Head to foot

I am so discouraged today that i just want to sit and cry to be quite honest. Skin care has become such a routine part of life for the past 10 1/2 years but it just gets old especially when there is no end in sight. I can't tell them that it will get better, i can only tell them as i'm lathering them with ointments and lotions that if i could take it from them i would.

Itchy skin is really all my girls know. I have no idea how they feel but when my three year old is crying in the back seat saying "my legs burn so bad" because she has open sores on her legs and there is not a thing i can do it makes me feel very discouraged.

I'm whiny and emotional tonight and venting but my girls handle their skin problem so well. Of course there are bad days when a preteen is very conscientious about the way her legs look with pigment loss and days when they get upset cause they don't want to itch anymore, days when they say they can't wait for winter because their eczema will be better. They don't complain near as much as i probably would. Avery tells her little sister "i know just how you feel!"

I took pictures of Raegan's head when she was a baby and struggling with eczema on her head. I can't hardly stand to look at them but i'm glad i took them so i can see the before and after. I wish i had some before and afters from Avery's over the years.

Here are some pictures of Raegan's poor little head in her first 6 months of life...



she wore this stocking hat non-stop to try to keep her hands from scratching. These pictures were taken during some of her fussiest months when she slept in her car seat by my bed and i would rock her car seat with my foot to get her to fall asleep

but thanks to Nutramigen and dermatology and allergy appointments things finally started improving...

It goes in spurts. The girl's eczema is allergy induced so spring and summer are the worst. Constant itching can turn easily into infection and trust me we have had too many skin infections over the years to count. I can usually tell you when they may need antibiotics or if they might need prednisone to get it under control. Right now i am having quite a time getting Raegan's skin under control

she is blistering up and then the blisters pop and the exposed skin burns really bad. i talked with the dermatology nurse today and they got her in next week as i already have prescription antibiotic ointment that i started.

I couldn't handle it anymore though and took her in to urgent care tonight as it just kept getting worse. The doctor said her leg was developing impetigo and that she needed and oral antibiotic so i was thankful that i took her in

I just pray that some day i can post some before and after pictures of these little legs and that they will be so much better.

Tomorrow i will gain my composure and get back to the routine of lathering, bleach baths and wet wraps but for tonight i just feel like moping for my girls. I can handle the routines, i just hate that my girls have to deal with this. Thinking about what others have to deal with in health situations is usually a pretty quick fix for my moping and makes me very thankful that this is all we are having to deal with! But i still get discouraged and frustrated and this is one of those days.

Edited to add: This morning at 3am Raegan came crying into our room that her legs burned. She stood there with her blanket with blood all over it...she had scratched all of the sores open again covering her knees...i hope these antibiotics start working really fast! This is what her legs look like this morning...