Seriously, Cootie?

This is on my hip...which has been covered at all times (except in the shower), as far as I know.  I mean, my underpants cover it, even when I'm asleep!  (You can see the lovely imprint from the waistband of today's boyshorts.)  So I'm confused, still, as to what is biting me and why I'm only recently reacting this way.  Is it a radioactive spider??

Bomb Pop

This morning I set off the bug bomb (aka "fogger") in my bedroom!  I'm so nervous and excited.  I hope when I get home that it didn't ruin any of my possessions and that I can feel like I'm actively taking action against my enemy.  Even if he's already dead, as he's been pretty quiet for awhile.  We will prevail!

Co-Payola

So I had my dermatologist appointment this morning, and there were highs & lows. 

First, as I don't have any insane bite reactions at the moment (knock on wood), I showed pictures of the last two and I showed the healing ones on my right wrist.  She said they looked like spider bites, and that I should call an exterminator.  I said we'd had one come by in early May, and she just sort of shrugged.  She did verify that they didn't look like bed bug bites, but other than that, she just prescribed some stronger topical cream for if I get another one.

Secondly, she looked at my body for moles/freckles, and said everything looked fine but that I should wear sunscreen in my moisturizer as I'm freckling a lot on my face, and I should also wear sunscreen when I wear tank tops, as my shoulders and upper back have a lot of freckles.  Now, I think they're cute, but fine.

And thirdly, we talked about my acne, which as you know, has been a constant struggle.  I'm off the Proactiv and using Dermalogica's MediBac line, which somehow feels more adult, but I still have a few zits.  She prescribed an oral medication that will give me more of an ingredient that's already in my Yasmin (I forget what it's called) and that I need to help control my hormonal breakouts.  She also gave me samples and a prescription for a topical acne cream, so I'll give it all a shot.  It'd be nice to have pretty skin!

I did like her, and she wants to see me in 6 weeks to check on the acne, though I'm not too eager to pay another $50 co-pay (my insurance sucks), but I feel like an adult now that I have a dermatologist.  You know how I love doctors.  (Maybe I can justify the co-pay since I won't be going to the gyno twice a year now?)

Something Black & Blue

First of all, I'd like to thank Kelly for her comment on my last post -- you really helped calm me down in the midst of a bed bug-panic attack!  And the more I think about it, the more I think you're right.  So I appreciate the chiming in!  And since according to history, the next bite explosion will happen today or tomorrow, I'm on the edge of my seat and also planning on continuing to wear long sleeves to bed as well as stick with the closed-window/AC plan.  I also have that dermatologist appointment on Wednesday, so I can discuss it with her and show her pictures, even if I have no new evidence (knock on wood.)

Weekends!  How were they?  Mine was a lot of fun but today I'm just wiped out.  Friday I found out at the last minute that Hike's high school friend (who now lives in Texas) was in town for the weekend, so we drove out to Huntington to meet up with a whole crew for a few beers.  I enjoyed the divey bar with the juke box and we even got in a game of pool, but man, I was so tired and would've rather spent the night at home.  (Of course I ended up having fun and getting a little buzzed, but it was not my ideal evening.)  Then Saturday we were up earlyish to get ready for our brief trip to the Poconos!

So his brother picks us up from my house, where we then drive back into Manhattan to pick up his brother's wife, since his brother decided he'd have to go back that way anyway?  It was all confusing and we ended up waiting for forever and I was grumpy about it, but we finally got on the road and then up to the Shawnee Resort, after a stop for lunch at Holy Guacamole, of course.  The wedding was romantic and we got drunk and silly and danced a lot (I may have taken a knee while trying to limbo?)  The place was nice, and the ceremony was outside on the banks of the river (but hot and buggy! don't worry, I used bug spray) and then the cocktail hour was on the veranda and the reception/dinner was in the ballroom, so it was cooler.  But we got sweaty dancing anyway!  And his friends are all so fun, and it's very comfortable now, so I had a great time.  I also loved the view of the river and the foothills beyond -- oh, nature.

Sunday morning we were up early and hungover after about 3 hours of sleep, and we get the hotel's all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet (biscuits and gravy! bacon!) and then hit the road back to the city.  Once we finally made it, Hike and I immediately put on PJs (at like 1 pm) and climbed into bed to watch movies and nap the rest of the afternoon.  It was a tough weekend, energy-wise.

