Being raised next to the woods along Big Flatrock River, I knew to exercise a lot of caution around poison ivy. The old saying, “Leaves of three … let them be,” is highly accurate.

As a child, I was terribly allergic to poison ivy. It almost seemed if I so much as got downwind of poison ivy, I’d soon be covered in horrible itching blisters.

Each year, all the boys in town experienced a bit of a mystery concerning poison ivy. We would come down with the itching blisters often in the spring and fall, but seldom during the summer or winter.

It turns out there is a scientific reason for our sensitivity varying according to the seasons.

The irritant in poison ivy is urushiol, a colorless and odorless oil found in the leaves and stems of the plant. The key to our varying sensitivity is Urushiol is slightly water soluble. During the summertime, every kid in town spent the majority of each day swimming in the river. With river water constantly washing our skin throughout most of the day, the Urushiol was simply dissolved and washed away. As for wintertime … our clothing protected us.

Itch time from poison ivy seemed to be early spring, fall and winter when we didn’t have the benefit of a river bath each day. Clothing somewhat protected us, but Urushiol can absorb into clothing, gloves and boots and cause a breakout of blisters even up to a year later. This may solve any mystery of how a small child contacted poison ivy in the winter … the young one may have simply been playing with the boots and gloves worn while Dad was cutting wood.

One of the most effective ways to ward off poison ivy is to take a long, COOL shower following any possible exposure. Do not use hot water or soap; keep the water as cool as possible as hot water and soap strip your natural oils from your skin. Your natural skin oils help to block the penetration of Urushiol.

If you do experience a case of poison ivy, some over-the-counter treatments will provide some relief from the burning and itching. Use cold compresses, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream and oatmeal baths. Extreme cases call for a trip to the ER or the family doctor who might administer a shot of steroids.

It is recommended not to use hydrogen peroxide, bleach or rubbing alcohol as they may irritate the rash more than soothe it.

Nurse saves 10-year-old girl

A 10-year-old girl is alive due to the quick actions of a registered nurse, family and others after she nearly drowned June 10 at Raccoon State Recreation Area’s swimming beach.

Around 1:30 p.m., a beach guest was watching his granddaughter play in the water when he noticed she had gone underwater and not resurfaced. After searching for two-three minutes, he located her and took her to shore. The child had pale blue skin, was unresponsive, not breathing, and did not have a pulse.

Indiana Conservation Officers were nearby, conducting river rescue training on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) property and arrived within minutes of receiving a call from DNR Law Enforcement Dispatch. They found Ashley Pecchenino, a registered nurse from Iroquois County, Ill., administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the child.

After two minutes of CPR, the child regained a pulse and began breathing on her own and became responsive. The child was flown by Lifeline helicopter to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis in stable condition.

Conservation officers remind the public in a case of near-drowning, the situation should always be taken seriously even if the person is alert and conscious after the incident. Individuals who experience near drownings should be assessed by healthcare professionals due to possible residual effects from water in the lungs.

Mooresville man drowns at Monroe Lake

Indiana Conservation Officers were investigating a drowning occurring June 11 at Monroe Lake, southeast of Bloomington. Around 4:45 p.m., conservation officers were dispatched to the area near Allen’s Creek for a person who fell from an inner tube being pulled by a boat, and never resurfaced.

Zacharia Sweet, 35, of Mooresville, was riding on a tube with a 6-year-old juvenile when Sweet fell off the tube. Sweet, who was not wearing a life jacket, was unable to make it back to the boat, went underwater and never resurfaced. The 6-year-old, who was wearing a life jacket, got back to the boat safely.

Conservation officers used side scan sonar and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to locate Sweet’s body. At 6:21p.m., Sweet’s body was recovered in 23 feet of water by a conservation officer diver.

The boat operator, James Banfield, 37, of Avon, was arrested for Boating While Intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Indiana Conservation Officers remind the public to always wear a life jacket when on or near any body of water and to always have a designated operator when boating.

Lincoln State Park’s dam repair

The dam at Lincoln State Park’s Lake Lincoln needs repairs. To allow the work to be done, the beach, nature center, Pine Hills Group Camp and group cottages will temporarily close for an extended period starting July 7.

The rest of the park will remain open, although other recreational activities may be affected because the lake will be drawn down 20 feet. Public programming with the park’s interpretive naturalist will be offered in alternate locations at the park during the repairs.

The essential project is a collaborative effort across several Indiana DNR divisions and highlights the important behind-the-scenes work to keep Indiana’s parks safe and sustainable.

‘till next time,  

Jack

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication or e-mail Jack at jackspaulding1971@outlook.com 

Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.