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| Image taken from Wikipedia |
I have been living with psoriasis for over 10 years now.
It is typically a lifelong condition. There is currently no cure.
As many other
sufferers know it’s awful. It looks bad, itches and is very painful at times.
Especially now I have psoriatic arthritis.
I first got psoriasis shortly before
I fell pregnant with my first child. During my second pregnancy just over a year
later it spread all over my body. One day I remember counting 108 patches and
none were smaller than a fifty pence piece.
When my children were young my knees were constantly open wounds. The skin
rips and tears and before you know it, a simple game of crawling with your
child results in lots of blood, pain and then the prevention of infection.
Thankfully my husband couldn’t care less about my skin. But I remember
thinking on my wedding day..
"This isn’t right. This isn’t what I had planned to
look
like on my wedding day".
I tried every potion, lotion and medicine known. None worked.
In my third
pregnancy it all cleared up. It was wonderful. I had clear skin, not even a scar
in sight. I could play with my children and not feel pain or bleed.But soon
after he was born it all came back.
I have tried every moisturiser, and steroid cream, I've even wrapped myself in cling
film with creams on! I've tried coal tar, acupuncture, Chinese tea, diets void of sugar and
dairy, herbs, vitamins, Chinese creams, porridge, phototherapy and even taken
cyclosporine, which is an immune lowering medicine that people usually take when
having a new organ implanted.
My latest trial is going to be using borax. I’m going to drink a pinch of it
in 1 litre of water, bath in it and make a paste to cover my skin. This should
help with both my skin and the arthritis pain.
I’ll let you know how it’s going
and if I get any results. Wish me luck!
I'm embarrassed by this condition, and my children suffer the embarrassment from other
children teasing them about their mum’s skin. One boy asked my daughter why her
mum had tattooed herself red. She was very embarrassed. From that day on she asked
if I could cover myself up.
On a day out at the beach last summer, my husband convinced me to take my
cardigan off as it was very hot. I heard people comment as I walked past them,
and I'd see their faces too.
One woman said rather loudly, as I walked past her, how
disgusting my skin was and how I should cover it up! I understand how children
can be when they see something different. But adults…
Psoriasis needs awareness and people need to change the way they teach their
children how to deal with certain situations. In some cases the adults need teaching
themselves!
It’s ok to ask. That would be acceptable. How are children to learn
the appropriate way to behave if their own parents can’t?
My children know if
someone looks different that it’s not ok to stare and mock. They also know its
ok to look different.
My children have an increased chance of developing psoriasis now. The stats suggest that there is a 50% chance they will get it because of me. I’m determined to find a way to
clear my skin for their possible future too.
I would love to hear from any other sufferers.
Let me know what’s helped you, and
what hasn't.
Written by Victoria.
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