Oakey

Well, we're back in the swing of things after a very rough two weeks. Elle missed two weeks of school because of poison oak. Let me rephrase that. I had my hormonal thirteen year old daughter at home ,wandering around the house in pain and agony and extreme itchiness for two whole very long weeks.

Sigh.

I said in one of my Facebook updates that the only thing worse than having poison oak all over one's body is having a thirteen year old at home with poison oak all over her body. And I mean it!

I don't mean to minimize Elle's pain and discomfort. It was really horrible for her, and I had lots of sympathy for her, after suffering my own bout of poison oak at about the same age. Hers was probably worse. She and some friends were playing capture the flag at a park and she said she was only standing by what she thought was poison oak; she doesn't remember actually touching it.

The next day she showed me a small itchy patch on her leg, and we didn't think much of it. Until the next day, when that small patch began to grow all over the back of her legs. It completely covered the back of both of her very long legs, from bum to ankle. The next day when it started to move around to the front of her legs, I took her to the doctor and he gave us steroid cream and steroid pills.

So we used them faithfully, I tried to distract her with TV and treats and homework and threats. And let me just tell you.... none of them worked. Not the homework or the threats or the steroid cream or the pills. She continued to break out all over her body. Her torso, her arms and even up her neck and on her face. I would tell people how horrible she looked and they'd sympathize, but when they saw her in person they were shocked at how bad it looked. It was just gross. Really gross!

So after a week of that, we went back to the doctor and he was a little surprised at how bad she still looked. He said our choices were to just let it run its course or a shot of steroids. Without hesitation Elle and I choose the shot. Thank goodness! It took a couple of days, but she began to feel better.

Through all of this, Lazelle had his own run with poison oak, probably getting it from Elle. His wasn't quite as bad, but it was bad enough that we know he and Elle are ultra sensitive!

And now Elle's back at school! Yay! Her legs have mostly healed, but there's enough left that her friends are calling her Oakey. It's a good reminder that we are done with Capture the Flag, and park bushes for awhile!