We are almost ready to go--we're supposed to leave early tomorrow morning. (!) Still need to pack.....all the clothes, all the food, all the toys....looks like it will be a late night. Ben's truck is leaking oil after having a fuel injector replaced this week, so he's taking it to the shop right now. We have 30 minutes left before 5pm on a Friday--hope they can figure out what is leaking!
Earlier this month I scheduled all my maintenance appointments for right before our trip, so it was the dermatologist on Wednesday, the chriopractor on Thursday, and the spa today. I won a free pedicure at last month at a benefit dinner, so I paired that with a cut/color today for a whole morning of pampering. My favorite part was this cup of tea.
The salon also sells Bare Minerals makeup (which I've been interested in trying), so I used my 25% off coupon for a starter kit. Fun!
I'm hoping to have internet access in Crested Butte, but I sometimes go a month between posts here so you all might not even miss me! =)
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Traditional medicine
I was diagnosed with eczema as a toddler and have used topical steroids intermittently to control flare ups for most of my life. As I learned about and experienced some alternative therapies such as chiropractic care, muscle testing, supplements, essential oils, an anti-fungal diet, and the like, I had become turned off to the idea of using harsh chemicals on my body. Steroids can cause a host of problems like immune suppression, liver and kidney damage, weight gain, and thinning of the skin (if used topically). I was a bit disappointed that my parents had just given me the standard treatment instead of trying the more healthy, alternative route. Maybe all those years of steroid use had thinned my skin to where it wouldn't hold moisture and was more susceptible to flares.
So when I started having a flare up on my hands during the dry winter this year, I tried all sorts of natural remedies. Miracle Skin Salve, Burt's Bees, olive oil, Evening Primrose oil capsules, Young Living lotions and salves...and some not so natural ones, like Lubriderm, Eucerin, Vaseline.....and nothing was working. It was horrid. My hands itched all the time, and were red, swollen, cracked, and bleeding. I could get relief by running them under hot water to get a little histamine release, but that would just rob them of any moisture they did have and dry them out more. I compulsively scratched my hands until they bled. My daily tasks didn't help either--my hands were nearly constantly wet from doing dishes, laundry, washing after changing diapers, and bathing the kids. Same at work--12 hours of handwashing between patients was killing me. I used dishwashing gloves to protect my hands during chores but would sometimes forget to use them, and even if I did, I was still miserable. I was finally started using some leftover steroid cream, but it was low potency and didn't help much....and then I ran out of it!
Ben encouraged me to make an appointment with my dermatologist, which I didn't want to do because I knew what he would tell me. "Moisturize, avoid contact with water, and use this steroid cream." Why pay for him to tell me what I already knew? And I didn't really want to use the steroids. But I finally was desperate enough to make the appointment.
I was shocked when I went to the appointment and almost immediately started crying. I had been carrying this huge burden of ugly, painful, debilitating skin alone, and here was someone who would listen, empathize, and actually help me. I was unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion and rather embarrassed with myself. But I've taken care of enough patients to know that it's on the spectrum of normal to cry, and the practitioner doesn't think less of the patient for it.
I was right, the dermatologist told me to moisturize, avoid contact with water, and use a steroid cream. But within that, there were specifics he told me to try that I wouldn't have found on my own. He recommended Cetaphil lotion and soap, which have been working fabulously. He recommended that I swap household duties with my husband so my hands don't get wet as often (I think I'll stick with using dishwashing gloves!) And the steroid cream is....amazing. It is a potent formulation (level 2 of 7) called Desoximetasone. The itching went away in one day, the redness and swelling in two, and the cracks scabbed up and healed within four. I have five days left of a two week course and am thrilled with the results. I have reduced the application to once a day (instead of two) and hope to taper off of it to reduce the chance of another flare.
I know that there are significant side effects of topical steriod use and I don't want to minimize that. But, there are significant side effects of untreated eczema as well. Maybe my parents weren't wrong after all--maybe they did their best to take care of their little girl (thanks, guys!). And I have learned (relearned? remembered?) to not discount a therapy merely because it is traditional or has side effects, but rather to weigh the risks against the benefits.
So when I started having a flare up on my hands during the dry winter this year, I tried all sorts of natural remedies. Miracle Skin Salve, Burt's Bees, olive oil, Evening Primrose oil capsules, Young Living lotions and salves...and some not so natural ones, like Lubriderm, Eucerin, Vaseline.....and nothing was working. It was horrid. My hands itched all the time, and were red, swollen, cracked, and bleeding. I could get relief by running them under hot water to get a little histamine release, but that would just rob them of any moisture they did have and dry them out more. I compulsively scratched my hands until they bled. My daily tasks didn't help either--my hands were nearly constantly wet from doing dishes, laundry, washing after changing diapers, and bathing the kids. Same at work--12 hours of handwashing between patients was killing me. I used dishwashing gloves to protect my hands during chores but would sometimes forget to use them, and even if I did, I was still miserable. I was finally started using some leftover steroid cream, but it was low potency and didn't help much....and then I ran out of it!
Ben encouraged me to make an appointment with my dermatologist, which I didn't want to do because I knew what he would tell me. "Moisturize, avoid contact with water, and use this steroid cream." Why pay for him to tell me what I already knew? And I didn't really want to use the steroids. But I finally was desperate enough to make the appointment.
I was shocked when I went to the appointment and almost immediately started crying. I had been carrying this huge burden of ugly, painful, debilitating skin alone, and here was someone who would listen, empathize, and actually help me. I was unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion and rather embarrassed with myself. But I've taken care of enough patients to know that it's on the spectrum of normal to cry, and the practitioner doesn't think less of the patient for it.
