2020-07-09 — The Steady Onward March

Ugh.

I realized yesterday that I trailed off before explaining what happened.

And I had better get to it pretty quickly tonight because, well, I just loaded up on benedryl, and at the advice of one of my sisters, added some ibuprofin to the mix as well, so it’s only a matter of time before this little struggler takes the slippin slide to la la land.

Ugh. I’m miserable.

I can feel my pulse on both sides of my nose. The rash is… everywhere. How does a mechanic get a rather serious case of poison ivy working on cars!!??!?!? My face is all swollen up, and I’ve got rashes from my forehead down to my lower legs in all sorts of places, including on all the most sensitive ones where the sun don’t shine.

Ugh.

Really!!???!?!?!?

I wasn’t playing lumberjack. I wasn’t pulling weeds. I wasn’t taking a shower in poison mango juice. I wasn’t exfoliating myself with raw cashew nuts. I was turning wrenches!

!!!!

And the steady onward march of a poison ivy reaction is brutal. The skin reacts at such different rates and reacts so differently. The softest most tender skin reacts first–just four to five hours, or so, after exposure (ask me how I know the pattern so well). Then the webbing in the fingers and the soft parts of the face. The stomach. The forearms, finally the legs.

Ugh. Did I mention that I’m miserable?

I’m miserable.

I left to go to work this morning with probably 14-20 cars on the schedule. But my rash was getting worse and worse and worse by the minute, and I was getting more concerned about it. I was exhausted from getting no where near enough sleep. I was miserable then as well. I went to my first job, and then the thunderstorm rolled in, and between the thunderstorm, feeling just hammered, and the advancing rash, I was almost ready, I think, to give up and call it a day. Thankfully, a good friend I was chatting with at the time about everything was like, just take care of yourself for once, go home, get some sleep, etc. etc, and I finally listened. Thanks!

I did go home, and I got a little rest, though it’s almost 3 a.m. again, and I’m gonna be hammered again tomorrow, but I’m just flat not gonna work on cars again until this is cleared up. I don’t need to be in 97 degree Arkansas nasty with a rash like this, one that’s still getting worse. I won’t know how bad it’s gonna get until probably Saturday, I would guess. Right now, I feel like my left eye is starting to react a little bit. I’m hoping that’s just because it’s that side my fan is blowing on. I’ll cross my fingers.

Anyway, I just realized that I’ve been sitting on my bed for the last however many hours with the same clothes I road around in the truck with. Ugh. And I’d just pulled the blanket off to wash, and now the understuff needs to come off as well, and my pillow is contaminated.

Ugh.

I hate poison ivy.

Well… what better way to introduce a little bit of gratitude than with a little hate, eh?

#1. I’m grateful for my friend who pushed me to take care of myself today.

#2. I’m grateful for things that help mitigate the effects of the allergic reaction–the pills the lotions, etc.

#3. I’m grateful to be able to get a little relief in the form of rest right now.

#4. I’m grateful to have been able to get this written before I crashed and completely burned.

#5. I’m grateful to have been able to spend some good time with a friend today.

Well, peeps, thanks, for reading today. I’m gonna get my miserable little butt in bed.

Lift the World.

~ stephen

oh! In case you were wondering, I’m doing really well with all my goals with the exceptio of exercise, but I’m giving myself a full and complete pass on that one because I haven’t really been healthy enough lately to make running a good idea.