Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The Good and the Not so Good

On Canada day last week I decided to tidy my gardens a little. As you can see by this picture I have a huge back yard! Yup! That's it folks! The total depth of my back yard is an air conditioner + small garden. It's easy to mow and although I often get ribbed about 'How do I ever find time to mow my monsterous lawn?', I tell them I take an afternoon off work and see what I can do. It is fun though to be able to mow my lawn + 2 neighbours all in the span of 1 commercial break on TV!

I have to be honest though and say that I have amazing neighbours! The couple that lives next door are a wonderful, retired couple and they love to putter. Due to our small size I'm blessed to have them putter in my garden too! They take great care of my gardens and know that they're free to do whatever they want and pull whatever they want. Works well for both of us.

Anyway, the lilac you can see was getting pretty overgrown so it was time for a trim. Len and I went at it with some big clippers and it looks so much better! We also pulled out a bunch of stuff and trimmed back some of the lower branches on the maple tree in the front yard.

Why am I sharing this? Because I forgot about an age old saying, 'Leaves of 3. Let them be.' I don't remember seeing any 'leaves of 3' but I have a feeling they must have been there. A few years back I transplanted some wild flowers into this little garden above. At the same time, Sharon and Larry transplanted some too. The following year when Sharon was working on her garden she got a nasty case of poison ivy. It didn't happen to me so I thought I was spared. Ummm...nope!

Last Friday morning I noticed a few bumps on my skin but they weren't itchy so I didn't think too much about them. Last evening and then this morning my arms have totally broken out and are red, itchy and swolen up and down all the exposed areas - exactly where I scooped up the clippings to take them to the garbage bin.

In trying to recreate the situation I think I might know what happened. Not knowing about the poison ivy, I had hung my t-shirt back in the closet. I wore that t-shirt again on Sunday for a number of hours and I have a feeling it must have had some of the poison ivy oil on it so that's where the new breakout has come from.

I'm fairly sure that's what it is but I'm going to pop into urgent care just to be on the safe side. Will keep you posted. And until then...off to apply more Aveeno lotion. How you doing Krista? We can be comrads in our bumpy, red, blotchy fashion statement! Others will be sooo jealous!

*Update* Hmmm...still a mystery. Just returned from Urgent Care and the doc says it's not poison ivy, oak or ash. He's not sure what it is nor where I got it although he believes it's some sort of contact that caused it. I'm glad I went though as it's getting itchier as the day progresses and is spreading. He gave me some cream to put on it and feels it will be gone in a few days. Yeah! It's kinda hard to wear long sleeves when it's 105o outside!

22 comments:

  1. Eeekkk....so sorry about the poison ivy. I hope it doesn't itch too bad!!

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  2. ouch, ouch, ouch !!

    Hope you can get that cleared up and soon. PI is absolutely NO FUN!

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  3. Great idea with wildflowers...bummer there was a tag a long!

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  4. Poor you! Get yourself some calamine lotion/cortisone creme and try not to scratch.

    Hugs!

    Keep smilin!

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  5. Yikes!! I'm itchy just reading your post!!

    Hope that cream is MAGIC cream and you feel better soon!!

    Love ya!

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  6. Sorry to hear that you've got the itchys! Sophie was scratching at some dry skin the other day and said "Momma, I'm feeling itchy bit#%y!" Don't know where she picked that one up! Hope you're not too much "itchy bit#%y".

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  7. I had a severe case of poison ivy a couple of years ago...was on steroids for two weeks...I feel for you!
    If it doesn't settle down soon, go back and get some oral steroids...they worked great!

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  8. What fun! Hope you find something that helps...in the meantime, DON'T SCRATCH (as I always tell my daughter when she has a bug bite or rash!)

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  9. I feel your pain sister! Literally.
    I should photo mine but I don't think anyone could stomach it.

    I'm covered... arms, legs, ankles, tops of my feet, in between toes, around my bellybutton, on my neck, a little near my temple and cheek, under my bra line and even a small patch in a place that no one should ever get poison ivy!! And no I didn't roll around naked in it ...although you'd think I had. I'm just terribly allergic and when I stripped down to get in the shower apparently spread it everywhere! It's miserable.

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  10. My cat actually got poison ivy on his ears!

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  11. Ohh dear...hop it clears up soon...being itchy in heat is not good!!

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  12. Yikes! Never any fun but especially not when it is so hot! Hope it goes away soon!!

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  13. Yikes!! I hope whatever you've picked up goes just as fast as it came.

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  14. Ah yes, the mysterious rash. I had one on my knees, elbows and back and the doc said the same thing- contact dermatitis- whatever, I think they say that when they don't really know. Anyway, good luck with it.

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  15. You rashy girls! What am I going to do with you. Wait, be glad it's not 'the girls' that are rashy for that matter ;0)

    Though I love my yard I have not been the biggest fan of the work it creates. I'll be buying some breasticle armor today so I can mow in peace and harmony with nature while on the new machine. I'm a wee jealous of mowing the lawn on a commercial break ;0)

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  16. Gotta love it when the professionals don't even have an answer. Looks very itchy - stop scratching! (ya right!) I hope it clears up really fast. I guess it's a good thing that it's not poison ivy though cause how do you get rid of that?

    k

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  17. ouch!! Hope it gets cleared up soon.

    On another note, i now have that song poison ivy in my head (from batman i think?) heh.sorry had to add a lil humor to it =)

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  18. Crap, Crap and more crap...I hope you are feeling better soon!

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  19. Hey I once sat on poison ivy while peeing in the tress.....not fun!!

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  20. How have I missed so many of your posts????
    So sorry that you have been dealing with this, Catherine! Had I known, I would have popped by with some Calamine lotion! :)

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