WHAT?!

I have had a weird rash for months. It started around February. There was a small patch of it around my navel, it itched, I scratched. Eventually it went away.

A few months later, it popped back up around my chest. More exactly it is located in the spot where my bra meets between my boobs. After that a small patch started itching on my back. In the last few weeks the small back spot spread upwards and downwards, eventually covering nearly my whole spine. The front, between-the-boobs part spread up and covers my upper chest. There is a little on the back of my neck, too.

This rash is rough feeling skin. It isn't red, unless I have been vigorously scratching it (which I do regularly.) I have tried OTC creams, and nothing. Because we haven't had insurance all summer (due to the limbo state of Army status we have been hovering in) I was unable to go to the doctor. Plus, I probably wouldn't have gone anyway, because that is how my mommy raised me.

I finally set up an appointment for today. Seriously, I need to get this checked out. I need to stop scratching myself constantly. I am going to start tearing off my back skin if if doesn't get better. Just writing about it makes me want to scratch. I want Will to stop being afraid that I will give it to him.

It turns out that I (most likely) have Miliaria or prickly heat, a heat rash (it looks like this, sexy huh? You know you want to touch it). I was given a prescription for a steroid cream, and told to come back if it isn't better in a few weeks. The biggest problem with this idea is the weather. It is still going to be over 100 degrees for another few MONTHS. There is no way to "avoid sweating" per my instructions. She laughed with me on that one. How to stay sweat free? Haha.

Miliaria usually occurs in children and the obese. What? Ok, so I put on a few pounds lately... like five. I am still no where NEAR obese. (Its laughable to read that it could be the cause of it.)

I have lived in Arizona nearly my whole life. I do not remember ever having a heat rash before. Why now? The doctor told me that stress could be making it worse. Stress can compound the symptoms of any illness, and this is just another case of that. Hopefully. At least Will can touch me now, since there is no chance of him getting this, his sweat glands are not blocked, quite the contrary- he a great sweater (tee hee, like a big fuzzy wool sweater, haha).