I was raised spending time in parks and exploring the woods and I’ve been able to identify poison ivy for years. I will be walking along, see posing ivy, and point it out to everyone in earshot.
Last week, on a mission trip with the Christ Church high school youth, one of the things Crew 9 was assigned to do was pull out weeds from the bedding plants. In a giant bed of Myrtle and ivy I found a tiny patch of poison ivy. I stopped all the kids, made them go inside and wash with soap and water and then we moved in to polishing pews in the Church.
The next day we were at the Quicks mountain house and I took a good, hot shower. Seeing some patches of black splinters I scrubbed extra hard. I thought it might be briars from the rose bushes I was pruning a few days before, but oh was I wrong.
The following day when we got home I did an even more thorough scrubbing in the shower. Soon after, the areas were red and angry, and I realized I had made a terrible mistake. I had 3-4 isolated patches of poison ivy.
Brady, Ryan and I headed up to Virginia on Tuesday and I took care to keep the poison ivy areas bandaged. The rashes seemed to be getting better. Ah, what a false sense of security I had been lured into.
Friday was the biggest mistake. The boys and I went to Water Country in Williamsburg. I had band aids on my rashes and I was careful to apply sunblock around the areas. All was well until I began to bake in the sun, I watched some rash areas appear, blister and burst before my eyes. I went on some water slides, dried off with a towel and reapplied sunblock. Now I know what I didn’t know then-that I was smearing poison ivy all over my body.
On the way home to my parents I stopped to get Caladryl lotion, surely that would take care of it. Nope! That night I was scratching like mad, spreading the devil’s poison all over. I used ice during the night, and in the morning the sheets of the bed where I sleep looked like a pink blooded mass murder had taken place.
On the drive home to My Pleasant I was splashing myself with Caladryl during the entire drive. I was so relieved to get home, but there was no relief from the itching.
On Sunday I was determined to move forward both in healing and itching. 
I gave the Zanfel a shot, scrubbing and he multiple rash sites as directed. I think it helped a little, speeding up the healing process on the rash sites. It is supposed to draw the oil to the surface so that it can be washed away. It gives some relief but not a cure.
2 weeks after exposure to poison ivy and I’m still suffering. Just when I think I’ve got it all managed another batch pops up. I am scrubbing with Zanfel and coating myself with Ivarest. Apparently, the older you get the more you at risk of severe reactions to poison ivy. Yay! Another bonus of getting old!
quicksdontquit 