Prednisone is icky-or My Front Yard is Trying to Kill Me

The what has become the yearly screed against Home Owners Associations and the associations that tell me how to live my house.

Last year they sent an email to everyone reminding us to make our houses pretty for the inspectors.

Yawn.

There would be inspectors to look at the houses, like they don’t weekly.

And send out nasty letters reminding you to put away the trash can that had been left out for 4 seconds while you opened the garage door. Or mow the lawn that was 1 inch longer than agreed.

Who agreed and who has a ruler?

Everyone I have spoken to gets these letters. And we pay them. Living in the South, where they are prevalent, is so much fun. They love to judge the other down here.

We did the yearly mop up of the front beds. And, as I do every other year, I ran into something. Not poison ivy, not poison oak, poison sumac I think. And instead of suffering the itch in silence, like I usually do, this year I reported to my doctor. With pictures.

And got put on a Prednisone dose pack.

I don’t recall having a taper pack before. It stinks. It chalky, and tastes bad and is generally not much fun. It makes my legs ache. Fun. The cream that they gave me for the rash does much better. I think I will ask for lesser guns next time.

Now that I have three days left of the taper I have thoughts. Is this more symptom management? I’ve gotten through before. Is this something better left in the doctor’s quiver? And could this post be more 1st world problem if I tried?

Time to think of the positives.

I have shelter. I have a house. One that even has new siding, that I paid for with the money we had saved up for two years by not going out or vacationing. To the dismay of my in-laws.

I have my health. I have a short term rash and itches. So many people have it worse.

I have food. Although there is inflation I am careful with our money so it is not impactful on us. I have water. I am thinking of starting a summer vegetable garden. You know, now that I have time.

Covid is doing what covid does. It waxes and wanes and people die. Or have long term side effects. But I, for the grace of vaccination and booster, masks and social distancing, have not gotten it (knock on wood).

On measure I am doing pretty good. I think I will give myself a break and go read.

And spread out the 10 cubic feet of mulch for the front beds. I don’t want a letter. Although I did pick up glow in the dark spray paint for some of my cement animals in the front that need a touch up. I’m still me after all.