When Nature Strikes Back...

After several years of focusing on the interior renovation of the house, I decided it was finally time to focus on the exterior landscaping, especially since Sandy and I finally got the pool repaired last summer.  We fully intend to spend a lot more time outside this year, and we want to have plenty to keep us busy.  I would have preferred to jump headfirst into a major gardening project, but there was plenty that needed to be cleaned up first, so that had to be the focus.  Well, after pulling out the chainsaw and knocking down some out-of-control redbud and popcorn trees, nature decided to fight back and gave me my first case of poison ivy.  I've been
around the stuff all my life, but I've never been affected (infected) by it
until now...I'm still not even sure how I got it, but it probably has to do with
being covered in smoke after burning several limbs with dead vines on them.  My case definitely isn't a typical case where it hit me in a certain spot causing a rash--it's been more like tiny red bumps all over my body that have been popping up over the past two weeks.  My doctor gave me a Medrol Dosepak (methylprednisolone 4mg), and although this was my first time taking any form of steroid, it was a good experience...it definitely went after the inflammation over the six day course, and I can tell a big improvement, but the "infection"
is still hanging around.  It began on my fingers the next day, then it went to
my arms and chest the day after that...a full week later my torso and legs have
most of the worst bumps, but the rest of my body is still healing.  The
larger areas will itch from time to time, but the tiny bumps constantly burn
without ceasing. I can honestly say this is the worst "disease" I've ever had,
and it feels like fire ants constantly biting me.  I wake up throughout the
night feeling like hot coals are dropping onto my legs and antihistamines and
Caladryl only help so much.  I'm just chalking this up to one more human
experience, and it's definitely causing me to thank God for all my blessings. 
I'll be keeping you updated on how the garden project turns out...in the mean time, visions of sandpaper will be dancing in my head.

First post

I really don't know where I'm going with this yet, but that's really what life is all about....first steps.  So, I've started a blog...and I plan to update it over time.  Let's see where it ends up together....