Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
My DH had it pretty bad because I told him the "stuff" was Virginia Creeper so he started yanking and yanking with bare hands - not a care in the world. He did ask "are you sure - looks like PI) and I assured him I've never had a problem with it so it *must* be Creeper. I honestly did think it was creeper because I had been pulling by hand without problem for years. NOW I know that it's possible for people (apparently ME) to be immune to Poison Ivy! Whodathunk? And I've never had a prior exposure to it ... just immune. Stinging Nettles however affect me far worse than they do Hubby.
Anyway ... one of the important things to remember is that the rash from PI "oozes" (even if only slightly) and everywhere it oozes it re-infects. So it's important to "blot" it not wipe it. And whatever you use to blot the rash area, don't use on a uninfected area. Paper towels are best as they can be tossed after each use.
Also, please remember that Poison Ivy should NOT be burned to dispose! The poison will go up in the smoke, people will breath the smoke and infect their throat, nose, lungs. VERY VERY BAD.
Good luck I hope your feeling better real soon! I feel for you.
I too must be ammune to poison ivy because I have never had it even when I pulled it off trees in our yard. My DH and oldest DS have a terrible time with it. DH was hospitalized with it when he was younger. My DS had to have two rounds of the 10 day cortisone treatments to get over it when he was 16. They also have a bad time with insect bites.
You are so right about not burning it. One of my neices was taken to the hospital because of breathing in the smoke. She also broke out with it all over the front of her body. She had been facing the fire in which it was burned. For some people poison ivy really is very poisonous.