My skin viral Infection HAHA moment!
2 Mondays ago, I was home and noticed a small little bump on my skin. I thought it was a pimple and scratched it a bit.The next day, I saw a cluster of small rashes. I sent it to my friends, one a PA and the other a nurse, both said don’t touch it, and to take Benadryl in case it was an allergic reaction.
I started replaying my recent activities, I went to the beach, didn’t eat or drink anything unusual. Also, I had not changed my body care products so that couldn’t be it. Over the next days what started as a small rash had quickly covered almost every acre of skin on my arms, back, and stomach. I started panicking as each search result from Dr. Google yielded in self-induced panic attacks.
one week after I noticed the bump, I tried to make appointment with a dermatologist but none had immediate openings in fact the earliest they could see me was 2nd week in September, I thought to myself surely this thing would be gone by then, so I called my primary care physician, and they were able to squeeze me in midweek.
After making my Dr’s appointment, I called another nurse friend, she sent me a link to a medical site and asked if the subject applied to me. I read all the symptoms, and I said yup, even the pictures were a perfect match. she said I think it’s ‘Pityriasis Rosea’ I was like Pity what?
Pityriasis Rosea is a viral skin infection that causes you to break out in rashes and flesh tone bumps on your body (arms, back, stomach, trunks, thighs, neck, and in rare cases faces) It is not transferable and doesn’t itch for the most part. It doesn’t have a known cause, it is self-limiting (meaning it goes away on its own) and can last anywhere from 6-8 weeks. It doesn’t really have a cure or treatment. Doctors recommend rest, oatmeal baths, and antihistamine, etc. It Is known as the Christmas tree infection since it starts out very small with a mother patch but then explodes rapidly.
Come appointment day, it had already reached my face, the moment the Dr saw my body, back and stomach she said this looks like Pityriasis Rosea, I was like damn Doc! She also told me she had it before. She gave me a note to stay home or work from home and get plenty of rest and she warned me not to stress. I was like you got it Doc. I picked up Benadryl, Calamine Lotion, Tea Tree body wash and would bath multiple times a day and cover my body in calamine lotion, the struggle was real.
So, what I have learned… I can be stress-less. If you know me, you know I would have been depressed, wallowing in self-pity. This time, I just accepted and kept it moving. I was telling my friend Yeti about it and she was like you are not freaking out so it must not be that bad and then I facetimed her to show her, and she was like what! Wow, how are you staying calm? And I told her there was nothing I could do so it was pointless freaking out.
Beauty really is skin deep, nothing like breaking out in bumps all over to remind you that everything is vanity, and how you feel inside of you is the real beauty…so you know I was still out here Queening!
I’d been talking to someone for a couple of months and was scheduled to go visit. Out of curiosity, I asked if they would help with applying the calamine lotion to my body and I was shocked with a “No. I don’t want what you have.” I responded by telling them it wasn’t contagious and they still maintained their position of Nope. I asked multiple times to emphasize I was serious and pretty much their response was you’ve been doing it yourself so why do you need help?
After that convo I KNEW it was over before it began and chucked up my deuces. Someone who would not jump a puddle for me certainly cannot be trusted to jump an ocean for me. My friend thought I was over reacting, but I don’t think so. If safety was a concern they could have said, maybe I can wear gloves, or you know what, I don’t feel comfortable…instead of a condescending “I don’t want what you have.”
Ok, disclaimer that I am a very sensitive person and really pay attention to the little things people do or don’t do. What I value in relationships and in a suitor, can be completely irrelevant to other people and that’s fine. One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
As I enter week 2 of Pityriasis Rosea, some of the breakouts are drying while some are making their debut, either way I am going to remain unbothered. In fact, I attended a friend’s wedding, although I thought I wouldn’t since I was initially self-conscious
So all in all, I am very thankful for Pityriasis Rosea, it has saved me time, energy and emotions.
PS: Pityriasis’ has a funny name because when people see you they pity you...
