Steroids

I finally went to the doctor today for the abomination on my face.

I told the doctor the long sordid story and all the details about when this started and what I've been using on it.

She thinks it is likely fungal (isn't that lovely) and prescribed me a cream that is anti-fungal and has a mild amount of steroid. She also prescribed Prednisone and okay'd my using the Burts Bees night eye cream.

If things haven't made significant progress within a week then we'll try something else and see a dermatologist.

"If the Eye Offends Thee..."

Right about now I would LOVE to pluck BOTH my eyes right out of my head.

Back in February when we moved from the condo to the house, I started experiencing some allergies. Considering that anyone can develop allergies to pretty much anything at anytime, I didn't think a whole lot about it. I assumed that I had developed run-of-the-mill "spring" allergies that were making my eyes itch and water, my throat itch, and my nose run.

Not having had THIS bad of a reaction before, I initially was rubbing my eyes (trying really hard not to, of course) and irritated the skin of the eyelid with my acrylic nails. I assumed I had given myself eczema, and tried to baby the skin as much as possible, and not wear any eye makeup.

When I went to Portland for the wedding, it got better, enough that I was able to withstand having my eyebrows waxed (which I clearly could use again) and wear makeup regularly (just in time for my wedding).

Once I returned to Key West, so the affliction returned to my face.

In the past three months since the wedding it has gotten worse and worse. I wake up in the morning with swollen, crusty eyes that are bright red.

I have developed bags and skin tags that are not seeming to go away.

I gently wash the area with alternately a cold washcloth, hot washcloth, and eye scrubs, then follow up with neosporin, hydrocortisone cream, Burt's Bees eye cream, or Temple Spa calming lotion.

I also hold a bag of frozen veggies on my eyes to try and get the swelling to go down to the point where I can see.

The itching has started to gain ground, now affecting my cheeks and chin.

Yes, I should stop whining and go to a dermatologist, but I don't know any in Key West and medical care of any sort down here is somewhat of a joke.

I am surviving on a cocktail of Claritin during the day and half a Benadryl to sleep at night.