February Month 27

2.2.15

2.18.15 

I have been taking showers evey morning because my face/neck have been so flaky. (This is not easy while entertaining a four month old at the same time :) ). But today I didn't have to!!!! My wrists and hands hve been crazy raw and flaky and have been wrapped up almost 24/7 all month but they seem to be getting a little better slowly. Still not feeling as good as I have before but I feel like this flair is easing up SLOWLY. 

Month 26...Sucks

1.10.15

I feel like I am back at the beginning. I am oozing again, which hasn't happened in two years. I wonder if this would have happened on its own or if my post partum crazy hormones/stress of moving cross country caused this. (The placenta produces cortisol, so I am wondering if this is a rebound flair now that I am placenta-less?). If so will the be the case with future pregnancies :(? Praying that this flair dies down soon. 

1.12.15

Weighed myself this morning and I am at my pre-pregnancy weight at 14 weeks post partum! Thanks breastfeeding because I definately haven't been working out. (Also having a baby that will cry if you try to sit down to hold him helps :). Ethan and I have started to incorporate more paleo recipes into our meal plans. Hopefully this will help my skin since processed foods make me itch. 

Please excuse the postpartum belly 

As much as I can remember from the last year

My apologies for how long it took me to update. I promise to try and do better. Anyways, 2014 was a crazy year! Here is my best try at remembering how my skin was doing:

Month 14 - January 2014 

My skin was pretty red and raw. I still didn't have much movement in my neck or arms. Ethan and I went hiking for my birthday (my first workout in a while!). We had to stop several times because I would get itchy when I would get too hot.

Month 15 - February 2014 

Ethan and I were so excited to find out that we were expecting! Baby is due October 9th.We were living with Ethan's mom at the time I moved in with my mom (until the wedding). My skin started to improve though. Looking back, Ethan's mom likes to clean here home with strong chemicals and use scented detergent. Once I was away from the chemicals things started getting better

Month 16 - March 2014 

Month 17 - April 2014  

I quit my job at the hotel so that I could wedding plan then work one last summer at camp. Getting away from the harsh cleaning chemicals at work also helped my skin start to clear. 

Month 18 - May 2014 

Ethan and I were married on May 3rd. The ceremony and reception were perfect! My skin behaved for the most part, there were rough red patches on my chest and arms/hands. Luckily Ethan loves me anyways :) We honeymooned in California and my skin behaved for a while, but by the end it was tears after every shower again (thanks a lot hotel cleaning chemicals). You can see where my hands were still pretty nasty in the wedding pictures.

this picture will not be making it into the photo album

Month 19 - June 2014 

Ethan left for officer candidate school (four months of just writing letters :( ) My skin continued to improve slowly. 

Month 20 - July 2014 

My skin was doing really well. I was even able to swim in a chlorinated pool regularly (with a shower immediately after). 

Month 21 - August 2014

I flew to Rhode Island for Ethan's OCS graduation. He mentioned right away how soft my hands were :) by this time my skin was pretty awesome, I did pack my own sheets and pillowcases to be safe at the hotel though.  

Month 22 - September 2014

Month 23 - October 2014 

Happy Birthday Henry! TSW has made me very weary of doctors and unnecessary medications/interventions so we chose to have an unmedicated birth at birth center with a midwife and doula rather than a hospital (I had a healthy low risk pregnancy).

Month 24 - November 2014 

Ever since Henry's birth my skin started acting up, starting with the crooks of my arms. 

Month 25 - December 2014 

December 9th marks two years steroid free! This month we moved cross country for Ethan's training. By the end of the month I am red and raw in my face, chest, arms and behind my shoulders. My stomach is covered in red patches. 

Month 13 Christmas and New Years and a thousand showers

This post has been in my drafts for a year?! So here is what was going on in November/December of 2013 

ONE YEAR DOWN!

Month 12 the most denial filled bitter sweet month so far. Going into this I was so sure that I would be done within the year. I was healing so well and more and more skin was clear, then BAM neck is oozing and cracking, arms are red sleeves again, stomach is patchy again, and legs are getting worse. My neck was the worst the ooze smell was unbearable and I had no mobility whatsoever. At home I tied a silky robe around my neck and prayed that it would not stick and have to be ripped off and at work I moved like a robot, unable to move my head or extend my arms. Then comes Dec 9, my one year anniversary which was spend being depressed and discouraged. I do not know what I would do without the kind words and support of the ITSAN community, their willingness to give encouragement over and over is what got me through the day.

11/28/13 Day 355 

Notice how I look awkward and creepy I'm this picture, that would be because we had just run a 5k and my skin was not happy about it. (Please ignore thre very classy orange sports bra showing through my shirt)

12/2/13 Day 359

12/3/13 Day 360

12/9/13 day 366 1 Year Topical steroid free!

Song of the week: "Skinny Love" cover by Gavin Mikhail. "Come on skinny love just last the year, pour a little salt, we were never here...Come on skinny love what happened here? Suckle on the hope in light brassieres my my my my my my my my, Sullen load is full slow on the spit. And I told you to be patient and I told you to be fine, and I told you to be balanced and I told you to be kind"