Cut 3 cords yesterday....no I am dealing with the scourge of Northern California

[Bob95065]

Yesterday I went up to the property I have access to fir firewood to cut on a giant oak that I started cutting last month. The tree was over 4' at the base and fell over an access road. I brought out about 5 cords before a logger came in with a log crane to bring the main trunk down. The owner of the property is going to sent the trunk to the mill. We went and got what he didn't want.

I had a friend with me that is in hard times. He wanted some dry wood to burn right away. I cut up a downed madrone that was about 1/2 a truckload. Like a fool I went down a hillside to choke a big branch of an oak tree that has been down a while. I went down there two more times to round out the truckload. I had a cord on my trailer and 3/4 cord in the truck. My friend Ted brought out a cord in his rig. We bring a 18 year old with us that is from a broken home. Its good for him to hang with guys. He brought a load out in his truck (6' bed).

I forgot my camera so I don't have pictures. I know you guys say if there are no pictures it didn't happen. I have proof it happened.

When I went down the hillside to choke the oak branch I didn't think about natural hazards that could be down there. We have had a winter in Santa Cruz that better resembled spring so I wasn't thinking that the poison oak has dropped its leaves. I woke up this morning and my arms were tingling. My wife says it looks like someone punched me in both eyes. I sweat a lot and wipe my forehead with my hand. The oil must have washed down. My forearms feel tight and are bright red. I'm getting the chills on and off too. Last time that happened I had a poison oak blood infection. Usually poison oak oak comes in 2 days after exposure. THis time its going to be bad.

My wife doesn't feel sorry for me. I know you guys understand.

 

[lone wolf]

I always look if it has any vines I treat it as Poison Ivy!Look before you leap.

 

[Preston]

That hurts just reading about it. I've never gotten into that stuff like that. I'm like lone wolf, if I see a vine, I treat it like a snake. I stay away.

Good luck with you "treatment".

 

[hanniedog]

Sorry about the poison oak makes me want scratch just thinking about it. Cudos to you for helping the young man from a broken home plus getting a buddy thats in a pinch some dry wood to burn.

 

[bigw]

I know this is going to sound crazy but the best thing I have found to get rid of poison oak is Bleach not the sented stuff just straight bleech, It will burn but it works and drys the stuff out in a few hours!!!:angry2: Good Luck!!!!

 

[lon]

Sorry about the poison oak. I get it bad too. Might want to see a doctor asap. Bad stuff when it spreads. Thanks also for helping the other people get their wood.

 

[mama]

I got the worse case of poison oak in my life last year. used some stuff called Ivy Dry and its the best stuff I've ever used, my arms looked like I had chemical burns. This stuff knocked out the itch right away.

 

[WVwoodsman]

Good post and way to go for helping out folks in need. I second the Ivy Dry solution, it's good stuff. Rep sent!

 

[Bob95065]

I think I need to go in to see the doctor this time. My right arm is swelling so that I am loosing range of motion. Both eyes are itching and I am afraid of what they will look like tomorrow. I have an office job and have to go in to work to be made fun of.

I guess I'm like a three legged dog that keeps chasing cars. Because the leaves were off I didn't even think about poison oak. I will next time I am in there. Don't worry, there will be a next time. I love cutting firewood and I forget pretty easy. Maybe not so easy this time.

 

[zogger]

Wow man that sucks, I DON'T want to feel for ya, hate the stuff! Bwa! Hey, the docs can give you a coupla things prescription for that now, I've had to get it and it helps bunches. Dang if I can remember the second one, but the first one is an antihistamine, helps with the allergic reaction.

And what the other guys said on like ivy dry, or technu.

We have the ivy here not so much the poison oak, just as nasty and the vines get huge. I kill em off constantly when I am roaming the woods, cut big sections out of the vines with my axe. I don't bother the grapes or honeysuckle much, just whack at the ivy, multiflora rose and snakevine and japanese privet.

It's made a difference in my immediate area, less and less every year. they are so easy to spot compared to the other vines here so it isn't so bad for cutting for me. I don't touch any trees with the ivy vines until they are first killed off for one full season, then I reach up and strip off as much of the old dead vine as possible before I fell and buck. Once it has been dead for a year they pull down a lot easier, all those little filaments on the vines that stick it to the tree seem to dry up and de-attach. I just wear cotton washable gloves when I do it, then they go right in the wash.

 

[Pintony]

What? No photos of the wood???
I think! I'm gonna need some photos of the poison oak infested skin.....

Just givin you a hard time....

Take the day off and get to the doctor Bob...

Feel better soon!

 

[Preston]

A good friend of mine has rental housed in Atlanta he has to do maintenance on. Three years ago he got the poison ivey so bad he was almost hospitalized. His face, arms, hands, and chest were swollen. It was even under his arms and in his crotch. Now he told me that, I didn't see it. That man was in some kinda pain.
I can only guess at what you're going through. I do pray for you to have a speedy recovery. :msp_smile:

 

[Bob95065]

I woke up this morning after a terrible night's sleep to find I could hardly open my eyes. I lost range of motion on my right wrist and I had to use the last hole on my watchband. This is the second worst case of poison oak I ever had. The first time I got it was on my left knee. It swelled up so bad I couldn't put a pair of pants on for a week. I had to wear shorts all the time in February. Nasty.

I decided to stay home today and take care of it. My doctor gets to work in an hour so I have to wait until I get the prednisone. I don't know what's worse - the oak or prednisone.

 

[huntindog1]

Bob, When you get well, private message me as I have a question to ask you. It says your PM box is too full for me to send you a message.