Self-help

It's been a while.  I wish I could say I was better but frankly if I am it's not better enough to make me dance with joy.

I've been back to the doctor - an actual doctor this time, the previous two consultations were with nurse practitioners - with infected hands that were oozing clear brown fluid.  I'd already had 2 lots of antibiotics since October and I really didn't want more, so she prescribed me a combined antibiotic/steroid cream to rub into them.  It was supposed to be twice a day, and I did do that for a couple of days, but then I switched to just once at night, because with it on during the day I was terrified to touch anything, especially my animals.  I'd get up each morning and wash them before I could contaminate anyone or anything with the dreaded steroids!  I'm probably a bit anal about it, but I have no idea where the safe limit is, so feel compelled to practice zero tolerance of the vile stuff.

It worked, the infection cleared and eventually I was able to stop using it.  But my skin is so fragile.  The slightest thing tears it or causes it to split.  I dare not crochet, holding a book is something I have to do very carefully - all those sharp edges! - and even typing has to be done gently because my finger ends are shredded.  My nails are starting to distort, and the skin flaking is happening under them, so I am fearful that I may lose them at some point.

I saw a dermatologist at my local hospital, and asked for a referral for patch testing.,  That will happen starting the 23rd of this month.  It's a 5-day process with 3 visits total, then back to my little local hospital to decide where we go from here based on the results.  The doctor I saw was keen to prescribe more steroid cream, but I said no.  I've had 2 lots, it's not a cure and it's damaging to the skin.  I'll try to manage without.

I'm still buying as much organic food as I can afford, but money's getting tight.  My income is under £350 a month now that I've had to give up cleaning, and just my monthly standing orders total £400.  That's before buying any food, petrol, dog food and everything else one needs to live.  I've also been spending money trying to help myself to heal.  Probiotics to last 2 months was nearly £30; I also bought vitamin D because someone said it helped their son, and Citricdial grapefruit seed extract as an immunity-strengthener.

It's been suggested that I may be reacting to a common preservative used in personal care and cleaning products, Methylisothiazolinone or MI for short.  It's causing the most unpleasant damage in some people and should be banned, but it's cheap and popular with manufacturers, so it won't be.  Anyway, I am working to eliminate it from my life just in case.  As it seems likely that exposure to cleaning products and antibac hand wash started this whole ghastly business off, this strikes me as a prudent step.

To that end I've bought Eco-balls to replace washing liquid/powder in my washing machine.  I stopped using fabric softener ages ago, using white vinegar instead, which works fine.  In theory at least I shouldn't even need to use that with the eco-balls.  We'll see.  I've also bought spray bottles and am making a general purpose cleaning fluid with water, white vinegar and a couple of drops of essential oil (lavender, lemon or mint).  It's supposed to have a squirt of safe washing up liquid in it too, but I only have the unsafe kind, so I'll wait until I can get some.  It will probably have to be by post, because hey this is Bognor, we have no truck with such hippyish items as wu liquid that doesn't strip the skin from your bones here!

I've also bought safe shampoo (and wear vinyl gloves while I use even that) and the ingredients to make my own body wash and skin lotion.  No chemicals, just plant extracts.

It's costing a fortune.  And it may not make any difference anyway.  But once the swelling goes down, I'll be crossing my fingers that it does.