leaves of three, leave it be
In 2005 I embarked on an adventure with several other brave souls to study the historic oak savanna of the Willamette Valley. Although we were there to study the age of the trees and their distribution, I am sure I learned more about another species, one that just so happens to thrive in oak savanna: Toxicodendron diversilobum.
Toxicodendron, more commonly known as Poison-oak, can climb trees or hug the ground, it can don green or red or orange leaves of varying shapes and sizes. The branches glow orange in the spring, giving the earth a warm halo. Its summer berry yields are plentiful, providing a good source of food for local birds. And its toxic oil, Urushiol, has convinced most humans to leave it alone. The oil can remain active and toxic for 1-5 years, even with exposure to UV. The toxin is potent enough for 1 nanogram to cause a rash.
I grew up on the east side of the cascades, a location my parents had chosen, at least in part, because Toxicodendron doesn't grow there. My exposure was minimal if not altogether lacking during my early rolling-in-the-forest days.
I had been warned about poison-oak. My parents dutifully pointed it out as they walked out of their way to put a 10' space between them and the plants at rest areas on the way to my grandparent's house, as if the plant would suddenly leap towards them and rub itself all over their bare skin.
Just looking at it makes me itch, my mom would say. My dad would nod in agreement. I ignored both the plant and my parents.
See that? Don't touch it. You'll be sorry. Then my mom would break into song:
Gonna need an ocean duh dah-duh dah-duh of calamine-a-lotion duh dah-duh dah-duh and laugh a slightly hysterical laugh you could tell was inspired by her experience with Calamine lotion.
She would then ask:
have I ever told you about my 7th grade graduation? Panty-hose were brand new back then, and grandma bought me my first pair. I wore them to graduation. My oozy poison-oak blisters glued the nylons to my legs and I spent the night in the bath tub soaking them off.
I suppose if you've ever had poison oak, you have your own horror story to tell. And if you haven't, you think we're all crazy. Well, believe me when I tell you, the oak CAN make you crazy. I suppose that is why I'm writing this now. My current oak situation has me thinking about my first oak adventure.
During the height of my poison oak-induced mania (caused primarily by wading through groves of poison-oak vines), I would drive to the store, and grind my teeth (so as not to tear my skin off). I waited in line, ready to push anyone out of the way that threatened to take too long. I bought rubbing alcohol and Mary's poison Oak Soap, I bought Technu and Citrus degreaser. I bought Aveeno oatmeal baths and Fels Naptha (laundry soap in bar form), bleach and naturpathic anti-oak-itch spray, I looked through the isles searching for anything that would remove layers of my skin, or dry the oils poisoning it, anything that would make me stop itching. Then I would race home and take an icy cold shower, then a super hot shower: itch relief in two forms. Relief and pain and madness all in rolled into some hot water running over my bubbly, deformed skin.
In all about 60% of my body was covered with oozy red blisters. I was blistered from ankle to ass. I had rashes on my belly, arms, back and neck. I was miserable. Because we figured that much of our back-end exposure was due to pulling our pants down in the woods, we convinced our boss to buy us contraptions, so we could pee like guys. Although awkward, it prevented quite a bit of butt rash, but posed another more frightening possibility. I invested in rubber gloves.
After a day of work we would carefully and systematically drop off our toxic gear and head home in haste. At home, I would remove my toxic clothing (complete with gloves, duct taped at the wrists to my long-sleeved shirt), as if I was a doctor removing a rubber glove, rolling the toxic sides into themselves, and dumping it straight into the washer, careful not to let the clothes touch the floor or my body. Hot wash with lots of soap.
The shower was comprised of a strict protocol: very cold water and Fels Naptha, followed by approximately 15 gallons of cold rinse water. Another soap and rinse cycle, then the excruciatingly hot water to scratch the itch I couldn't touch, followed by icy cold water to reduce swelling and keep me sane for at least 20 minutes. Repeat as needed.
During our van rides to the field sites we would exchange pre- and post exposure protocol and treatment of blisters, anything we could find online and things that were or were not working for us. We spent hours online searching for something that could fix us, but to little avail.
I fell into an insane paranoia of poison-oak the plant, and the invisible oil that could be anywhere. My work boots lived in a plastic bag on the porch, only to be touched with gloved hands. My truck, I considered toxic, though I still placed a towel on the seat before I would sit down. The van that transported our team and our toxic equipment, we treated like hot lava.
I did eventually recover from my oak field season, with only a few physical scars and an amazing skill for recognizing Toxicodendron in all its seasonal glory. After a bucket (almost literally) of steroid cream and two rounds of oral steroids, my body recovered and sanity replaced the itchy madness of the summer. Perhaps it was because of this experience, that I decided to study something else for my thesis. No more oak for me.
So, here I am again, searching for information about poison oak. It seems to be the same old story, no one really has a good, safe remedy or prevention technique. But I did find these advertisements that may be helpful:
Sponsored Links
Toxicodendron
Feel Strong. Be Healthy.
Save on Toxicodendron!
Shopzilla.com/Vitamins&Nutrition
Toxicodendron Cheap
Best Value on Toxicodendron.
Find NexTag Sellers' Lowest Price!
www.NexTag.com
Toxicodendron
Buy Toxicodendron
from Top Stores & Brands
www.smarter.com
Just in case you wanted to buy some after reading this.
As for my current oak situation: I didn't even get it from romping in the woods. Nope, Andrew brought it home on his clothes, he smeared it in my car, on the floor of our room and who knows where else. As for my body? I have blisters on my legs and arms, on my face and lips, on my breast and nipple. Another round of steroids to stay sane. I should join the Olympics.
