A Double-Edged Sword … PART 1 As I sit here writing, my skin is itching. Yes, it is eczema season again but despite the struggle I am eternally grateful. Grateful not only to be alive but also to be Covid free. The past year has been a year of unprecedented challenges. A year when wearing a mask and social distancing became the “new norm.” A year of death and untold sorrow. A year of perspectives, where being alive even with challenges like eczema, is a tremendous blessing. A year of struggling with a new and vicious pandemic, COVID-19. Not only can COVID-19 be deadly but it is a “wicked” disease. It seems that it not only physically affects those it invades, but it has psychological effects as well. It is a complex and devastating disease that has both the medical experts and the world at large in confusion. My heart goes out to those who have lost family members to this deadly disease and to those who are still dealing with the aftereffects of contracting it. ...
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My Journey with Eczema (Part 8)
Little did I know how severely this condition would change my life…. Life with eczema is very different from life before eczema. Simple activities that you did without giving them a thought now take on new meaning. I would not describe myself as an extremely outgoing person but I do enjoy going to the mall, seeing a movie and taking a walk in the park. Then came eczema. During a flare -up, each time I went outdoors during the day my symptoms got worse. My social life came to a literal stand-still. However, eczema is not an end, it is just a bump on the road of life. With some creativity we can still enjoy life. I noticed that going outdoors at nights did not worsen my symptoms, so I would stay in during the daytime and go out at nights. For example, I would put out the garbage and go to the supermarket at nights. My journey with eczema has reminded me that we should not take the simple things in life for granted. So, my advice to everyone is to stop ...
My Journey with Eczema (Part 7)
“Hope is a light that shines like the sun”, a line from a song, but it speaks to the heart of us all especially those of us experiencing challenges. On this journey with eczema we need hope. On this journey with eczema there is hope. Hope keeps us alive. Hope helps us to find ways to enjoy life while on our journey. Hope helps us to embrace our illness. Hope helps us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, our journey is long and we cannot prevent the circumstances that cause us stress but we certainly can control how we react. When I had the long flare- up I was extremely concerned. I had my good days and my bad days but overall, I decided I was going to do what I could to lessen my stress level. I always loved music so during my break-out I found that listening to music was calming. During the days I would listen to music. At nights when I was unable to sleep because of the itching, I would listen to music. I listened to reggae, rock...
My Journey with Eczema (Part 6)
Words can heal but they can also hurt…. A well- meaning friend on seeing the severity of my rashes once said that I looked like I had leprosy! Although she did not intentionally mean to hurt me, she did. Sometimes we speak without thought but my advice is always be careful what you say to someone who is suffering from any illness. It is not because we are thin skinned but when you are ill it is not only physically painful but it can be emotionally draining as well. Words are powerful. A seemingly simple thought can cause the spirit of an ill person to either soar like an eagle or sink like a ship. I can recall Bev whose daughter suffered from eczema as a child. Bev gave me hope. She said her daughter’s symptoms were just as bad as mine. Today her daughter no longer suffers from eczema. But I will forever remember Bev’s actions even more than what she said. While she spoke, she held unto my eczema -filled hands, gently stroking them. She didn’t c...
My Journey with Eczema (Part 5)
With eczema you cannot help but to be very self-conscious. When persons stare at you it makes you uncomfortable. In order to lessen the stares, I wear long sleeve blouses. This prevents the stares but it presents another problem. The problem is that some fabrics irritate your rash. So, you basically get rid of one problem but another presents itself. Unfortunately, that's life with eczema. With eczema you don’t get a break. If it's not one thing it's another. Therefore, you just have to be resilient and creative. To minimize the discomfort of wearing long sleeve clothing I try to make a note of the fabrics not to wear. This can be a little frustrating especially when you go to the store to buy clothing, but we have to do what we have to do. Another challenge we face is that when our body temperature rises the itch gets worse. This makes wearing long sleeve during the summer days quite difficult. So, then we have a tough choice to make. We have to decide...
My Journey with Eczema (Part 4)
PART 4 Pretty skin is always in, but not for those of us who suffer from eczema… Eczema causes scars that may not fade and even if they do it will take time and a lot of effort. A friend after seeing my hands asked me whether I would be left with permanent scars. I responded with false bravado, “I hope not”, while deep down I was already worrying about that. But along with the physical effects, eczema can also be emotionally draining. It is stressful to be filled with itchy, oozing rashes. These rashes demand your attention 24 hours per day. You have to be constantly trying to find ways to soothe them. When the area becomes dry the itch gets worse but on the other hand when you apply too much eczema cream it also itches like crazy. So, our dilemma is to try and strike a balance. It i...