A Fungal Infection, Or Poison Ivy...?

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A Fungal Infection, Or Poison Ivy...?

Real Reflections by Minda Peyton

I first contacted what look'da lai-ca a fungal infection, a discolor'da, itchy flat circle,  a ring of bumps, near my graduation from a university. Yes, our university had a large olympic pool, yes I then had access to Clorox Bleach, only then I did not use the pool nor the bleach. Towards the end of my studies I became active. I exercised a lot, sweated a lot and drank a lot of bottle'da water.

My continual activity kept me in good shape without acne problems. The fungal infection seem'da easy to 'get rid' of holistically, meaning naturally, yet from what I read and heard, people advise'da me tu use cloves of garlic, then take garlic pills. 
I'm not sure where people were coming from. I had a active life, I drank a lot of clean water and I stay'da social with my friends while I had a boyfriend...well I had more a senior 'male-friend' who looked lai-ca a older, popular Actor. I mention *Dan [name changed] because looking back, I recall how Dan, my 'male-friend' had taken me tu a lake with his family and friends, a group of people who were definitely on his side. We visited the lake after my friends, in particular one popular male, got closer to me, from that point, strange events occur'da.

Honestly, in college I was not a Christian, nor a Buddhist practitioner. I had a belief: Atheist, and other non-believers in a supreme deity could practice ethics that are humane. This core belief was lai-ca my Wiccan Rede, lai-ca my Law of Judah, BELIEVING IN HUMANITY was short, simple, yet effective. Unfortunately, I had zero sense of guidance when dating, or when relationships were the primary focus. Relationships?

Some people will find my relationships shocking, yet before I discovered the sanity of "soul mates," I follow'da my heart, mind and body. Although my male friend show'da no sign of jealousy, a strange fungal growth attach'da itself tu my leg after I [and Dan's friends] waded into the un-filtered lake water. Later, that same day, we enjoy'da thick, juicy hamburgers.

Although I was a cheese and egg eating Vegetarian, on that day, encouraged by Dan's friends, I ate and enjoy'da thick, juicy hamburgers. Soon after, I notice'da a fungal infection. I was advise'da tu eat cloves of garlic... garlic? Garlic. The pale, small and smelly relative of the onion. Because I trusted Dan, I took the advice of Dan's friends and I ate smelly garlic.

THE INFECTION GREW. At one point the giant fungal infection was a embarrassment. I was a bit of a health advisor, yet I didn't know how tu get rid of a fungal infection. My treatments were ineffective. Because it grew, people told me tu go tu a doctor tu get tested. I did. A female dress'da as a health advisor took blood work test and ask'da me if I had AIDS. AIDS?

Although I had flirted close, dangerously close, with two people, I did not believe I had contacted the AIDS virus from either of the two people. This odd discussion about AIDS brought up my sexual relationship with two people. My 'male-friend' I knew for years. I was sure I did not contact the AIDS virus from him. My new "friend" was tall, athletic and smart. I had told Dan we would continue as friends, although I started a (short) sexual relationship with my new friend.  Because I was athletic, I did sweat a lot. I think my salty sweat helped keep me healthy, yet un-lai-ca other athletes, I had not learn'da the advantage of keeping my socks white and clean using bleach. Bleach is a great cleaner.

Although I was committed tu my relationship with Dan, staying in a closed relationship with him for years disease free, when I told him we were common law married, and he told me he had married his first wife, the mother of his son, a woman I thought was decease'da, I believe'da I could seek out another "marriageable" mate. I believed I was confuse'da. Dan was not interested in marriage, our relationship did not develop formal commitments. I next stop'da believing we were common law married. Another person of great attraction was attracting me. I was aware that I was choosing tu not practice abstainance, meaning abstaining from sexual activity. I was choosing tu break from a healthy, closed, consenting partnership after my offer of marriage was rejected.

My new athletic friend took me tu the beach. A lot happen'da, yet my fungal infection went away after hours of soaking in the salty sea, near golden sands, coasting on warm salt water waves.
I literally thought I was on our honeymoon. A lot change'da after our visit tu the ocean.

I was homeless for a little over 1 year without any fungal infections.

