Excema

I've never had cancer.I've never had heart surgery.
I've never had an emergency c-section, or had an eardrum burst.
I'm not allergic to sunscreen.
I'm not allergic to milk or shellfish.
I'm not allergic to anything, actually.
I've never had surgery; I still have my tonsils and wisdom teeth.

But I have excema. And I've struggled with it my whole life. Most people outgrow it, but I think my 20 year history with it shows it's not going anywhere.

The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions. These include dryness and recurring skin rashes that are characterized by one or more of these symptoms: redness, skin edema (swelling), itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding.

I've tried soaking my hands in salt water.
I've tried slathering them in Bag Balm and sleeping with socks on my hands.
I've tried Aquafor, Hydrocortisone, Cow Udder Cream, Eucerin, Burts Bees, diaper rash creams, steroid cream, and most recently, Witch Hazel lotion, among many many others.

My roommates have continually laughed and/or teased me about how I'll subconciously itch my hands and legs, and how I'll itch them in my sleep. I've woken up with blood running down my arms before because I've been itching all night.

And when I shave my legs, I shave off all these little scabs all over. Its lovely, I tell you.

So don't tease me. I can't help it. It hurts really bad and it itches and burns all day long. I try slathering them in lotion but that can only take me so far. I hope someday to live in a humid climate where there will be more moisture in the air to help heal the cracks in my hands and the scabs all over my legs.

However, I am grateful for my skin. It still functions, even with rashes and gashes and cuts and itchy burning. It helps me achieve my goals and daily tasks.