This game is impossible to enjoy

[Luminara]

36 minutes ago, EmmySky said:

I hope you are feeling better now

Not much, though cutting and splitting wood seems to alleviate the symptoms... not malicious activity, I actually need firewood.

 

39 minutes ago, EmmySky said:

and ready to beat up some baddies!

 

I haven't stopped!  I was kicking Rikti butt at 5 a.m. this morning.  Itchily kicking, and actually using Kick occasionally (that pause at the end is obnoxious) for kicks, but still kicking.

[Oubliette_Red]

I've heard that these work reasonably well against poison ivy/oak/sumac...

 

 

 

[Techwright]

I used to be a Scout, and was often in woods or farm fields, and have never had a poison ivy problem.  That said, my very good friend, an Eagle Scout, merely looks at poison ivy and breaks out.  In his terms he has to "dry out" the rash, so he was always using something that dried it out, like witch hazel or alcohol or vinegar (cider, I think).    There used to be a specific soap Scout shops sold for dealing with poison ivy, oak, and sumac, but I've forgotten the name.  

 

Lest you're jealous of my seeming immunity, I got a taste of what it's like the day I moved railroad ties in the hot sun, and had no idea about creosote.  Wipe the sweat from my brow often, just to make the experience truly miserable.

Edited November 14, 2020 by Techwright

[Hyperstrike]

On 11/13/2020 at 9:37 PM, Techwright said:

I used to be a Scout, and was often in woods or farm fields, and have never had a poison ivy problem.  That said, my very good friend, an Eagle Scout, merely looks at poison ivy and breaks out.  In his terms he has to "dry out" the rash, so he was always using something that dried it out, like witch hazel or alcohol or vinegar (cider, I think).    There used to be a specific soap Scout shops sold for dealing with poison ivy, oak, and sumac, but I've forgotten the name.  

 

Lest you're jealous of my seeming immunity, I got a taste of what it's like the day I moved railroad ties in the hot sun, and had no idea about creosote.  Wipe the sweat from my brow often, just to make the experience truly miserable.

Never had a PI problem while I was in Scouting either.
Assorted nasty cuts, bugspray in the eyes, and being molested by infinite mosquitoes in upstate Wisconin (where they're the State Bird).  Ever see a single mosquito bite welt larger than a Kennedy Half-Dollar?

Well, some of that might be because, with my troop, they used to say "Where 63 goes, nothing grows..."
And they even made me an Eagle Scout!  Those FOOLS!
HMBOOWAHAHAHA!

Think Evil Batman.
BE PREPARED!

[Techwright]

8 hours ago, Hyperstrike said:

Never had a PI problem while I was in Scouting either.
Assorted nasty cuts, bugspray in the eyes, and being molested by infinite mosquitoes in upstate Wisconin (where they're the State Bird).  Ever see a single mosquito bite welt larger than a Kennedy Half-Dollar?

Well, some of that might be because, with my troop, they used to say "Where 63 goes, nothing grows..."
And they even made me an Eagle Scout!  Those FOOLS!
HMBOOWAHAHAHA!

Think Evil Batman.
BE PREPARED!

I believe it regarding the mosquitoes.  My father comes from neighboring Minnesota, and the skeeters there are monstrous.  

 

 

[FundamentalyConfused]

When I was 8 or 10 I managed to get a case of poison ivy so bad the doc said if it had gotten worse I’d have gone blind in my right eye! 

I’m currently dealing with over a week long battle with the dreaded poison oak. Didn’t realize that fat fuzzy vine on the tree I was cutting down was PO, I know what the leaves look like and now know about the fuzzy vines.

 

I got it all over both of my arms and didn’t realize that’s what it was for a day and managed to wash my contaminated clothes with the rest of my wash! 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️
 

It’s creeped down to my left knee, tops of both feet, spreading across my belly, in my belly button and tried going up my neck. 
 

Last Friday I went to the ER to get some help and got some oral steroids, topical steroids and some antihistamines. 4 days later I pick up the technu stuff referenced farther up the post and it’s gotten better but I don’t think I have all my clothing cleaned out yet. 😖😖

 

God help me I wanna rip my skin off!!

Edited November 22, 2020 by FundamentalyConfused
Added details

[Techwright]

17 hours ago, FundamentalyConfused said:

Last Friday I went to the ER to get some help and got some oral steroids, topical steroids and some antihistamines. 4 days later I pick up the technu stuff referenced farther up the post and it’s gotten better but I don’t think I have all my clothing cleaned out yet. 😖😖

 

Did they happen to mention a wash treatment for destroying the poison oak oils in clothing?

 

The potentials for hurting oneself on poison ivy, oak, sumac, or giant hogweed are great enough that I'm surprised it isn't standard training in elementary school to identify for avoidance.