Toxicodendron, more commonly known as Poison-oak, can climb trees or hug the ground, it can don green or red or orange leaves of varying shapes and sizes. The branches glow orange in the spring, giving the earth a warm halo. Its summer berry yields are plentiful, providing a good source of food for local birds. And its toxic oil, Urushiol, has convinced most humans to leave it alone. The oil can remain active and toxic for 1-5 years, even with exposure to UV. The toxin is potent enough for 1 nanogram to cause a rash.
I grew up on the east side of the cascades, a location my parents had chosen, at least in part, because Toxicodendron doesn't grow there. My exposure was minimal if not altogether lacking during my early rolling-in-the-forest days.
I had been warned about poison-oak. My parents dutifully pointed it out as they walked out of their way to put a 10' space between them and the plants at rest areas on the way to my grandparent's house, as if the plant would suddenly leap towards them and rub itself all over their bare skin.
Just looking at it makes me itch, my mom would say. My dad would nod in agreement. I ignored both the plant and my parents.
See that? Don't touch it. You'll be sorry. Then my mom would break into song:
Gonna need an ocean duh dah-duh dah-duh of calamine-a-lotion duh dah-duh dah-duh and laugh a slightly hysterical laugh you could tell was inspired by her experience with Calamine lotion.
She would then ask:
have I ever told you about my 7th grade graduation? Panty-hose were brand new back then, and grandma bought me my first pair. I wore them to graduation. My oozy poison-oak blisters glued the nylons to my legs and I spent the night in the bath tub soaking them off.
I suppose if you've ever had poison oak, you have your own horror story to tell. And if you haven't, you think we're all crazy. Well, believe me when I tell you, the oak CAN make you crazy. I suppose that is why I'm writing this now. My current oak situation has me thinking about my first oak adventure.
During the height of my poison oak-induced mania (caused primarily by wading through groves of poison-oak vines), I would drive to the store, and grind my teeth (so as not to tear my skin off). I waited in line, ready to push anyone out of the way that threatened to take too long. I bought rubbing alcohol and Mary's poison Oak Soap, I bought Technu and Citrus degreaser. I bought Aveeno oatmeal baths and Fels Naptha (laundry soap in bar form), bleach and naturpathic anti-oak-itch spray, I looked through the isles searching for anything that would remove layers of my skin, or dry the oils poisoning it, anything that would make me stop itching. Then I would race home and take an icy cold shower, then a super hot shower: itch relief in two forms. Relief and pain and madness all in rolled into some hot water running over my bubbly, deformed skin.
In all about 60% of my body was covered with oozy red blisters. I was blistered from ankle to ass. I had rashes on my belly, arms, back and neck. I was miserable. Because we figured that much of our back-end exposure was due to pulling our pants down in the woods, we convinced our boss to buy us contraptions, so we could pee like guys. Although awkward, it prevented quite a bit of butt rash, but posed another more frightening possibility. I invested in rubber gloves.
After a day of work we would carefully and systematically drop off our toxic gear and head home in haste. At home, I would remove my toxic clothing (complete with gloves, duct taped at the wrists to my long-sleeved shirt), as if I was a doctor removing a rubber glove, rolling the toxic sides into themselves, and dumping it straight into the washer, careful not to let the clothes touch the floor or my body. Hot wash with lots of soap.
The shower was comprised of a strict protocol: very cold water and Fels Naptha, followed by approximately 15 gallons of cold rinse water. Another soap and rinse cycle, then the excruciatingly hot water to scratch the itch I couldn't touch, followed by icy cold water to reduce swelling and keep me sane for at least 20 minutes. Repeat as needed.
During our van rides to the field sites we would exchange pre- and post exposure protocol and treatment of blisters, anything we could find online and things that were or were not working for us. We spent hours online searching for something that could fix us, but to little avail.
I fell into an insane paranoia of poison-oak the plant, and the invisible oil that could be anywhere. My work boots lived in a plastic bag on the porch, only to be touched with gloved hands. My truck, I considered toxic, though I still placed a towel on the seat before I would sit down. The van that transported our team and our toxic equipment, we treated like hot lava.
I did eventually recover from my oak field season, with only a few physical scars and an amazing skill for recognizing Toxicodendron in all its seasonal glory. After a bucket (almost literally) of steroid cream and two rounds of oral steroids, my body recovered and sanity replaced the itchy madness of the summer. Perhaps it was because of this experience, that I decided to study something else for my thesis. No more oak for me.
So, here I am again, searching for information about poison oak. It seems to be the same old story, no one really has a good, safe remedy or prevention technique. But I did find these advertisements that may be helpful:
Sponsored Links
Toxicodendron
Feel Strong. Be Healthy.
Save on Toxicodendron!
Shopzilla.com/Vitamins&Nutrition
Toxicodendron Cheap
Best Value on Toxicodendron.
Find NexTag Sellers' Lowest Price!
www.NexTag.com
Toxicodendron
Buy Toxicodendron
from Top Stores & Brands
www.smarter.com
Just in case you wanted to buy some after reading this.
As for my current oak situation: I didn't even get it from romping in the woods. Nope, Andrew brought it home on his clothes, he smeared it in my car, on the floor of our room and who knows where else. As for my body? I have blisters on my legs and arms, on my face and lips, on my breast and nipple. Another round of steroids to stay sane. I should join the Olympics.
posted by humble bee at 1:28 PM
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