see how my garden grows

The above photo is poison ivy. I am posting this picture as a public service, especially to those of you who, like me, grew up in the desert and don't really know what it looks like. See, I've had a mystery rash for a few weeks now. It started on my wrists and spread up my arms, eventually it appeared on my chest and is now even appearing on my stomach. It is really, really itchy. Like, have occasionally considered amputation, itchy. Being the fully developed hypochondriac that I am, I have cycled through several scary and disgusting possibilities while searching for the answer. Luckily, one of my favorites friends had a bout with the poison ivy last year and, on a whim, I asked her to take a look. "Yup, "she says. Web MD photos confirmed her diagnosis. Upon examining my yard we found several large patches of the stuff. Boo. It was hiding amongst the impatience and regular ivy. Curses. Tomorrow I am off to the doctor because it's still not going away, even with the large amount of antihistamines that my delicate immune system requires every day. Obvious l will be purchasing some sort of noxious and dangerous chemical to kill the poison ivy. Now is not the time to give in to my environmentally friendly tendencies. Now is the time to be grateful for people who create awesome poisons that will kill anything. Thank you chemical person, from the bottom of my heart.