AT 39 YEARS OLD I HAD NEVER CONTRACTED POISON IVY, OAK, OR SUMAC. I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT I KIND OF TEASED MY HUBBY WHEN HE DID ABOUT BEING A BABY. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS EVER BEEN INFLICTED WITH THIS NASTY RASH.
IT ALL STARTED A WEEK AFTER I HAD RESCUED MY DOG FROM THE FENCE LINE AT MY HOUSE. THIS IS A PICTURE OF IT TWO DAYS AFTER THE RASH STARTED. MY HUSBAND TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS POISON IVY AND THAT IF I WENT TO THE DOCTOR THEY WOULD GIVE ME A SHOT OF STEROID AND IT WOULD CLEAR UP IN A DAY OR TWO. I TOOK HIS ADVICE, WENT TO THE LOCAL WALK-IN CLINIC AND INSEAD THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A STAFF INFECTION. THEY THEN SENT ME HOME WITH HIGH-POWERED ANTIBIOTICS, A CREAM TO PUT ON IT AND TOLD ME TO KEEP IT COVERED WHEN I WAS AROUND PEOPLE. I FOLLOWED THEIR ORDERS TO THE T.
AFTER THREE DAYS THE WOUND COULD NO LONGER BE COVERED WITH A 4 X4 PIECE OF GAUZE AND HAD LARGE BLISTERS ON IT. I CALLED MY PERSONAL PHYSICIAN AND SHE STATED THAT I NEEDED TO GIVE THE ANTIBIOTICS TIME TO WORK. BY THE NEXT DAY IT MEASURED EIGHT INCHES LONG AND 6 INCHES WIDE AND PRETTY MUCH CONSUMED MY ENTIRE CALF, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGE BELOW.
I COULDN’T STAND IT ANY LONGER, SINCE IT WAS THE WEEKEND I WENT TO THE LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM. SHE TOOK ONE LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NO WAY THAT WAS STAFF INFECTION. I WOULD BE DEATHLY ILL WITH A HIGH FEVER AND MOST LIKELY VOMITING. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS POISON IVY, TOLD ME TO UNCOVER IT, GAVE ME SOME CREAM TO PUT ON IT, AND GAVE ME A HEALTHY DOSE OF STEROID TO TAKE FOR TWO WEEKS.
BY EVENING I COULDN’T STAND THE ITCHING…I COULD SERIOUSLY FEEL MY SKIN TIGHTENING AS THE RASH BEGAN TO DRY UP. THAT NIGHT WAS A NIGHTMARE TO TRY AND SLEEP. AT THE WEE HOURS IN THE MORNING I BEGAN TO RESEARCH HOME REMEDIES FOR POISON IVY RELIEF AND CAME UP WITH A FEW THINGS TO TRY.
I CHOSE TO TAKE A BATH IN MY OWN SPECIAL FORMULA. I WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE NICE TO THE LADY PARTS SO I MADE SURE THAT IT WOULD BE OK FOR THAT TOO! HERE IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH.
- BOIL A LARGE POT OF WATER.
- PUT ½ CUP OF BAKING SODA INTO THE WATER AND DISSOLVE.
- ADD ¼ CUP OF EPSOM SALT IN WATER AND DISSOLVE.
- LAST ADD ¼ CUP OF PINK HIMALAYAN SALT INTO THE WATER AND DISSOLVE.
- START BATH WATER AND ADD ¼ CUP OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR TO BATH WATER.
- POUR THE WATER WITH SALT MIXTURE INTO BATHTUB.
- ADD DESIRED ESSENTIAL OILS FOR FRAGRANCE(I CHOSE VANILLA).
- SOAK IN THE BATH WATER UNTIL IT COOLS.
- TAKE A SHOWER TO RINSE OFF THE SALTS THAT HAVE BEEN SOAKING ON YOUR SKIN.
WHEN I FIRST GOT IN THE RASH STUNG, NOTHING I COULDN’T HANDLE, BUT IT WAS A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE AT FIRST. AFTER SOAKING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES I GOT OUT AND RINSED OFF BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD DRY MY SKIN OUT TOO BAD IF THE SALT DRIED ON IT. AT FIRST THE RASH LOOKED BAD AND TINGLED, BUT AFTER IT DRIED THE ITCH HAD DISAPPEARED.
LIVING POISON IVY FREE!
JAMEYSUE
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