Poison Ivy, Allergic Reactions and Eczema

We have got it all in this household! Yikes!

The kids and I have all suffered from various degrees of eczema at different times. Both of the kiddies had it as infants....for Bekah it has cleared up, for Noah it resurfaces periodically...mainly on his hands in the winter. I also suffered from eczema as an infant...with it returning in my young adulthood and it has been with me ever since.

Having said that....we all (minus Kevin) have sensitive and fair skin.

Well, Noah and I both managed to confirm that we are also allergic to poison ivy recently. It started a couple of weeks ago when we were finishing the mulching. Shortly afterwards, we both broke out in a rash. My rash was red, raised and itchy, while poor Noah had big blisters the size of dimes. I had no idea what it was. A dinner out with two of my girlfriends was all it took to get a diagnosis. They were the ones who told me we had poison ivy. After doing some research online, I confirmed what they had told me.

The worst part of it all is how long the darn rash can last...and how long it can take to surface! Noah was still getting new blisters ten days later! They still haven't fully healed. I was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel when the allergic reaction surfaced.

Yup....another rash.

I had been out in the garden weeding (despite the mulch job!) and I came back into the house itching up and down my arms. I quickly scrubbed my hands and arms all the way up to my elbows. Just about 48 hours later I developed a rash on my face, neck and behind my ear (right where I tuck my hair). Still a bit later, the rash started behind my knees and on my one wrist. At first I thought it was my eczema returning...but this was in places I had never had eczema before. After a consult with my pharmacist/neighbour....we decided it was most likely an allergic reaction.

So, here I am....applying cortisone ointment four times daily, and taking Benadryl around the clock to keep from scratching myself raw.

I have always claimed to enjoy the outdoors....until the last couple of years. Now I realize that it is more the idea of the outdoors than the actual outdoors themselves that I enjoy. I am not cut out for the outdoors. I don't like bugs, extreme heat, or the sun.

Top all of that off with poison ivy and allergies, and you can pretty much guarantee that you will find me indoors for the rest of the summer! I think I will enjoy the outdoors from my window! :)