Two weeks ago, I went canoeing down the Wildcat River with my girlfriend, Sarah. We had a wonderful day basking in the sun, fishing with little success and enjoying the changing of the seasons. Little did I know, this would be a day I would remember for weeks to come.

Somehow during the journey down stream I got a good old batch of poison oak. I never had this contagious rash before (and can now say, I do never want it again). In fact, I thought my little zit-thingies were just a bad bug bite. A few days had passed until I realized my legs were ballooning and I all I wanted to do was amputate my legs off with a hatchet because they itched something-horrible.

I called a trustworthy doctor who suggested I medicate with various lotions, creames and sprays. Needless to say 15 days later I am still bearing the scars of that wonderful canoeing trip. I would not take that day back for anything, but I do wish I would have caught that itchy plant before it caught me.