Home covered in poison ivy! help!

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 6/11/2009 8:17:33 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 6/11/2009 8:12:21 PM

Author: Hudson_Hawk

Whitby-I was super swamped today and didn''t have much time to PS. How''s hubby feeling? Did the visit with the Dr. go well??

Yes, I''ve been wondering too....




And btw, thanks H.

Anytime my dear

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 6/11/2009 9:34:01 PM
Author: whitby_2773
hi HH and Miss E,


he''s a MESS. he went to the dr today and is now on steroids for 4 weeks, which, as you''d know, is a pretty long course. it''s just coming out all over his body - so i''m guessing it''s a systemic reaction. it''s over half his face, and one eyelid in particular, and going into the corner of his eye, which is ugly and worrying too. up over his scalp, down both arms, back of both knees now, and spreading... and he''s MISERABLE.


he''s not on antibiotics yet - but has a follow up appt on monday to check if any of the burst blisters are getting infected. the blisters burst, then refill, then burst, refill again, and so on and so on.


tim normally has the constitution of an ox, but when he goes down, he goes down hard. this is one of those times.


and - of COURSE - we have house guests arriving tomorrow and staying till monday evening, so it''s going to be up to me to entertain them while he''s incapacitated - he''s just so uncomfortable in his skin at the moment.

thanks for asking tho - the advice was invaluable.


and HH - i received a $100 gift voucher from von bargen''s today - just for being a loyal customer. i have to spend $250+ to cash it in, but i collect gold charms from them, and they''re all around $200-400, so i''m sure i''ll be able to find one i want around $250 and get it instead for $150. and it''s my birthday on the 20th, so i''m sure i can justify this. (if i can find one of a cowbell i''ll give it to tim so he can wear it and wander round going ''unclean! unclean!'')

Ugh, poor Tim.

YAY for being a loyal customer! I was in Hanover for my batchelorette party a few weeks ago and walked by there on my way to Molly''s. The other girls had to hold me back, I really wanted to go browse.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/12/2009 1:10:23 AM
Author: whitby_2773
Thanks justjulia, Beacon, diamondseeker, swimmer, Skippy and LtlFirecracker

I’ve never seen anyone have allergic reactions like tim. M sister used to get bad food allergies when she was a little girl, and get hives all over her body, but even they weren’t as bad as this. This is horrible. Some of the blisters have burst permanently now (I think) and are starting to scab over and sometimes they dry stuck to his clothes. It’s disgusting and painful looking. I’m really hoping he looks better on Tuesday when he has to go back to work – he’d scare small children at the moment!

Aw, poor guy, I really do feel for him. Especially about looking like something from a leper colony. I got chicken pox from my youngest when I was 31 (had never had them), and it was BAD. Same thing, covered from head to toe. I wouldn''t leave the house, for fear I''d scare someone to death.

However, what I did, that he should do too, is either be dabbing an OTC antibiotic cream (petroleum based), or just Vaseline (very healing also), on the worst, oozy places. It will not only help heal them and prevent scars, it will keep them from getting stuck to his clothes.

The steroides really should start kicking its butt quickly. Tell him to hang in there! And if he wants to trade pics, I''ve got one hubby just couldn''t resist taking of my back.

 

[whitby_2773]

Date: 6/12/2009 9:03:36 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 6/12/2009 1:10:23 AM

Aw, poor guy, I really do feel for him. Especially about looking like something from a leper colony. I got chicken pox from my youngest when I was 31 (had never had them), and it was BAD. Same thing, covered from head to toe. I wouldn''t leave the house, for fear I''d scare someone to death.


However, what I did, that he should do too, is either be dabbing an OTC antibiotic cream (petroleum based), or just Vaseline (very healing also), on the worst, oozy places. It will not only help heal them and prevent scars, it will keep them from getting stuck to his clothes.


The steroides really should start kicking its butt quickly. Tell him to hang in there! And if he wants to trade pics, I''ve got one hubby just couldn''t resist taking of my back.

LOL! i''ve been DYING to post pictures, but have been afraid it would just be revolting! and i''m not sure he''ll let me take any anyway, cause he''d know in a heartbeat what they were for. but i''m absolutely busting to whip out the ol'' canon!! *laughinggggg* ellen, when i read your post it was like you were reading inside my head!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/12/2009 9:07:38 AM
Author: whitby_2773

Date: 6/12/2009 9:03:36 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 6/12/2009 1:10:23 AM

Aw, poor guy, I really do feel for him. Especially about looking like something from a leper colony. I got chicken pox from my youngest when I was 31 (had never had them), and it was BAD. Same thing, covered from head to toe. I wouldn''t leave the house, for fear I''d scare someone to death.


However, what I did, that he should do too, is either be dabbing an OTC antibiotic cream (petroleum based), or just Vaseline (very healing also), on the worst, oozy places. It will not only help heal them and prevent scars, it will keep them from getting stuck to his clothes.


The steroides really should start kicking its butt quickly. Tell him to hang in there! And if he wants to trade pics, I''ve got one hubby just couldn''t resist taking of my back.

LOL! i''ve been DYING to post pictures, but have been afraid it would just be revolting! and i''m not sure he''ll let me take any anyway, cause he''d know in a heartbeat what they were for. but i''m absolutely busting to whip out the ol'' canon!! *laughinggggg* ellen, when i read your post it was like you were reading inside my head!

 

[SparklyLibra]

OH Whitby, I''m so sorry your DH is going thru this. I don''t have any tips to offer, but I just wanted to say that I do hope your DH recovers quickly. I''m sending all the comfort vibrations his way that I possibly can

In the mean time, Neosporin may help with the leaky blisters.

