Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Wild Parsnip...I was just saying...

In a previous post I talked about safety and proper dress for foraging.


So now I'm here to talk to you about the effects of wild parsnip and sun exposure on skin.
Specifically on the face.

Let me preface this by saying I was at work on a very hot day.
I was dressed properly (hat, gloves and long sleeved shirt)
and I know better.
Sadly, it still happened.
I wiped my face with my wild parsnip soaked shirt.


At first I felt an odd stinging sensation on my face and neck.
Kinda like when you spray bug spray directly in your face.
After rolling around on fiberglass.


3 hours later my face was very flushed and becoming puffy.
(Regular flush for my right side...abnormal flush on the left)

The area around my wrist 
(where I touched my wrist to take the other glove off)
started to blister.
Thankfully...it was the only place to blister.



Two days later (and after regular intervals of Benadryl oral medication), 
I woke up and my eye was almost closed.
My face had become numb and my forearms were on fire.


Ok.  It was at this point that I acknowledged I am not Wonder Woman
and went directly to the clinic.

By the time I had been seen by the doctor, gawked and by nurses and
ogled by the pharmacy staff...I felt like I had leprosy.

But by then, I had prednisone...so I was past caring.


Even a seasoned forager can succumb to the horrible effects of poisoning by plant.

I have had several bouts of poison ivy.
Mostly while clearing out our property.

I can honestly say this type of reaction is WAY worse.
I think this reaction was worse because by now...the plants are in full flower.
I have been hand weeding these suckers at work for the past two and a half months.
No adverse reaction.
Or perhaps it was because I had a weak moment.
And forgot my shirt was coated in wild parsnip juices.

Either way...I'm on the mend.