I was right, the dermatologist told me to moisturize, avoid contact with water, and use a steroid cream. But within that, there were specifics he told me to try that I wouldn't have found on my own. He recommended Cetaphil lotion and soap, which have been working fabulously. He recommended that I swap household duties with my husband so my hands don't get wet as often (I think I'll stick with using dishwashing gloves!) And the steroid cream is....amazing. It is a potent formulation (level 2 of 7) called Desoximetasone. The itching went away in one day, the redness and swelling in two, and the cracks scabbed up and healed within four. I have five days left of a two week course and am thrilled with the results. I have reduced the application to once a day (instead of two) and hope to taper off of it to reduce the chance of another flare.
I know that there are significant side effects of topical steriod use and I don't want to minimize that. But, there are significant side effects of untreated eczema as well. Maybe my parents weren't wrong after all--maybe they did their best to take care of their little girl (thanks, guys!). And I have learned (relearned? remembered?) to not discount a therapy merely because it is traditional or has side effects, but rather to weigh the risks against the benefits.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Six random things...
....about me. (I've been tagged by Rebecca)
1. I have a half eaten bag of wasabi peas in my backpack right now.
2. I have come love the essay at the back of Time magazine. There were a few essays this spring that struck a chord with me, as in, "I thought I was the only one who thought that handing out an economic stimulus would be like giving a drink to a drunk." or, "'Going green' is about selling a lifestyle, and what will really help the planet is better, easier technology". Now, as soon as I get a fresh copy, I flip straight to the back and devour it, then go back and browse the rest.
3. I need about as much sleep as my children. As in, 9 to 10 hours a day, possibly with an extra nap.
4. I'm a sucker for packaging, especially if it's color coded. Show me a cute starter kit of gDiapers with everything I need to start!, and I'm sold. Or a set of four Clorox wipes containers each in a different color for each room in the house! I've resisted these for a while. I don't know how much longer I can hold out.
5. One of my favorite things to do at work is give warm blankets to patients. They always say, "Ahhhh!", snuggle up, and relax a little. Almost as good as drugs.
6. I love my hubby. He did a ride-along with the fire department last Saturday. It was a fairly busy shift and they transported several patients to the ER where I work. So during my next shift, I went around and asked all my coworkers, "Did you see Ben? How did he do? Isn't he great?" I felt like I was in high school again, gossiping about my cute crush. =)
I'm tagging: Jen, Beth, Nalani, Ma Torg, Seen by Mercy, and anyone else who wants to play!
1. I have a half eaten bag of wasabi peas in my backpack right now.
2. I have come love the essay at the back of Time magazine. There were a few essays this spring that struck a chord with me, as in, "I thought I was the only one who thought that handing out an economic stimulus would be like giving a drink to a drunk." or, "'Going green' is about selling a lifestyle, and what will really help the planet is better, easier technology". Now, as soon as I get a fresh copy, I flip straight to the back and devour it, then go back and browse the rest.
3. I need about as much sleep as my children. As in, 9 to 10 hours a day, possibly with an extra nap.
4. I'm a sucker for packaging, especially if it's color coded. Show me a cute starter kit of gDiapers with everything I need to start!, and I'm sold. Or a set of four Clorox wipes containers each in a different color for each room in the house! I've resisted these for a while. I don't know how much longer I can hold out.
5. One of my favorite things to do at work is give warm blankets to patients. They always say, "Ahhhh!", snuggle up, and relax a little. Almost as good as drugs.
6. I love my hubby. He did a ride-along with the fire department last Saturday. It was a fairly busy shift and they transported several patients to the ER where I work. So during my next shift, I went around and asked all my coworkers, "Did you see Ben? How did he do? Isn't he great?" I felt like I was in high school again, gossiping about my cute crush. =)
I'm tagging: Jen, Beth, Nalani, Ma Torg, Seen by Mercy, and anyone else who wants to play!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Forgetting the Dry Ice
Note to self:
When the checker at Walmart sees your 4 half-gallons of ice cream, balloons, and streamers, and deduces that you're having a party, and asks, "Would you like some dry ice?", don't try to be polite and say, "No thanks, I'll just use regular ice." Doesn't work. Birthday cake will be drowning in ice cream soup. The ease of scooping it doesn't justify the lack of texture or incredible mess. =)
For other "Doesn't work for me" tips, visit Rocks in my Dryer. (Not Dreyer's!)
When the checker at Walmart sees your 4 half-gallons of ice cream, balloons, and streamers, and deduces that you're having a party, and asks, "Would you like some dry ice?", don't try to be polite and say, "No thanks, I'll just use regular ice." Doesn't work. Birthday cake will be drowning in ice cream soup. The ease of scooping it doesn't justify the lack of texture or incredible mess. =)
For other "Doesn't work for me" tips, visit Rocks in my Dryer. (Not Dreyer's!)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Update on GJFD
Ben passed his physical agility test last week with the best time of the day, and also did very well on his written exam. The next and most important step will be the interview, which he has scheduled for a late Friday afternoon in June (hopefully the EMT instructors won't mind him missing one Friday, since the whole point of taking the class is to get hired with the City of Grand Junction). Thank you for your prayers!
Spring
Experiencing all of the repeating joys of spring this year--the smell of the Russian olive, the warmer days, my beautiful children playing outside, the sunlight on the carpet--makes me realize how down and depressed I was last year. Abby was a few months old, a delight unfolding before my eyes, and I could barely contain my sadness and negativity. I experience the same stimuli this year and as I brace for the sadness....waiting....I realize with relief that instead I am enjoying the smells, the warmth, the beauty, the expectation. Thank you, Lord!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
