More than you want to know

I have always had weird skin issues. Ring worm, sun poisoning, strange rashes for no apparent reason--you name it, I've had it. About 10 years ago, I discovered some weird looking spots along my bra-line and on my back. The first doctor I saw told me I had the "Michael Jackson disease", where patches of skin lose their pigment. That is what it looks like--strange white splotches. They don't itch. The second doctor I saw told me to put some dandruff shampoo on the spots and they would go away. Finally a dermatologist diagnosed it as some kind of micro-organism that lives on everybody, but grows fungus on particularly "good hosts". She prescribed some anti-fungal cream. Even applying it twice a day, it was months before the spots went away.

About a year later they came back. I saw a different dermatologist who gave me some potent pill that came with all kinds of warnings. I took it twice, and the fungus was gone. A few years later, it was back. Another dermatologist, another anti-fungal cream. And so on.

A few months ago, it came back. My new dermatologist prescribed a new anti-fungal cream (surprise!). Then, about a month ago, I noticed some new splotches on my belly. This time the splotches were red. I didn't think much of it, just continued using the cream. After a week, I realized that the red splotches had really spread, much faster than the white ones ever do. "I should make an appointment to see Dr. Phelps," I thought to myself. A week passed. We went away for the fourth. By the time I put on my bathing suit, the red splotches were all over my stomach, and creeping up my chest towards my neck. As soon as we got back I called the doctor. I have an appointment on Friday.

In the meantime, the splotches are multiplying rapidly. They now cover my back and neck and creep down the underside of my arms. There is one splotch on my chin, and I think it is growing. That's right, I have fungus growing on my face. And guess what else? These splotches itch! I mean--really, really itch! And I know that by scratching them I'm just encouraging them to spread, but I can't help myself. As I'm sitting here, my neck and arms are burning up they itch so badly.

However, because I would rather have fungus growing on my face than go to the doctor's office with both kids in tow, I wait until Friday, when Isaac will be in pre-school, and I'll just have to lug Vivian with me.

Why am I telling you this? I don't know. A cry for sympathy, I suppose. Or maybe I thought if I blogged about it, I would stop thinking about it, and if I stop thinking about it, maybe I can STOP SCRATCHING.