Wildcat Sailorgirl: April 2012

"Why do I have to be Mr Pink? I don't want to be Mr Pink.". Steve Buscemi -Movie Reservoir Dogs

Cap10 Tom arrive to s/v Honey Ryder with a major case of poison oak. Sunday night he dashed over to one of the rentals to pick up some fallen branches and pulled some "weeds, vines and such" for good measure as he left. This rental has had a notorious rep for poison oak in the past but we had it professionally removed (we thought) a couple of years ago. It wasn't until yesterday that the rash started popping out. Today it's a case of full blow poison oak.

Usually our first stop on the way to the boat is for food and liquor (not necessarily in that order). Today stop #1 was for calamine. Yep, as I type Mr Pink is napping next to me. Poor guy. I feel for him. I got a wicked case many years ago at the same rental. Details are too gnarly but it took two doses of strong steroids and a month to get mine to abate. Oozy but very productive month. Eeeew.
UPDATE - a visit to urgent care this morning got Cap10 Tom some oral steroids and a shot to jump start the healing.
*FYI - once you have poison ivy, oak or sumac (WTF does it even look like) you are more susceptible to it. Some literature says differently but our experience is that we are more sensitive to it as time goes by.

**Mangoes are in the same family as the above. The oil of the mango skin and tree can cause a similar, smaller rash (Mango Rash). The link on Mango Rash is to Lance Armstrong's Live Strong. I am not sure why a testicular cancer surviving bike rider has info on mango rash's on his foundation web site -( insert numerous jokes here) but he does. If you are like me and mango is your favorite fruit then you might cut it open like I do... carve out the yummy flesh and then turn the remaining skin inside out and naw every last bit of juicy goodness out of it. If you do, beware that the oil from the mango skin mixes with the noshing goodness and a few days later you might break out around your mouth with a tiny rash similar to poison ivy. If you forget to wash your hands really good and instead just wipe them off after cutting up a bunch of mangoes and then put sunscreen on your face, ears, neck and chest......that same rash will appear a few days later and itch like crazy. YES, it will.

Now ask me if I have changed the way I cut up mangoes? Hell No! I can't possibly leave that extra juicy goodness for the garbage bin. I still chew every last bit of yumminess out of the flesh. I am just extra careful to wash my face, hands, forearms and such with soap after.

***Apparently this whole plant family is or can be poisonous in some form or fashion to some people. But remember....while we have previously stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, we are not doctors or medical professionals of any sort. Do your own damn research on the topic!
So for now Cap10 Tom is a chillin (and oozing) and isn't that what boat time is really about anyway! The chillin part that is, not the oozing part so much.