Itch, Itch, Itch, and 3 Hours of Sleep!

Another night of constant severe itching!!!!  It drove me bonkers because by 4 am I was beyond exhausted - I would fall asleep for all of 15-20 minutes, wake up again itching like mad.  I had to get up early for specific errands that needed to be done so I got all of 3 hours of sleep if that.  I would have gotten 1-2 more hours if I was able to take Benadryl, but hubby was away for yesterday and today so I don't like to medicate myself for sleep when I am home alone with the kids.  It is just a safety thing for me. 

BUT, the awesome, amazing news is NO BROKEN SKIN!!  I itched liked mad, scratched all over, but no new open areas - I think I scratched one or two scabs in my sleep causing a little bit of blood, but that is all!!!  I cannot believe the difference in my skin!!!  It still looks dark pink, light red, has scratch marks and lichened skin, and of course flakes of dead skin everywhere.  But it feels better in so many areas - except for the ITCH!  Ugh, I cannot believe how maddening it is!  Even though I know it is a good sign, there is only so much one can take!  I am hoping for 1-2 days of a break without the intense itch - that would be sooooo lovely!  I know I am going to flare again - maybe in a few days, maybe not.  Maybe I will luck out and not flare for another few weeks, like some TSW warriors at around this stage. 

I cannot believe I have made it 4 months already!  It will be exactly 18 weeks tomorrow!  WOW!  I am feeling significantly better mentally and fatigue wise since I started the strict no gluten, no sugar, no dairy diet.  The juicing is going well too.  My next addition is exercise.  I am in desperate need of exercise!  I plan to start walking soon in the mornings.  Maybe a little yoga in the evenings.  Nothing fancy or strict.  Just want to get moving again - something that will also help my adrenals.  The fatigue really took its toll on me the first 3 months - I tried walking but couldn't do it.  It was too much being outside - whether hot, warm, or cold, the air on my skin was unbearable for too long.  We live on a small mountain - big hill, so we get a good breeze most days.  NOT good for my skin - it burned too much.  Today I took a stroll to the back of our property to check on the strawberries.  I took my jacket off and let my arms get all of 5 minutes of sun.  It didn't bother me at all!  The air, the breeze, the warmth - it all felt OK. 

I keep meaning to get to all my TSW warrior blogs - but with so little sleep I am off to nap.  I am determined to get my blog up to date with all warrior blogs and to see how everyone is doing!   Also, cannot take pics until tomorrow as hubby has the camera.  Hopefully my break continues so I can capture this great moment!