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Don't read this

David Jayne

David Jayne

Jan 16, 2006
16,337
8,096
Brookfield, CT
#1
Because it's awful. I was pulling old vines from a tree last Sat (12th) in order to hang xmas lights and the vines are still toxic it turns out- poison ivy, oak, who knows what. I assumed no issue because I'd cut them in the spring and thought they were dead so no problem. Tee shirt, no gloves. Shower/shampoo. Sunday night slept with my (new-ish) girlfriend who is extremely sensitive (I didn't know) to these things. I do know she gets eczema fairly easily, stress brings it. So that (Sun) night my rash blew up. She now (Thurs) has it BAD. Everywhere, and I mean everywhere, bad, real bad. In tears. She had to go to ER, on prednesone now. My rash (arms) is now bad enough I went and got some cortisone cream. It sucks. Getting better. I'm away from home. She's a wreck. Really bad. I've said I'm so sorry honey- I love you- feel better- I'm such a jerk/should have known- etc a lot and I mean it but I know it's not enough. She feels terrible and probably can't sleep. I go home tomorrow but she's with kids who I've not met yet- can't see her till Sunday evening. I know there's no magic bullet. I love her and I feel absolutely awful for inflicting this on her. What would you do?
 
#2
Well first of all, how were you to know they were poison ivy (which is most likely what it was)? You'd already encountered them and had no problem. The same thing happened to a guy I knew in college. Turns out they're great vines for swinging on, apart from the bit about being toxic and awful. As for what I would do, as far as the female goes, I suppose this would call for an expensive gesture of some kind. But I'm a bad person to ask about that.
One product I've heard works well is Zanfel, but I've never used it and I don't know how bad you've both got it. Another remedy I use for rashes is to put a baking soda poultice on the area and let it dry out in order to absorb the oils. That's worked for me before.
 
#4
Major league bummer. I've seen some very serious allergic reactions to poison oak among my friends out here, including full blown hospital time, not just an ER visit. Thank your lucky stars you didn't burn it and inhale the smoke, at least.

As a makeup gesture I recommend a trip to Barbados with rum punch therapy for at least 5 days in a row.
 
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#5
Were it me, I'd give fake flowers to err on the side of caution. My fiancée would find it cute, but I don't know your girl's humor.

She knows you wouldn't do this on purpose. Perhaps a small, romantic gesture would do it. Maybe a weekend trip, perhaps a spa visit. Something for her.
 
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#8
You are describing one of my worst nightmares. I have evidently been immune to poison ivy for my entire life. There have been times in the last couple of years where I have spent all day clearing questionable brush with no protection and then had to put my mindfulness to the test by getting myself spotlessly clean without transferring traces of the stuff everywhere, like doorknobs and the steering wheel of my truck, where my wife or children would pick it up. I usually start with a preliminary field scrub, by scouring my hands and wrists with regular old dirt before packing up.

Good luck!
 
#9
Not much you can do at this point except apologize sincerely, which you've already done. Some kind of gift would probably be a nice gesture; maybe books to read or DVDs to watch while she's not feeling well, or maybe a bottle of her favorite wine if she's a wine drinker.

I sympathize with your GF, as I'm very sensitive to poison oak / ivy. The last time I got it I just brushed the back of my leg against a vine while stepping off a hiking trail to pee. First it was an itchy rash, the rash turned into painful blisters, the blisters burst and turned into open oozing sores that would not heal. The sores got infected and my whole leg swelled up. I had to go to the ER and get antibiotics for the infection as well as steroids for the inflammation.

Sorry if I ruined anyone's breakfast :)
 
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#20
After spending most of my childhood playing in the forest, I too assumed that I was immune to the Ivy/Oak/Sumac scourge. This last summer I was clearing some brush on my property and was hit for the first time with one of the three. It really sucks because I still don't know which was the culprit and I had always went about (cautiously) thinking I was immune, immersing myself in the thick. Not the case now!
 

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