Friday, September 18, 2009

What Next?

As our lives started to return to normal and I was breathing sighs of relief and hopefulness, there was another curve up ahead. In the grand scheme of things it probably isn't such a big deal but I can say, with all candor, it's got my undivided attention.

It's probably poison ivy. About a week ago, I went outside and weeded for a few minutes. My goal was to do a little every day.

Three days ago I had two little itchy bumps on my neck. Mr. Right thought they looked like mosquito bites but Mr. Right was Mr. Wrong this time. The next day the whole side of my neck seemed to be affected. And yesterday it had traveled to the other side of my neck and up into my cheek.

You would not believe the itching. It's so distracting that when I went to the doctor today, I could hardly follow what he was saying because I was desperate to claw at my neck and scratch it until it bled. Last night I couldn't think of anything else. When I tried not to touch it, I felt like I was battling an unseen but living entity who was determined to win some perverse test of wills that would result in my scratching my neck. And guess what. That unseen but living entity won. I couldn't have slept at all had I not given in and the most unfair part of the whole thing is that scratching helped. It was a relief!

Not to gross anybody out but here's what I'm up against:

I couldn't get a really sharp picture and I'm not sure I wanted to because, you know, all those wrinkles and all. But you get the idea, right?

Now that I think about it, this could be the answer to my prayers. It's one of the few things that could distract me from the unceasing family worries and concerns. Yesterday sixteen people were killed about a quarter of a mile from one of my Army guys. He heard and felt the explosion. If this is the answer to my prayers, then I welcome it. Because this will go away. The doctor said so. And I've got a cortisone shot and a prescription cream to help me through it. So this I can bear. This is okay. It's just a bump in the road that might help me get through the other worrisome things going on. For them, I put my faith in God. I'm not in charge and the rash will keep me from trying to be. This rash might be just what I need.

7 comments:

  1. Wow, what a blessing in disguise. Glad your Army guy is safe. Will keep him in my prayers.

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  2. Is one of your Army guys at war? Hope you start feeling better and stop that itching. I will keep you whole family in my prayers

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  3. This is such a great post and I'm sorry you have such an awful, itchy thing on your neck. I hope IT and every reason for anxiety soon goes away.

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  4. What a great post. You have put a whole new spin on itchy and scratchy. I hope it clears up soon and I'm keeping your men in my prayers.

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  5. Luke got poison ivy REALLY bad when Tommy was about a week old. It was all across his face, his ears, his chest, and his back, so when you posted the leaf picture yesterday, I just knew. It made for a really rough couple of weeks for us, but I like the spin you put on it.

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  6. Oh my goodness, it looks worse than I even imagined.....speaking of imagining, I cannot even come close to imagining how awful the itching is for you. I have had poison ivy before, a small patch here, a small patch there, and it drives me ABSOLUTELY INSANE.....I just can't imagine, it's making me itch just looking at it.

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  7. SMFD! I'm so sorry you had to deal with that on top of the other stessors in your life. I've had poison ivy bad before, and I know how unbelievably miserable it is. I'm glad it's getting better, though, and I hope you're able to get your gardens weeded without another incident.

    BIG HUGS, Mrs. H.

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