The athlete, my "new friend" said "yes" when I ask'da him if he would marry me, yet, although internally I believe'da we were / had join'da in a life-changing union, we did not sign a legal document. We did not formally register our union. It seem'da lai-ca a "secret marriage." Tragic events occur'da, and I lost contact with him, I could not find him. Without formally registering, I had little tu offer the Police Officers if I had wanted tu file a police report in case he was hurt. I did not know several legal details a newly married wife should know, yet our union haunted me for years. There were a lot of missing pieces. I myself was consider'da missing. Many life-altering events had occur'da.

For a while I was free from fungal infections. I had other problems, I even had hospital bills.

The infection return'da while I live'da with my mother. I was not sexually active, I was writing my novel, a part romantic, part Gothic story. The infection did not look lai-ca a fungal infection, or a ringworm, yet it was circular and oddly color'da and it did itch a lot. How I got a effective prescription for this infection is a long, sorry re-telling involving Police Officers and vaguely ethical Nurses. I remember getting tu a good doctor was lai-ca finding a needle in a haystack. 

I went through a lot...ointments, freeze-spray, 'wart away' canisters... more ointments from the FREE CLINIC. These products were largely uneffective. A few products did keep the infection dry and largely itch free. The best product for staying dry and less itchy was a anti-fungal foot powder. I use'da a lot of this power tu stay less itchy, yet it did not kill the infection, it really just made it bearable. 

Through a series of mis-fortune, I was finally lucky and could get a effective prescription from a good doctor. I had move'da from my mother's house, and was using the prescription for a anti-fungal cream. Over time the fungal infection went away.

I believe'da the fungal 'problem' return'da with my new fiancé, a young athletic male who was confuse'da about marriage. I was not married, yet had been close. I accepted the young athletic male's offer tu marry cautiously, I was older. Because he cheated and open'da our 'un-official marriage,' believing in a "open'da marriage," I didn't try tu stay together. His ideas about marriage had more tu do with having children and giving them their names, as well as one day providing for them (his children). This was a better approach. When we did not conceive, when I was not pregnant, our marriage attempts had failed and we stopped. Due to problems in our neighborhood, I return'da tu my mother's house where my infection flare'da up! I believe I had a SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE,  a S.T.D and could DIE!

I spray'da bleach on the infection, avoided showers, and continually change'da my clothing, washing my clothes with Tide and with bleach. After close tu 3 years, the infection was almost clear'da. 

I went through a few more problems. I was jail'da in another county, then sexually violated. I was unsure if I would live or die. I was drop'da off at my mother's house, and again the infection flair'da up...warts, a rash, a warty rash, dis-color'da itchy skin, and blisters... I  believe I was advise'da tu use a lot of soap, vinegar, alcohol and Calamine Lotion.

How To Break-up Oil 

To break-up oil, and clean your skin after contact with a poison ivy plant, use dish detergent, and later vinegar. Vinegar is excellent at breaking up oils. Alcohol is also a excellent cleansing agent and also excellent at breaking up oil.

I was advise'da tu use Calamine Lotion tu dry the infection and prevent itching.
Although poison ivy is painful, my itch went away when I clean'da the infected area with detergent, next with alcohol and vinegar.

I don't recommend using bleach mix'da with vinegar because 1 is a base (bitter when tasted), and the other is a acid (acidic and sharp when tasted). Mixing will probably neutralize the effectiveness of both cleaners.

Calamine Lotion contains the mineral zinc. A few anti-fungal foot powders also contain zinc. Both were helpful in stopping the itch!  

In front of Ma's house are flowers from a rose bush, also known as "tea roses." I have seen, due to neglect, poison ivy grow from the rose bush onto our front porch. I believe people have walk'da on the poison ivy plant, dragging some substance from outside onto our carpet. I recommend Febreeze, a fabric cleaner, yet because of my budget, I often spray bleach on the carpet as a cleaner. Bleach is great at preventing mold and good at stopping germs, yet bleach is not great at treating poison ivy. Use bleach only if you do not have a safer cleaner to help clean the infected area. 

I am now at Ma's home, and I hope my rash will go away and never return. I have had some success with a soapy detergent based carpet cleaner, a product design'da to clean carpets. 

After cleaning the areas infected by the poisonous plant, I used a costly steroid cream, a effective and expensive non-oily cream prescribed by a Medical Doctor. Similar lotions are available at the drug-store without a expensive prescription. For several months, I have slowly healed my skin with petroleum jelly, a inexpensive thick oily substance that is excellent at protecting the skin.

I have been advised to avoid poison ivy!