Sunburn Woes

Me with not enough sunscreen for 4 hours on a lake on a partly cloudy day

Sure, it LOOKS like it's only 1st degree here ...

So, remember I said I would blog about the sunburn I got while paddling around on North Bend Lake?  Remember when I said I didn't follow my guide's advice to reapply sunscreen?  Remember when I said I got a really bad sunburn?  Remember when I said I would blog about it soon?  Well now I'm blogging about it, and I will give you fair warning - it is NOT pretty.





The first few days after we got home, I was in severe pain.  My legs were intensely red, my feet and legs were swelling and it was excruciating to even walk.  Moving my feet from being elevated to the floor was enough to make me sick, and standing up was an exercise in determination.















Most definitely this is a second a degree burn.  I took ibuprofen (or Ivy Profin as a friend's child puts it) and Acetaminophen as often as i could get away with it according to the directions on the packages.  I used After Sun Gel liberally on both legs and my arms, which were also quite burned.  And I used cold compresses to reduce the swelling and the burning sensation.

Blisters

About five days after the burn occurred, the blisters started bopping up.   This one you see on my knee became HUGE.  It spread to an area about the size of my palm and was raised an inch above the rest of the skin. 

Bigger Blisters

 

And even more blisters

 I had to drain the biggest one on my left leg the night before I was supposed to go back to work.  Even after drainage, the area was raw and swollen.  My right leg was not looking so bad, but you can see the blistered area.

Yeah, so these bandages SUCK!  At least the big oozers are covered

I tried to go to work on Monday, but I was still in bad pain and there was no way I could endure standing up and moving around all day with pants rubbing against my raw and weeping legs.  So I left 20 minutes after I had gone in, after speaking with management, and started the Short Term Medical Leave process. 

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and she prescribed Silvadene for me and said I needed to keep things covered for a few days with loose, non stick dressings.  Since I have not been able to find tube gauze anywhere in a size sufficient to go over my legs, I have had to resort to crappy bandaging.  Today I have abandoned that and I'm just keeping it all open to the air.  Thank you, God, for Silvadene!  And LOA!

No one can accuse me of having pretty legs.

At least the itching is better than the burning

                                            

I kind of resemble bubble wrap ...

Wednesday, things were looking a little better and dried out.   But today, I'm getting blisters on top of blisters.  Everything is just popping up all over the place.  It sucks that even my arms are doing the multiple layer of blisters thing. 


I think it's going to be a while in healing entirely.  Right now, I resemble a medium rare piece of steak.

The doctor says I should be good to return to work by Monday.  That's a good thing.  If I still have a job.  After the issue with tendonitis in my left hand two weeks ago and now this, I am sure they are thinking I don't want to work.



Well, God does have this, and the job situation and the healing and everything.  The take away message for this post is WEAR SUNSCREEN.  AT least 30 SPF for broad spectrum and water resistant.  If you take medications that make you more sensitive to the sun, use a stronger sunscreen and cover up - wear a hat, long sleeves and pants  Take my word for it - you do NOT want to suffer through a really bad sunburn.  The pain and lost time at work notwithstanding, your chances of getting skin cancer go way up for every bad burn you get.  And your skin gets more sensitive and prone to burning.  It really isn't worth the risk.  Not when prevention is so easily administered.

Me having the daily DUH moment for my stupidity