Poison Oak

If you have wondered how bad Poison Oak really is, I can assure you that it is extremely bad! It is the most miserable thing ever! It didn't take me long to figure out that I would rather give birth naturally 10 more times then have poison oak once more.

Remember that wonderful hike in Black Star Canyon? Well, it is a wonderful hike, but I have a nice warning posted across the top of that post about poison oak because there really is a ton of it. Even if you know what it looks like very well, like I do and even if you are pointing it out to everyone in your group, like I did, you still might not be able to avoid it, like I didn't. I ended up with poison oak all over my body except where by underwear covers and the back of my shirt. You can see on my legs where the oil transferred from one to the other that night at dinner when I crossed my legs before I went home and showered. 

Here is something funny... I thought I was immune because I had never gotten it before. Here is something else funny, the first time we went on the hike, I was wearing pants and I had this terrible rash all over my arms that appeared about a day and a half after the hike. I never connected it that it was poison oak. Didn't know that much about it. Well, when I got the exact same rash about 12 hours after the second time we went on the hike it took me 4 days into it to say, hum... I think this might be poison oak. Then I learned everything there is to learn about it, including don't take a hot shower after you touch it because that opens up your pours and helps the oil seep more into your skin. The first shower should be cold. Too bad I took a HOT shower that night.

Yes, I had poison oak. It's basically and incredibly itchy, can be painful, irritating bubbly, oozy rash. This rash usually last 1-3 weeks and in some extreme cases up to 6 weeks. On day 15 I felt noticeably better. I could finally wear clothes and I was able to go about 5 hours without a burning hot shower to ease the itch. The first week I stayed home in my underwear because if even the softest clothing item touched one of my spots it felt like sand paper rubbing my body. By week yesterday was the first day I finally put on jeans. I think that was week 4. I am still itching and you can still see red in my skin, but I am no longer swollen, bubbly and oozy. I was so swollen on one leg that it was a whole pant size bigger then the other. I looked so terrible my husband couldn't even believe it. Here is a picture that is when the rash isn't so bad.

The line above got bigger and below, the entire leg got red and swollen.

Here are some tips for poison oak:
1. Wash immediately with cold water. - 1st shower!
2. Extremely HOT showers or microwaved wet wash cloths give relief for an hour or two.
3. When hiking where poison oak is unavoidable, wear long sleeves and pants. Wash your clothes 2 times immediately after you arrive home.
4. Nothing else really helps.

But don't let a little poison oak stop you from enjoying those beautiful hikes.