Burning Love... No Hands

OK, People... If you never learn anything from me, this is one thing that that you need to learn... Never, ever, ever cut hot peppers with-out gloves on! Yes, I have read time and time again and even heard it from Rachel Ray, to never cut hot peppers with-out gloves on. Sunday afternoon Kelly, Kerry and I went to Momma and Daddy’s so Kelly could feed their goats. We got some peppers so the plants would continue to produce. After we got back home Kerry and I started supper. As I was cooking, I decided to cut up some of the peppers to freeze. I LOVE stuffed jalapeños so I cut some up and some cayenne peppers, with-out gloves on mind you.

Around 8:00 pm, my hands started burning. Now during the cutting up of peppers, I was continually washing my hands because in the back of my mind I knew that I should have had gloves on. The burning began to intensify as we were eating supper, so much that I couldn’t eat. Ok, those that know me… Me not eating, something WAS seriously WRONG! I washed my hands in Lemon juice and applied Aloe Vera gel. Didn’t work...
Then I tried bleach... Didn’t work... Ok, now my hands are seriously burning... I can’t even wash dishes... The hot water felt like I was in a hot water bottle and the cold felt like hot... Ok, now try the Ketchup... Per Kerry… Didn’t work... By this time, Kelly had gone coon hunting with Edward. Seems like when I need Kelly to be around, he’s off hunting... He is gone at the most inopportune times. That’s Kelly... Ha, nothing against my beloved, please don’t think that, it is something that happens every now and then. I am still tender about it.

Kerry and I fill a bowl with ice and water. Carol calls and says that the EMS said to wash my hands (I have thank you), apply Aloe Vera gel (I have Thanks) and yogurt or cottage cheese. Well, I have ricotta cheese. So I used it instead. Yep, you guessed it! It didn’t work! Next I tried milk, nope. In between trying some things, I still was soaking in ice water. Kerry put wet wash clothes in the freezer, they soothed a tad bit. I broke down and called the ER. I didn’t give my name and called on my cell. I live in a VERY small town, have lived here all my life and really didn’t want anyone to know what a BIG idiot I am. The ER nurse was very sweet and not at all condescending, I am sure I would have been laughing my tail off... Then ER Nurse advised me to soak my hands in white vinegar and take an antihistamine. Yea, that didn’t work either. I did keep popping the antihistamines hoping it would knock me out. So Kerry & I tried everything in the fridge. I tried salt water, brown paper bag soaked in vinegar, milk, milk with salt, buttermilk, honey, dog shampoo, you name it, I am sure I tried it.

I called the ER Nurse back around 10:30 pm, at this time I was literally in tears! I told her that the vinegar didn’t work, she advised me to call Poison Control and if they suggested to come into the ER to come. Now, going to the ER was not really something I wanted to do at 1st. But at this point I could have cared less who knew I was an idiot! I called poison control- now that lady was a tad bit sarcastic... Do I really blame her? Yes, at that point and time I did. Now? Heck NO. I hope she told everyone she knows! The snotty P.C. woman told me to try Mylanta and time. I tried to stress how extreme the pain was, did she care? NO! She said that the oil takes time to wear off and I would just have to give it time. TIME? Lady, my hands feel like they are going to burst into flames any minute now….. Ok, I did not say that to her but I wanted to! The P.C. lady asked my how old I was, I still had a little bit of humor in me and said “Old enough to know better”. We both laughed and she said, I won’t tell… 38 I tell her and thinking to myself, heck yea she is gonna be laughing about this one… Then she asked my zip code, I guess they have to have your age and zip for their records. Thank goodness she didn’t ask me for my name, I would have made up something! Ya’ll, I am an educated woman, feeling like the biggest stinking fool in the world. The Mylanta seemed to help at little and I do mean a little. By this time it was 11:00 pm and Kerry had to go to school. I sent her to bed and wallowed in self pity. Kelly finally came home around 11:30 pm with a 10 lb bag of ice. I loved ice at that moment. Frozen water = my friend.

Kelly stayed up with me till 1:00 am. He had to get some sleep; he had to go to work. I could, at least take a vacation day. Before he went to bed, He got me to try diaper rash cream… That didn’t work. He got the calamine lotion out too for me to try. I did eventually try that too, you guessed it. Nope! No work. By 5:00am I remembered I had some lye soap. I washed my hands at least 10 times in that stuff. I figured if it helped with sketter bites, it would do something. By 5:30 am, the burning had eased up enough that I could wrap the frozen wash clothes around my hands and go to sleep. Now, I am not sure if it was the lye soap or time but, it finally eased up. Oh, sleep, such a wonderful word. I had been up 24 hrs.

I like my sleep… I like having non-burning hands even better. I was going to take Kerry to school and her 1st day of being a sophomore. Couldn’t, knock out cold. I did at least kiss her good-bye and wish her luck. What kind of Mom am I? I was a drugged up on antihistamines and no sleep Mom, that is what I was! I slept all day! I got up right before Kerry got home from school and was back in bed at 8:00 pm.
So, for everyone reading… ALWAYS, no matter what, wear gloves when cutting up HOT peppers or you will suffer the same way I did! BEWARE, the pepper oil is EVIL. It’s all funny now but not then and I am still feeling a little bitter towards peppers especially Hot peppers! It even huts to pick my fingers to check my blood sugar!

EVIL!!!