******TONS-OF-HEALING-DUST******

 

[whitby_2773]

awww - thanks sparklinglibra!

i''ve umm''d and ahh''d, but have decided i''m going to post a photo of how he looks. part of the reason is because i want to know if this is normal for other people who have had PI. it just looks so horrible tp me! he''s at the shops with our guests at the moment, giving me a break, but as soon as he gets back, i''m going ot ask him to roll up a sleeve, or a trouser leg or something, and i''ll take a photo. it just looks so worrying to me, but i''m probably just over-reacting....

i do hope people will look and give me their opinions; we just dont know what''s ''normal'' on this.

 

[Ellen]

Do things seem to be getting better? even though he may still look bad?

 

[cnspotts]

I had to stop in say how sorry I am to hear that your hubby is going through this awful miserable PI encounter. Honestly I know how badly it feels. I never had PI after years of camping, falling off horses into bushes, spending summers on our farm, etc. Then we bought our house and it needed some work around the yard. Yep, apparently I got into the stuff for the first time after all those years of thinking I was not allergic. Let me tell you I AM. It was the most awful, miserable, painful thing I have been through. It took 6-8 weeks to clear up and I thought I''d have some serious scars in a few places but they''ve all gone now.

This is kind of gross but my dog (he loves me) would lay next to me at night and lick the boo-boos on my ankles. After so much time I just gave up and let him have at it. Later someone told me that there is an enzyme in dog saliva that helps wounds to heal. Like I said...Gross, but that dog actually helped on the worst spots more than the meds I think. I''m not advocating it, I was just worn out from it all.

I now KNOW exactly what PI and it''s evil cousins look like....NO more for me.

I hope he gets to feeling better soon.

 

[whitby_2773]

ok - this is disgusting, i realize, but here''s a small shot of how he looks today. now extrapolate this to all over his body, and you''ve got a fair picture. these are all still weeping and his clothes are still getting soaked through and sticking to his skin. and can i just say - what is it about photos that makes things look so much better than they do IRL?? it does NOT look this mild IRL - the photo seems to suck the color out of it... anyway, here goes....

 

[whitby_2773]

and here''s the back of one knee. it''s like this all over his body.

is this normal? this may be mild for all we know - or terrible. i''m just concerned that it looks like it could get infected - it''s so inflamed.

sorry bout the photos, but some opinions would be appreciated.

thanks.

 

[Ellen]

It looks pretty normal to me, he's just got it bad.

Do the steroids seem to be helping though? And tell him to put Neosporin or Vaseline on the ones that are sticking to his clothes.



And if you think this looks bad, you would die if you saw that pic of my back....

 

[whitby_2773]

Date: 6/14/2009 9:03:53 AM
Author: Ellen
It looks pretty normal to me, he''s just got it bad.


Do the steroids seem to be helping though? And tell him to put Neosporin or Vaseline on the ones that are sticking to his clothes.




And if you think this looks bad, you would die if you saw that pic of my back....

*Chokes and spits coffee*

that emotie is a crack up!

i''m glad he''s looking normal; we''re just really not familiar with it and it looks appalling to us. this is his 4th day on steroids, and this morning it''s just started to look better - in fact there''s probably a tiiiiny difference between those photos and how he looks today. i can''t even imagine, tho, being that covered with ''itch''!

and you MUST know what i''m gonna say now.....

where''s that photo?? come on missy - big talk - now let''s see it!

(serously - can i see it? this stuff is fascinating!)

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/14/2009 9:16:31 AM
Author: whitby_2773

Date: 6/14/2009 9:03:53 AM
Author: Ellen
It looks pretty normal to me, he''s just got it bad.


Do the steroids seem to be helping though? And tell him to put Neosporin or Vaseline on the ones that are sticking to his clothes.




And if you think this looks bad, you would die if you saw that pic of my back....

*Chokes and spits coffee*

that emotie is a crack up!

i''m glad he''s looking normal; we''re just really not familiar with it and it looks appalling to us. this is his 4th day on steroids, and this morning it''s just started to look better - in fact there''s probably a tiiiiny difference between those photos and how he looks today. i can''t even imagine, tho, being that covered with ''itch''!

and you MUST know what i''m gonna say now.....

where''s that photo?? come on missy - big talk - now let''s see it!

(serously - can i see it? this stuff is fascinating!)

I actually would post it Whit, but we upgraded our computer a few months ago, and while the printer/copier still work, it tells me the scanner isn''t compatible, even though they''re all in the same unit.

I have been meaning to delve into the problem, so if I can get it fixed, I''ll definitely post it for you. You honestly won''t believe how bad it was. I seriously thought I would be one BIG scar, but I really didn''t have much, and only on my face of course.

Tell Tim to hang in there, it should really start turning around. It may just be taking a bit longer since he had it so bad. Some Aveeno baths might help with the itching too!

 

[whitby_2773]

thanks ellen i''ll pass your ''hang in there'' message on to tim. he''s particularly miserable because he''d taken a few days annual leave to be with our guests...and now of course he''s not leaving the house. he''s passing his time today, tho, by making me do a jigsaw puzzle with him. 1000 pieces. of multiple balls of wool. (can you hear me screaming??)

and if you get your computer glitch pixed, do share that photo! i was all ready for an ''eeeeewwww!'' moment! seriously tho, the issue of scarring does worry me, so i''m glad you came through it basically unscathed; i am going to get some neosporin today tho.

and i''m stealin'' that emotie!!