99 days

I've been a little slack with my skin recording the last couple weeks. My 3 month anniversary has been and gone and its my 100 day anniversary tomorrow so I thought its definitely time for another update!

Life update first..

I started back at work part time last Wednesday, only for a couple months while a friend is away on her big OE in Europe but its been a really good way to test my self out and see what my limits are with working again. Its been the perfect way to do it as I'm completely flexible with my hours. I usually make it into work about 9.30-10am and finish around 2-3pm which means that I'm able to come home and have a nap or just some time to chill out and calm any itchies before everyone else gets home and I have to cook the dinner :)

I also had my first 'night out' last weekend where I was able to dress up and I even put on a little bit of makeup and wore some nice clothes! It was for a friends birthday and we went out for dinner and then to a comedy show which was sooo good! I didn't drink but it was so nice to just go out and forget about my skin problems for a little bit. I still looked a bit swollen and puffy but I just pretended that no one could see me haha. Im getting quite good at doing that these days. Just pretending that there are no judgemental people in this world.

Skin update..

So, before I had that night out for my friends birthday.. I think I had maybe a week or two of really nice calm (still slightly swollen but smooth) skin. After the night out with my friend I did have a bit of a flare on my face where it felt like my cheeks puffed up so much they were touching my eyeballs... they didn't really but thats what it felt like. Since then my face skin has been trying really hard to get back to that smooth stage but it just hasn't quite managed it. My neck and chest also decided to follow suit and be little pains in the ass.

Pics...

SEE MY PAINTED STUBS!!?

I also had a flare on my arms a night or two after I started working again. I think it might have just been my anxiety levels on the rise slightly. Thats something I'm going to have to learn to keep in check somehow. But a day or two after my arm flare, they all dried out and I ended up making snow flurries whenever I moved.

Pics..

It was like this on both arms.

Luckily this dry stage lasts only a day or two, now my arms are pretty calm again now with the odd itch here and there.

I've also been feeling energetic enough to get out and get a bit more exercise lately. Heres some pics from yesterday when me and my partner went for a hike over to a pretty beach just out of town.

Need to remember to smile again...

So I'm happy (most days) and excited about being free from that medicated prison cell that I've been in for the last 13/14 years and fingers crossed that I'll really be able to do more and more things that I never thought I could/wanted to when I was using steroids. I've just got to keep thinking positive thoughts.

Things I have noticed lately...

• Reduced redness in arms when I have a shower (I used to jump out of the shower and I would literally look like a lobster, I can now jump out of the shower and only have patches of redness)
• Better sleep. I'm still taking the antihistamines, but the other night I managed to fall asleep about 10.30pm.. I woke up once at 4.10am and fell asleep again until 9am.. how freaking awesome is that!! I haven't had a sleep like that in at least 6 months!!
• I've got this weird smelling sweat.. definitely not a metallic smell anymore.. TMI sorry bout it
• When I have my night sweats.. I wake up and my legs don't sting any more!
• My flares have (mostly) definite stages now.. super itchy > raw from scratching > super duper dry > back to new normal