Before I begin, I would like to clarify that I am not a doctor and I understand that most of you are also not doctors who specialize in skin rashes and I am certainly not asking for any diagnosis, just opinions, since these moths have gotten out of hand.

Janelle, my wife was working in our backyard yesterday like a mad woman. She was weeding and mowing and skipping through the meadow because we're so happy it's summer and also that we have our own place.

I was inside, airing myself out upstairs in the only room that currently has air conditioning and I hear, "Oh my god babe! Babe! I think I have shingles!" So, I wait for her to come upstairs, because I was way to comfortable to jump up from my spot.

She enters the room and there it is, a huge rash on her neck and all over her back. But I instantly knew it was not shingles, because at one point in life, I had experience with that and it was something different.

Fast forward to this morning, after an incredibly uncomfortable night for her, as for me, I slept soundly thank you.

Matt and I were on-air this morning, I spoke about the situation and a caller asked us if we considered this to be Brown Tale Moth? It immediately clicked.

If you don't know what brown tale moth is let me fill you in. According to the Maine CDC, these specific moths have,

..tiny poisonous hairs that cause dermatitis similar to poison ivy on sensitive individuals. People may develop dermatitis from direct contact with the caterpillar or indirectly from contact with airborne hairs. The hairs become airborne from either being dislodged from the living or dead caterpillar or they come from cast skins with the caterpillar molts.

As of right now, we do not know if this is, in fact what Janelle is suffering from but it is quite possible, especially from the raise of these moths and rashes on so many Mainers.

The article continues on to say, 

Most people affected by the hairs develop a localized rash that will last for a few hours up to several days but on some sensitive individuals the rash can be severe and last for several weeks. The rash results from both a chemical reaction to a toxin in the hairs and a physical irritation as the barbed hairs become embedded in the skin. Respiratory distress from inhaling the hairs can be serious.

Maine CDC

Now, as I said before, I am not doctor or gynecologists', but if you've had experience with Brown Tail Moth, does this look similar?

If it continues, we will obviously go to a doctor, but for now I am making her take a calamine oatmeal bath, which she will hate because oatmeal is to her as mayonnaise it to so many of you, bad.

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