Satan's weed

When we helped Angela's family move into Ohio a year ago we had our first up-close experience with poison ivy. We had grown up with the saying taught to scouts and at girls camp "Leaflets three, let it be, berries white, take flight". That makes a nice, easy-to-remember saying but you still may not be able to recognize the plant in real life. Despite the fact that I handled lots of poison ivy- in fact, I bagged it all in trash bags after several members of Angela's family were stricken badly enough to require going to the emergency room twice- I never had a reaction. So a couple of weeks ago, I was working out in the garage area and determined I would pull out a huge poison ivy vine that had been sprayed with Round-up but was tenanciously growing back. My concern was mostly for our grandkids so they wouldn't be affected by it. Apparently, younger skin is more tender and reacts more easily. About a week later, I had a couple of strange spots show up on my forearm. I didn't think much of it because Russ and I have gotten numerous injuries since starting this house project. As the days went by, I got more rash spots and swelling. I don't know if you can tell by these pictures by my left hand/wrist is swollen quite bit and I have numerous rash spots all over my arms, face, neck, chest and ankles. It is even spreading to my legs. The original reaction is to whatever part of your body is exposed to the actual oil in the plant which is the worst in the roots and stems. After that, your body can go into a larger systemic reaction resulting in huge, itchy, eventually oozing welts. (The last picture is an attempt at a close-up of the welts on my swollen wrist.) It is not at all attractive but the worst part is the itching and swelling so you can't sleep, your eyes get all puffy (not that my old, wrinkled face didn't have problems before), and you basically feel miserable. I have so enjoyed having all my family here for our reunion, even with the poison ivy reaction. But I'll be glad when it's over- the poison ivy reaction, I mean.