Week 7: Small Wins

1.20.13 Day 43: Dry and flaky face/neck/arms. I spent all of the hot water in the shower this morning trying to scrape off dead skin. I needed to take an olive oil bath a few hours later to soothe the scratches I created during my shower. Lots of pain this morning on my stomach and back. The kind of pain that feels like hot pin pricks all over. My neighbors are probably concerned because I spent the half hour it took for the Ibuprofen to kick in yelling in frustration.

1.21.13 Day 44: Less Ibuprofen was needed today :) although my forearms felt raw and painful (someone on the ITSAN forum described the feeling as having a horrible sunburn then scraping gravel over it).

Yeah it wasn't so fun to go and talk to people at work that day

1.22.13 Day 45-1.25.13 Day 48: My arms changed from bright red and raw to light pink and dry these days. I have been spending a lot of shower time scraping off insane amounts of dry skin.

much better than a few days ago!

No longer raw! Just red for now

raw armpit...fun

right arm dry and red

1.26.13 Day 49: my skin felt strong enough today to use a loofah in the shower! I am still scratching off tons of skin from my face/neck/chest each shower. I seem to be flaking dry skin with every move. I am constantly having dust off my shirt and have blow flakes off of my glasses that have fallen from my forehead. It is very attractive.

1.27.13 Day 50: Just feeling very dry today, otherwise I feel great. Celebrated 50 days steroid free with some pretty pink nails at my favorite salon.

Pink nails to match my pink (not red!) skin :)



It is amazing how drastically things can change from one day to the next with tsw. It is really hard to have a good attitude and stay optimistic about healing when you are at the peak of a flair. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Ethan to celebrate the little wins with me (like my arms being one shade less red, or only having to take one ibuprofen instead of all day).

Song for the week: Dear Jack - Jack's Mannequin

" Dear Hope, attach it to the end of your rope. A rope that wove ambition in with sorrow, distancing tomorrow, tomorrow's come and past....Dear Jack, Wherever you are, hold tight. Wherever He is, shile light tight there. Be strong I dare. I know it's hard but I will wait. I will wait."