What's Next: Locusts?

Last week, I woke up with a ridiculous, itchy, painful rash around my mouth.  F-bomb.  Really? Couldn’t I just go ONE month without something?

“Perioral dermatitis,” my doctor said.  “You need antibiotics,” he said.

“I need a break,” I said.

Perioral dermatitis is a fancy name for an incredibly unattractive and uncomfortable (itchy and burny) rash that occurs on the face. I started to attach a photo, but that’s just a little too much sharing and far too gross.

“What caused it?” I asked.  “We don’t know,” my doctor said.  Good grief, I thought.

The treatment of any condition begins with understanding the underlying cause. Not knowing the cause makes determination of the appropriate treatment…well, challenging.

So, I started on one antibiotic hoping that it would attack whatever bacteria was causing this unattractive eyesore.

By day two, I had a goatee of zits and blisters.  Seriously. And seriously gross.

When I had my second consultation with my doctor, he suggested…you’re not gonna believe it: Steroids – GASP! Upon hearing this, I went straight to the ceiling, hot flash and all.

I refrained from dropping the F-bomb on him, recognizing the fact that he has not known the salacious details of the past 9 months. Instead, I calmly explained that steroids turn me into a raving, delirious, sleepless lunatic.  I further explained that I would really like to stay married and that a course of steroids may in fact be the straw that breaks the HOTY’s back.  I even went on to say that I was willing to live with my bacteria-filled goatee rather than endure the freight train of steroids.

My doctor was quick to say, “Ok. Let’s figure something else out.” Perhaps his responsiveness was due to the fact that my face was flushed with the emotional refusal of steroids.  Who knows? All I know is that anything OTHER than steroids is a Silver Lining!

Now, I’m on a different antibiotic as well as topical ointments.  Apparently, with perioral dermatitis it’s especially important to strictly follow medication guidelines (e.g., take the ENTIRE course of antibiotics, ONLY use topical ointments for a certain period of time).  Good thing (aside from steroid refusal) that I’m a responsive and smiling patient!

There are many Silver Linings here:

1. This is not cancer.
2. This is not cancer.
3. This is not cancer.
4. This is treatable (without chemotherapy!).
5. I continue to be kept on my toes and pay attention to the littlest things.
6. This is not cancer.
7. This is not cancer.
8. This is not cancer.

 

I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.

~Author Unknown