With a little polish...

Turns out it was the hook causing my skin reaction, instead of the yarn.  Called the man of the house at work and asked him to bring home some clear nail polish to coat the hooks (hope it works).  He asks where he would obtain such an item.  Sigh.  When he got home, he told me that next to the nail polish he saw something called "top coat" and asked whether he needed that, too.  I told him he's never going to be beautiful if he doesn't know these things.  He says that's just fine with him.  It's true, he's the sort that can wear pink and still look masculine.  :) 

So with my crochet hooks coated, I ordered a fairly inexpensive set with bamboo handles online.  I don't know if they'll be any good, but nail polish chips and wears off.  I also ordered some crochet gloves, so hopefully one or the other will solve this problem.  I'm usually the type to shrug it off and keep going, but it's getting pretty painful.  I'm going to have to take a break for a few days, I think.  Hopefully my reinforcements arrive soon so I can give my partial hippo the feet he deserves!