait till he can get around on his own! He's going to be such a happy boy.

Love to all! Those of you who have never had to deal with the sheer evil of poison oak/ivy/sumac, I hope you never do (though I am secretly jealous of you- wait, that's an understatement...). Merry Christmas to everybody!