Looks like a burn, feels like a burn, must be....

I noticed on Sunday I had an L-shaped red mark on my upper left arm. It didn't hurt, so I thought it was just my skin being sensitive. But two days later, it started filling with fluid, began burning, and actually started to look like a burn. But I thought surely I would have noticed if I had burned myself on my upper arm, so I decided to stop in the Infirmary to have it checked out.

When I called to make the appointment, I told the receptionist the reason for my visit was something that looked like a burn. She asked the normal questions: Where was it? How long had I had it? And how did I burn myself?

To the last question, I replied, "I'm not sure."

She was surprised, "You don't know how you burned yourself?"

"No."

Curtly, she said, "Well, be here by 3:15 and the doctor will take a look." I could just imagine her hanging up the phone and thinking, "College kids. I wonder what she was doing this weekend."

After an hour of waiting, the doctor took a quick look and said, "That's contact dermatitis."

Translation: poison ivy.

The only time I thought I may have encountered poison ivy was was running on a wooded path last Thursday, and I didn't think that poison ivy usually grew to heights over four feet. Though, I suppose it could have been growing on something over four feet. Anyhow, I had been talking with some friends a few weeks ago about whether or not I was allergic to poison ivy because I had never experienced it. Being a biologist, I said I was tempted to test my reaction by intentionally rubbing poison ivy on my skin and observing my reaction. Thankfully, I don't have to do that now.