the ivy of poison
Anderson has slash contracted poison ivy. It really was not a surprise. Not really. We have lived in the woods for just over a year and we have thus far (how fancy I must be feeling tonight) avoided the itch and scratch of poison ivy. I remember my dad teaching me a little jingle that went “leaves of three beware of thee” as a way to identify and thus (again with the fancy!) avoid the leafy devil. I guess there was a lot of poison ivy in the suburbs of Tampa and Austin. Anyway. I should have taught Anderson that jingle so he could have avoided the torture of poison ivy. Chalk it up to another mom fail I guess.
Maybe we should have also better taught him not to cross over into the neighbors property without us since that is where the leaves of three were. Maybe he has learned his lesson. The poor little man child is covered in welts and is itching so so much. In the last twenty four hours I have changed his sheets three times, washed everything he could have even possibly touched, and washed my hands one million times. All the while trying not to think about itching, failing, and scratching imaginary itches all over my body. The mister has washed Anderson four times in the same twenty four hours and applied calamine lotion and antihistamines to all affected parts. The mister has also kept Anderson entertained while they waited for the calamine lotion to dry with stories of ninjas and other boy things.
The affected parts are as follows: his face, back of his neck, arms, and bottom. The initial contact was only on his face and arms. The other spots came from scratches that happened while he was sleeping. Boys will be boys I guess.
The zoot suit I recently bought Anderson has served as an effective poison ivy spread blocker. (by which I meant that it keeps him from touching his skin and spreading the rash) (I think I should go back to college) I can safely say that the five dollars I spent was well worth it now.
I can only hope that this post on the perils of life in the woods was more riveting then it seemed to me when I proof read it. Stay tuned next week for a post about ticks and septic tanks. Wait. I might have already written about those. My apologies and thus and such.
