For some reason, mosquitoes love me. I always seem to attract more mosquitoes and mosquito bites than others around me. When we were in Texas, I started getting mosquito bites. Mosquitoes aren’t much of an issue in southern California or Arizona where we spend a lot of time.

When we were at Tom Sawyer RV Park in Memphis, a couple of mosquito bites I got on my left foot back in Rockport, Texas were getting irritated by the straps on my flip flops. In Missouri, I got a couple more bites on my right foot. These were also irritated by the straps on my flip flops. I started putting antibiotic ointment and band-aids over the bites to keep the straps from rubbing and further irritating them.

By the time we got to Michigan, the irritation was spreading on the tops of both feet. I had rough red skin where the straps of my flip-flops ran behind my toes. When we left Michigan and were driving across Ohio, I told Donna my shirt felt funny. I thought it might have had something to do with some new mosquito bites on my shoulders and arms.

The next day, driving through the Finger Lakes Region, I told Donna I thought there was some kind of contamination in my shirt. I wasn’t just feeling mosquito bites – I had splotchy red areas on my neck, shoulders, back and chest, and underarms.

I have severe pollen allergies. Most of the time, I react to pollen with the usual sneezing, runny nose and itchy, watering eyes. Sometimes, when the pollen count is really high or I’m doing yard work, my skin will react with small red itchy bumps.

That’s what this felt like, except the areas of bumps were joining and becoming large skin irritations. Donna told me that the dryers at Addison Oaks in Michigan had a lot of plant matter in the filter screens. She thought someone had dried a blanket or sleeping bag that had been used outdoors. My shirts might have become contaminated in the dryer.

I started taking Benadryl tablets and rubbing Benadryl cream on the affected areas. It seemed like things were improving every morning, but by the end of the day, I would be worse off. Sunday night was the last straw. I had a burning, itching sensation in my arms and shoulders all night long.

On Monday morning, I rode the scooter to the nearest medical facility, Cobleskill Regional Hospital. I brought a book along thinking I would be in for a long wait. I was pleasantly surprised by their efficiency and was soon examined by a doctor. Doctor Trimble diagnosed two separate conditions – contact dermatitis on my upper body and a wound infection on my feet. He prescribed Prednisone for the allergic reaction (dermatitis) and Keflex for the infection. He told me that it isn’t contagious and to avoid scratching or rubbing any of the affected areas. I’ve been hanging out in the coach with my shirt off.

Donna’s mother, Lorraine, came by yesterday afternoon. She took Donna and Ozark the cat to the vet. Ozark had an exam and this morning, will get her vaccinations and get spayed. Donna stayed the night at her parents’ house and will catch up on our laundry. Since we’ve been in parks without sewer hook-ups lately, she hasn’t used our washer/dryer.

This morning, just one day after starting my course of medications, I would say my condition has improved by 50%. I think in another day or two, I should be fine. Of course I’ll follow the prescription of five days on the Predisone and 10 days on the Keflex even if I clear up sooner.

I plan to lie low again and read a book today. Donna and Ozark should be home in the late afternoon.