[pct-l] P.O.

[Georgi Heitman]

I agree with Big Hummel completely, plus after walking thru it, handling
your clothing and shoes becomes problematical, surgical gloves that you can
use some sanitizing soap to wash with before taking the gloves off?  And
then what do you do?  Roll them up around your shoes and use them as a
pillow?  I get/used to get this stuff really bad and if hiking thru it meant
the difference between walking the Trail and not, I think I'd maybe opt
out.  In my estimation, avoidance is the answer...hard when you have pets,
my cats would bring it in to me regularly when we lived in the Bay
Area...that's why The Hideaway is located at 4500+ feet in elevation, well
above the 4000' level where the d*#% stuff stops growing.
 ....and the drops in water?  Directions said to start out with three drops
in a full glass of water for three days, then drop to three drops in a half
a glass, day five do four drops in a half a glass, continue increasing one
drop in a half a glass til you get to ten drops.  Stay at ten drops till the
bottle is empty...repeat one time if necessary?  Three drops in a full glass
(one dose) broke the inside of my mouth out.  Bye bye bottle!
My doctor (years ago) suggested shots (expensive, then they were anyway)
during 'the season'.  I asked for a definition of 'season'.  he said, 'well,
summer and spring, of course.'  I told him the worst case I ever had was in
the winter with a half a foot of snow on the ground.  That's when he
suggested the drops...they were manufactured by Cutter Labs. in Berkeley, or
maybe Emeryville.
I finally found a way to get past the itch and begin healing that worked for
me, but when I share my 'cure' most people turn a strange shade of gray, say
'uh huh, o.k.' and change the subject.
Not trying to scare anyone off, but I've seen some horrific cases come into
The Hideaway...both NOBO's and SOBO's......and feeling just miserable!  Most
couldn't stop scratching, so I'd maybe share my 'cure' with them, maybe not,
depended on the hiker.  Usually the best I could do was give them whatever I
had on hand to help with the itching, and some stuff to use to wash the oil
off with or to put on before exposure if they really knew how to recognize
it.  Fels Naptha soap's still around, check the laundry section.  Lava
soap's probably in the same area of a store...Fels Naptha is less likely to
take your skin off tho.....
Good Luck
FireFly