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Doctor's orders
I went to the doctor today. Misha's doctor, actually, because I can't see my own doctor because I don't have my own insurance because they haven't run my goddamned contract through yet. But I digress.
So it looks like, instead of just having a dodgy complexion and being easily embarrassed, I probably have a mysterious inflammatory condition called rosacea. (Unless I have lupus, which she didn't seem to think was very likely, but which she drew blood to test for anyway. Let's all keep our fingers crossed on that one, shall we?) Basically, rosacea is something that occasionally happens to fair-skinned people (that'd be me), runs in families (my mother has it), and has no known cause. It causes little red bumps and redness on the face, and makes you flush very very easily - as I do when I'm hot, exercised, embarrassed, upset, or whatever. There's no cure, but you can keep it under control and prevent it from getting worse (permanently red face with networks of little red lines, and sometimes WC Fields-like swelling of the nose) with medicated cream, sunscreen, moisturizer, and avoiding things that trigger flushing.
Did you catch that last part? Avoiding things that trigger flushing. That means y'all can never, never, never ever tease me or embarrass me or make fun of me ever again. Or I'll tell my doctor on you. Ha! Boy, this could have its advantages...
...oh, wait. Avoiding things that make me flush would also mean staying out of hot tubs, quitting English Country Dance, and probably moving to Nome, Alaska to avoid these pesky Baltimore summers. This needs work. Perhaps we'll give the medication-and-sunscreen route a try first.
(It would sure be silly to get all worked up worrying about the remote possibility that it's actually lupus instead, wouldn't it? Boy, I can't imagine why a person would get nervous about that sort of thing, just because her doctor drew blood to test for a mysterious and debilitating incurable disease. Can you? I mean, if she didn't have any symptoms other than a little face rash, I'd sure think that she'd be completely calm about the whole possibility. 'Cause that's how I'd feel. Totally calm. Sure.)
So it looks like, instead of just having a dodgy complexion and being easily embarrassed, I probably have a mysterious inflammatory condition called rosacea. (Unless I have lupus, which she didn't seem to think was very likely, but which she drew blood to test for anyway. Let's all keep our fingers crossed on that one, shall we?) Basically, rosacea is something that occasionally happens to fair-skinned people (that'd be me), runs in families (my mother has it), and has no known cause. It causes little red bumps and redness on the face, and makes you flush very very easily - as I do when I'm hot, exercised, embarrassed, upset, or whatever. There's no cure, but you can keep it under control and prevent it from getting worse (permanently red face with networks of little red lines, and sometimes WC Fields-like swelling of the nose) with medicated cream, sunscreen, moisturizer, and avoiding things that trigger flushing.
Did you catch that last part? Avoiding things that trigger flushing. That means y'all can never, never, never ever tease me or embarrass me or make fun of me ever again. Or I'll tell my doctor on you. Ha! Boy, this could have its advantages...
...oh, wait. Avoiding things that make me flush would also mean staying out of hot tubs, quitting English Country Dance, and probably moving to Nome, Alaska to avoid these pesky Baltimore summers. This needs work. Perhaps we'll give the medication-and-sunscreen route a try first.
(It would sure be silly to get all worked up worrying about the remote possibility that it's actually lupus instead, wouldn't it? Boy, I can't imagine why a person would get nervous about that sort of thing, just because her doctor drew blood to test for a mysterious and debilitating incurable disease. Can you? I mean, if she didn't have any symptoms other than a little face rash, I'd sure think that she'd be completely calm about the whole possibility. 'Cause that's how I'd feel. Totally calm. Sure.)
no subject
I've read a fair bit about rosacea
And if it's in your family, I doubt it's lupus!
Can't promise not to say something taht makes you blush. :)
Re: I've read a fair bit about rosacea
Honestly, at the time she said she wanted to do the test it was very clear to me that she was just covering all the bases. It was only afterward that it started to freak me out.
Re: I've read a fair bit about rosacea
no subject
Wishing you well...
John
HUGS
If you haven't seen it already, the National Rosacea Society has a page full of info. There's another one here. I like to fight worry with info, maybe that'll help you.
IMO, better your doctor research every possibility now than later. I know you know the sooner anything is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can start. I sincerely doubt you have lupus, espeically as Mary pointed out, the rosacea is in your family.
*more hugs*
No embarrassment eh?
no subject
Re:
Say it isn't so