Before I left Northern Ireland, I had a tiny little bother on my hand. Nothing serious, nothing I could see really. It was just a small itch between the knuckles of my pinkie and ring finger on my right hand. And when you have an itch... you scratch! Well, I do anyway.
The itch didn't go away though. In fact, it seemed to be getting worse. In fact it got so bad that I was actually scratching until bleeding! By that time other itches had sprung up as well, on my left hand this time. In the end, and after another bleeder, I headed to see the doctor who prescribed me some very oily salve/ointment/cream. High in whatever hormones, they seemed to do the trick. Albeit leaving me with greasy hands*.
Fast forward a few days and the hands are doing fine. They are starting to heal and look nice again, especially the right (which looked awful). And where I wore gloves the first time I worked at the shelter, the second time that wasn't necessary anymore.
However...
I would have been better off with a complete bodysuit I think. Because on the evening of my second day at the shelter, I started to have an itch. And as I felt around for it, I realised it wasn't the itch I had had on my hands. This was a different itch. I showed my mum who told me to show my dad. Both said: shingles. Not what I wanted to hear because I still hear the horror stories of my mum who had to deal with a bout last year.
This morning however, it didn't look like shingles to either my mum or my dad and personally I don't think it's that either. I think it's something to do with little critters. As in fleas, mosquitoes and the like. And boy, did they get me!**
I have five on my chest that itch. I have five around my waist that seem to be okay-ish. I have two in my neck that sometimes itch. I have two on my leg that itch. Plus one on my wrist. Oh, and the one hidden beneath my sock. And for the fun of it: I just found another one on my wrist!!
When I have an itch, I want to scratch. I shouldn't, but I am (apparently) only human...
*It was deemed to be a case of eczema, something I have never suffered from before.
** I react quite violently to bites, not just a tiny prick, but a massive red and swollen area that itches terribly.
All photos taken at the Orchid Farm
I nose just what you mean Mara, if it itches you just HAVE to scratch!!! I am totally on your side with that one butt, a word of warning, if you scratch too much the next thingy that happens will be a dose of anti flea oil on the back of your neck...urghhh that's horrid stuff.
ReplyDeleteLoves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
Hari om
ReplyDeleteOccupational hazard!!! Possibly the shelter needs to think about serious fumigation. Unpleasant but necessary when animals in numbers, especially the ferals. Deary me...YAM xx (ps - shingles is not just itcy, but very painful like toothache too...)
Occupational hazard or not, if this is going to be so every time, I am going to be in trouble. I always react quite violently to any type of insect bite and having to use copious amounts of healing cream that I can only get on doctor's orders is not my idea of fun!
DeleteAccording to the doctor's assistant: 'shingles was not so bad, it itches a bit, but once the blisters are gone I would be okay again'. She has obviously learnt this from a book and never spoken to a person who has had shingles (my mum has and it was extremely painful for several months even).
I'm glad it wasn't shingles. I have had two different sets of shots over the years for shingles. I hope to never get them.
ReplyDeleteDo you wear any jewelry? Some people are very allergic to nickle that is in some kinds of jewelry. Some types of cleaning products and perfumes have scents in them that people can be allergic to as well. (Even smelling perfume makes my ghostwriter break out in hives! My Joanna gets asthma attacks from the scent of lavender, and the cheap laundry soap her annoying and inconsiderate next door neighbor uses.) A flea bite is what it could be too. Put some hydrocortisone cream on it and/or antibiotic ointment. It's definitely not shingles or else you would have weepy blisters and a LOT of pain. Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI never wear any jewelry. Being a bus driver also means on occasion having to lug bags and suitcases about and rings and such might get caught. If I do wear any, it's proper silver and nothing cheap.
DeleteI will see my gp tomorrow and hopefully he will prescribe something that I can use to alleviate the urge to scratch scratch scratch!
Sorry for your troubles, but TG it wasn’t shingles.
ReplyDeleteOh no - sorry for the itchy frustration! I suffer from psoriasis when I am not on meds so I know exactly where you are coming from!!! Thank goodness it was not shingles - my mom suffered horribly with those!!! Annster's Domain
ReplyDeleteI know some people who had a bad case too and I so do not want that. But, itches from bug and flea bites is no fun either, because they tend to show up massively. Large red welts that just itch and hurt! People say so don't scratch, but I do it in my sleep as well.
DeleteNo, not shingles. I am a scratcher, too. Gotta scratch what itches and tingles.
ReplyDeleteAnd this thing is itching beneath the skin and is driving me up the wall at times!
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