[pct-l] poison oak in hiding/immunity

[tarbubble at yahoo.com (emma eyeball)]

alas, i believe i was once immune.  in all my lifetime
growing up & hiking in CA i never once had a reaction
from it (not that i sought it out, mind you).  then
last Thanksgiving i did a scramble up a narrow creek
channel - lots of climbing and shimmying over and
under and through trees, vines and brush.  never once
saw poison oak, but i guess it could have been sumac
that got me - i wouldn't recognize it.  

within days i had a nasty rash on both forearms and on
my shins & calves.  good gosh, the most torturous,
oozing, undying agony of itch i have ever experienced.
 the only thing that helped was the clear
antihistamine ointment from Benadryl (i now carry a
small tube of it in my 1st aid kit).  i actually now
have very pale scars on my arms & shins (i tried, i
really tried not to scratch).  

i have since bought a poison ivy/oak/sumac treatment
kit.  don't want to ever go through that again and
wouldn't wish it on any but my worst enemies.

-c.


	
		
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