But with it now, slowly ebbing away, I don't want to forget what it was like because when it happens, the shock can be frightening and it can make you wonder if it ever will go away.
So here, in public view, are my memories of what I had. I fully acknowledge that what I went through is nothing compared to what other have gone through and go through every day, but I want to encourage anyone who stumbles upon the blog entry to know that if you don't normally suffer from the condition, but you got it bad right now, there's every chance it will go away.
It started with the itch, and I can promise you that there's nothing that compares with scratching an eczmatic itch. It didn't seem so bad on that first day, but when I woke up with blood on my bedsheets and deep red skin all over my torso, I guessed something was up.
I started trying my limited supply of hydrocortisone but it was like the jet fighters against the aliens in Independence Day - it just wasn't enough to handle this kickass invasion.
I got advice to moisturise and moisturise and moisturise and moisturise. This is what I did and while it slowed down the rash's progress, it didn't make it better.
Hot days were bad because the rash was all over and into my back so I couldn't sit comfortably in my car to drive because it would get hot, sweat and then sting like there were needles being pushed out through my skin (yes, out).
In some ways, nights were worse because I'd have to 'grease up' and wear a t-shirt to bed and that meant feeling too hot to sleep. Sometimes, I'd wake up to find myself sitting on my bed with lumps of dead skin under my nails and a horrible feeling in my back and shoulders... A feeling like someone had just gouged out a bunch of skin.
I remembered back when I was around 19, when I had my last flare-up, and some exclusive ointment from a pharmasist in Carmarthen cleared me up in three days. I tried to get hold of it and my parents tried to get hold of it but it took more than a week. One memory that sticks in my mind is that of being at the pharmasist's and being able to see jars of the ointment on the shelf but because my ordered lot hadn't arrived, I couldn't have any! The desperation was so intense, I even considered shoplifting! I did offer to pay double, but that wasn't acceptable either.
I got some in the end and, greasy though it was, I started using it and although I didn't get it fixed in three days, it did start to make it better.
Last Saturday, I fixed on trying my luck at asking some Chinese herbalists for help. They gave me some ointment and tablets to try. It cost... A lot. But over this last week, I have seen improvement; my skin isn't as red, I can sit in my car and handle heat better. I don't itch as much and I'm able to walk on a warm day.
I still try and keep my clothes few and loose, but things are getting better. Yet, I have found that where the redness was, dryness now is. This dead skin falling off has made me shower twice a day (instead of my usual once) and is a little distressing, but I guess it's a sign of healing - but waking up to a neck that looks like it's about to crack like dry mud isn't exactly something that makes me feel sexy.
As I said, it's getting better, slowly, and so I can do little more than hope and drink more Goats' milk.
Thank you for reading.
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