In 2 days I will be 9 months done with TSW!!!! I am posting this now only because I work tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. While I have my 9 month anniversary off of work, I am not sure how I will feel that day....it may be quite a few days before blogging again. This will be my second week back to work full time. I work 3 twelve hour shifts as a nurse. The days are long and I know I will be exhausted. Last week was a week of mostly 8 hour days with 2 twelve hour shifts. Not sure, but I think the stress added to my recent semi-flare. A "semi-flare"? That is what I am calling this right now. I am now sure I am in a flare state, but it is still nothing compared to what I have gone through the first 8 months of TSW. I still have no oozing or swelling. Redness is slight on the neck and localized areas of itching. Currently the areas I itch and have burning skin are: the neck, inner thighs, low back, upper arms, chest, and right lower leg. The burning is again, nothing compared to the pain I suffered before. It is a surface burning - more of an irritation than anything. I can still go about my day easily. Every so often I have to use my Neosporin with pain relief to alleviate the burning - mostly when I go out in the cold. But it does not bring me down, nor make me think twice about doing anything. I currently am sitting in my bath robe with an ice pack around my neck - just because it takes the irritation away. When my neck was flaring for the first 8 months, I barely drove because the pain was so bad and so deep - I couldn't turn my neck to safely switch lanes. So when I say this is nothing, it truly is in comparison! Now, would I like to have perfectly clear skin on my body right now? Ummmm, YEAH! But I will take what I have now over the first 8 months!
So I still have lots of energy even though I went back to work....I was really scared I would be slumped on the couch on my days off from exhaustion. It was truly a busy first week especially with a viral thing going on! But I feel better and am now getting things done today. I had to drive my mom home (about 4 hours away) as she stayed here for the week to help out. It was so nice having her here! She cooked and cleaned and kept the kids in check! We had nice long talks and just had a really nice time. I think my flaring would be so much worse if she had not come to help! She has seen me during some bad times and noted how great my skin looked this week.
Oh....I was going to take pictures today, but my camera was not charged - so right now I am charging it and will hopefully get to taking pictures today or tomorrow before work. I like to keep up with the monthly pictures. :)
And another thing...I just caught up with all the new blogs out there! Holy moly!! I cannot believe how many more TSW warriors are blogging!!! It is so amazing! Both good and bad.....bad because so many people are suffering, but good because the more we get the word out, the more people will become aware of this horrible thing!! If by some chance you do not see your blog in my blog list, PLEASE send me a comment with your link! I want to make sure I keep up with everyone! It's going to get harder with working full-time, but I do read all your blogs, even if I do not always comment!!! Some days I read off my laptop that has the busted keyboard which makes typing so hard! Currently I am on the desk top, but it is not as convenient to use it because of the kids and their schooling. Hopefully I will get my laptop fixed SOON!
OK, off to whip up some cucumbers and cream (yum!!!) and to get in some exercising! :) Then to clean the kitchen and change the sheets on my bed (first time I went a whole 2 weeks without changing the sheets!!!). Disgusting I know, but without having any dead skin all over the sheets, I just plain didn't think of it!
So happy for you Tracy. Can't believe that we have made it this far already. (we'll be 8 months in a few short weeks).
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear things are better for you.
Hi Tracy, I just added your blog to my list. I hope you will add mine. I skimmed over most of your posts from start to end. I was initially going to comment on your Nov 14th thread but can't find it now for some reason. I read it first and then started reading from the beginning of your journey. I am glad you stopped moisturizing 10 days ago and feel if you stick with it for another week you will never put another thing on your skin again.
ReplyDeleteI read the different things you tried since the beginning and want to tell you that I could easily tell from the looks of your skin you were using moisturizers of some kind, before I even read your blog. I noticed it in the pics first so had to read quite a bit to see whether you did use you them or not for sure before commenting.
I've seen the same characteristics in everyone's pics that do tsw via moisturizing, including myself before I quit after 2 months. Please read my blog and comments from others who did MW to see the benefits of MW if you haven't already done so. I really hate seeing people suffer so much when it's so unnecessary. All moisturizers are bad for the skin if used long term and there is plenty of evidence that shows this to be true despite what we all grew up believing. By long term I mean over a week.
Moisturizing during tsw only keeps the open wounds on the skin from healing. It might not speed up tsw significantly, but combined with supportive diet and other things I'm sure it probably does. The most important thing about not using moisturizers during tsw is it allows the skin breaks to heal quickly and stay that way, which in turn reduces pain and increases comfort. Godspeed in your healing.
Dan - I can't find your blog on your google circle info. Can you give me the link?? Thanks!! I stopped over 3 weeks ago I think with the moisturizers....maybe longer. Need to go back in my blog to see exactly when.
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