Pictures....

I'm really at a place where I just don't mind my skin at all.  My hands are to a place where washing dishes and taking showers do not bother them at all.  I've worked the last few weekends without any flaring or worsening of my hands.  In fact no mini flares in about 2 weeks....I had to go back in my blog to find out when my last mini flare was...I wrote on 3/14 that I had had a small mini flare on my neck a few days prior so that would put me at around 2 weeks mini-flare free. And of course no major flare in over 5 months. No complaints here. Sleeping is good, energy is good, life is great!  As the pictures show below, sores are still healing...more quickly on my hands than ankles.  Chin still slightly irritated looking, but doesn't itch.   Everywhere else is nice and clear.  Back is all cleared up. Legs are wonderful.  Arms have some dryness but previously irritated areas are nearly all cleared up.  Just have my hands and ankles and one tiny dime sized spot just above my belly button.  I'm really looking forward to wearing short sleeves this summer!!!! :)

This shot is whited out a bit....skin tone is like my right hand below.

Both hands are white/pink in color....note the tanned wrist....my hands are only tanning on a few fingers.  Otherwise I think more healing is needed to get my skin tone and texture back to normal.  Note my right foot in the top of picture....top of right foot is finally sore free....the white/pink areas are the scarred areas.

Left inner ankle....seems no different than last picture a week or so ago...still itches from time to time, but hasn't oozed in ages and there is no more swelling. 

That's it folks....I think this is the final weeks of my TSW. Going to give it another month or two, but if I remain flare  free then I think I can declare myself healed in about 2 months.  That will put me at 7.5  months free of major flaring, and 10 weeks free of mini-flares.  My mini-flares have been very consistent over the last 5-6 months....decreasing in length and areas affected.  They went from lasting 2 weeks affecting 3-4 problem areas to lasting 15-20 minutes affecting a dime sized area.  And in 2 weeks, nothing. My surface dryness here and there causes some itching, but nothing I even think about.  Haven't had any blood spots on my clothes or sheets. And my temperature issue seems all back to normal....haven't had a hot/cold flash in well over 2 weeks. I have been on 2 major road trips during the last few months and planning on another one soon. I don't pack anything special...no ice packs, no extra clothes, nada.  In fact I didn't even bring my supplements for the last getaway.  I almost feel like apologizing for being so upbeat....as I know how horrible it feels during the really bad days.  But I am bringing hope to all of you!  I never expected to feel so good at 13 months after using TS for 30 years consistently.  And the good thing is I have felt good for the last 5 months!  I no longer feel this is a long break....I know others have had up to 6 months of a break before flaring again. But the average break seems to be between 2-4 months. So a big part of me feels healed.  There is that 0.01% left in me wondering if I will flare again.  Time will tell! (And so will I if I do flare).