 

[FundamentalyConfused]

If it wasn’t snowing today I’d probably be burning my clothes!! 
 

When the allergy med wears off I want to turn my arms into bloody stumps!! 🤬🤬

[FundamentalyConfused]

5 hours ago, Techwright said:

Did they happen to mention a wash treatment for destroying the poison oak oils in clothing?

 

The potentials for hurting oneself on poison ivy, oak, sumac, or giant hogweed are great enough that I'm surprised it isn't standard training in elementary school to identify for avoidance.

 

I have VA insurance and it’s ok for what I have to pay but nothing like a fully paid insurance policy useable at the local doctor.  They prolly haven’t dealt with this issue much with the VA hosp being just down the street from the big U of M hosp getting all the traffic that isn’t vet related. 

[FundamentalyConfused]

I’m on a rampage washing and rewashing all my clothing, bedding and coats! Bought 2 big jugs of white vinegar and have used up half of one in the washes so far. Still a large mountain of clothing to work through. 😕

 

I almost bought the $35 1oz cream at Walmart that supposedly works in 30 mins but I have one more day of the oral steroid to finish out before I go back to the ER for something else. This has been the most stubborn case I’ve had yet! 

[Luminara]

9 hours ago, FundamentalyConfused said:

I’m on a rampage washing and rewashing all my clothing, bedding and coats! Bought 2 big jugs of white vinegar and have used up half of one in the washes so far. Still a large mountain of clothing to work through. 😕

 

I'll send you my laundry Wednesday afternoon.  I have to rip out a couple of decades of poison ivy growth on an old well.  I'm prepared this time, though.  It should be cool enough to be comfortable wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and I bought some gloves.  I might wear my Cold War gas mask, too, just because.

[FundamentalyConfused]

45 minutes ago, Luminara said:

 

I'll send you my laundry Wednesday afternoon.  I have to rip out a couple of decades of poison ivy growth on an old well.  I'm prepared this time, though.  It should be cool enough to be comfortable wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and I bought some gloves.  I might wear my Cold War gas mask, too, just because.

One of those throw away plastic suits they wear in the Covid screening lines would be perfect! 

[FundamentalyConfused]

Well....... I’m all out of roids and the rash that’s left is starting to get angry. 🤬 Looks like I’ll be going back to the ER tomorrow when I’d rather be playing with the new shiny! 🤬🤬

*mutters* Shoulda burned my clothes and just started over 😤😤

 

[FundamentalyConfused]

Got some more prednisone and roid cream. Doc says this stuff can take up to 21 days to be rid of. It takes that long for your skin to grow out. 😕

[Luminara]

13 minutes ago, FundamentalyConfused said:

Got some more prednisone and roid cream. Doc says this stuff can take up to 21 days to be rid of. It takes that long for your skin to grow out. 😕

 

Urushiol, the compound in poison * plants, bonds with the skin.  That's what makes it so frustrating.  Once it's in, it's essentially part of your body until the skin peels or flakes off.

 

Note that the compound itself becomes inactive eventually, some hours later, so it doesn't continue sinking in until it reaches your vital organs or anything, and it's not the compound itself causing the reaction, it's just an evolutionary quirk that we're so drastically affected by it.  Humans specifically adapted this reaction to it.  It's one of those natural world anomalies, like humans being particularly susceptible to funnel web spider venom despite not being a species preyed upon by that spider.  Other mammals don't have the same reactions to poison * or funnel web venom.

 

I wish I had access to scientific study tools, equipment and data.  I'd love to trace the DNA sequence which causes this and find out where it came from.  Neandertals?  Homo Habilis?  Homo Heidelbergensis?  An older branch of our tree?  Or is it native to Homo Sapiens?  Did it come from a specific genotype, or was it common throughout the species in which it originated?  Was it a response to the last ice age ending?  SO MUCH TO KNOW, AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO LEARN ABOUT IT!  😞

[FundamentalyConfused]

4 hours ago, Luminara said:

 

Urushiol, the compound in poison * plants, bonds with the skin.  That's what makes it so frustrating.  Once it's in, it's essentially part of your body until the skin peels or flakes off.

 

Note that the compound itself becomes inactive eventually, some hours later, so it doesn't continue sinking in until it reaches your vital organs or anything, and it's not the compound itself causing the reaction, it's just an evolutionary quirk that we're so drastically affected by it.  Humans specifically adapted this reaction to it.

Ok that kinda makes sense then. The intense itchiness is a result of our bodies wanting to be rid of it so we scratch till we’re bloody and it’s then removed.  
 

Such a messy divorce when you get married to the ivy. 😢