How did it happen? I'm not exactly sure. After last years episode of me versus the great outdoors, I've pretty much stayed out of the grass, out of the garden, and out of the woods.

However, when your cat is stuck in a tree....you go get him. Apparently, Mr. Bean can't find his way out of the bean fields right now. They are taller than he is...he keeps getting lost. Maybe that's how he got his name. Maybe he was lost in a bean field when his previous owner had him.

So a couple weeks ago, Sampson found him, and happily chased him out of the bean field and then up a tree....Great.

Of course, I crawled through the field and over to the only tree within walking distance of my house. It's kind of got weeds and things growing up and all around it, so as I held the branch for the cat to crawl down to safety, I think I brought home more than just Mr. Bean.

HOME TREATMENTS THAT DON'T WORK

HOT WATER

Okay....Hot water is the only thing that will make the intense itching and pain stop...followed by a cold cold burst of water afterwards. Relief lasts for hours....On the downside, you end up opening up all the pores around the affected area, and it gets worse and worse.

NO PEROXIDE

After my whole arm started oozing like a maple tree, I was freaking out. Determined that I didn't need to bother a doctor with my stupid reaction, I started taking Benadryl, and the washing the area with and Ivy wash, and then following that with peroxide. With all the oozing I was afraid it was going to get infected. It was sticking to everything!  After a visit to the Urgent Care doctor on Saturday, she said NO NO NO! All that did was aggrevate it more.

THANKS TO KIM AND JAN

What would we do without friends?  As I played music Friday night at Third Street Brewhouse, some really great friends invited over to their home afterwards. We enjoyed some margarita's and they proceeded to doctor my arm! They also told me I needed to get to urgent care. I don't think I realized what a bad allergic reaction I had.

WATCH OUT FOR BLOOD POISONING

By the time I got to the doctor, I notice my wrist was swelling. Needless to say she was hoping that benadryl and around of steroids would take care of it, before it caused blood poisnoning. YES! Blood poisoning. You have to watch for little streaks going up and down your arm. If the area does that, then you are in serious trouble and need to get to the doctors office fast.

THINGS YOU SHOULD DO!

If you are allergic to poison ivy, oak or anything that's green, if have any idea that you may have been exposed, go directly to the shower, and wash your clothes in hot water. My brother can get the same thing from mowing his yard. This is his trick and ever since he started that, he's been fine.

  • If exposed, take a shower immediately with soap and wash cloth. Wash your whole body from head to toe immediately and you may avoid ever even feeling an itch.
  • Take Benadryl.
  • If rash appears, don't touch it. Don't use peroxide, or alcohol. Use calamine lotion to stop the itching, but only rinse it with cold water and an ivy remover.
  • If it starts to ooze uncontrollably, you are beyond helping yourself. It's time to get to the doctor, because it can quickly turn into something dangerous.

More From Mix 94.9