Then last night I took sleeping pills since I was worried that after the napping I wouldn't fall asleep, and this morning I was a tired mess -- I still feel like I could fall asleep at any minute!  I had a ton of crazy dreams last night, too -- a big, long one was about a bed bug infestation and in my dream they looked different than they do in real life, and I had to go through the whole bagging of clothes and everything, and then I woke up and went to the bathroom and the rest of my dreams remembered that one, like I couldn't tell in the dream (or even this morning when I woke up) if it had really happened.  Ugh, my biggest fear.

Anyway, I'm exhausted but had a lovely time at the wedding, and am equal parts excited and totally money-worried about my own!  Happy almost-summer, friends!

Jet Sweating

I bought my tickets to London/Scotland for Britch's wedding!  I leave on a Thursday night at 11 pm from JFK, land in London at 11 am, try to recover for the afternoon and then it's the Hen Party aka Bachelorette Party.  We're in London (all staying at Britch's apartment, maybe?) until Sunday, when we take the train to Glasgow and all stay in a hotel.  Monday we go to the castle and move into our lodges (as in, I'm staying in a lodge with my good high school friends who are now married) (in separate bedrooms) and then the wedding is Wednesday and on Friday morning I'll take a bus down to Edinburgh to catch my flight home (through Amsterdam), landing at JFK at about 7:20 EST.

Whew!  I'm much more excited now that I booked it (and that it was about $200 less than the price I'd been seeing.)  We were really disappointed that Hike couldn't join me, but now I'm seeing the silver lining there, too -- I would be more worried about his comfort when bunking 6 people in an apartment or while doing girl stuff (Hen Party, bridesmaid duties) and also I'd feel guilty making him miss the first week of grad school, since I know he'll be anxious about that.  So I think it's worked out rather well, and it'll be some great time to spend with my two best friends from the ol' high school days, and I'll try to look at it as my last great traveling alone adventure.  (I mean, I hope...) 

I also discovered that I already have shoes I can wear with my bmaid dress, so I'll save a bit there, and I'm just going to enjoy this trip and try not to stress about money so much.  I hate money and how I worry about it all the time.

So, in other news, remember all my optimism about the bites?  Well, yesterday two little red itchy bumps showed up on the back of my right wrist, and I honestly thought they might just be random mosquite bites, but now the insane itchiness and some swelling is making me think my nighttime vampire friend came back.  Maybe he couldn't get up my arm to the sweet stuff (due to my long sleeves) so he bit where he could?  I mean, they don't have those red streaks or anything, but the itching is really intense like before, so I'm not sure.  I am very upset that it happened again, in the once-a-week timeframe, too -- so I still haven't solved this mystery.  SO ANNOYING.

Oh, Right, and I'm Clean

Oh, so I called for the results of my HIV test today, and the nice man who answered tried to help but then told me that no one but the doctor is allowed to tell me those results, and he was like "but this is true for negative results, too" and then later was like "she'll call you next week but let me just say, don't worry" so basically I love this man for his risky law-breaking behavior.  He made it clear that I can rest easy.  Why aren't more medical professionals able to talk me down so nicely?

Right, so all clear!  I wasn't really worried, but it's still good news!

A Woman's Prerogative

Hike still wants me to see a doctor.  (Should I respond with the list I just made for you?)  So...I called a dermatologist and the office person on the phone (with a British accent! so authoritative!) said it sounded like I shouldn't wait for a normal calendar appointment (in July) so she took my number and they'll call when they get a cancellation.  While it's probably a waste of time, at least I can also get a skin scan, which I've never had.  That is the upside.

Eaten Alive

So I come to you with my most crazy-making problem this spring: ITCHY SKIN.  Mainly spider bites, I believe, though my skin seems to be reacting to any possible irritant so it's hard to tell. 

1. Awhile ago (around Mother's Day) it started with two bites on my lower back about five inches apart, and one on my right thigh -- these got pretty big and welty and were very itchy, and the one on my leg had a purplish hue after a day or so, then they went away. 
2. Then another couple of weeks later, my left forearm itched and I absentmindely scratched it, only to see three hives/welts come up with large red, swollen circles around them, so that my whole forearm was rather enflamed and very itchy/irritated.  I went to my doctor (my general practitioner) who was stumped, but determined it was definitely not bed bug bites (which was my greatest nightmare) but some sort of skin allergy.  She called it Contact Dermatitis and prescribed steroid cream for the itching.  She said if it didn't improve in a day or two that I should see a dermatologist.  Well, it improved slowly and I figured the cream fixed it, and I also took a break from wearing synthetic materials in case they bothered my skin.  This particular problem happened the morning after I shaved my forearm (which I've since stopped doing), applied self-tanner, and then wore a new, tight-sleeved cardigan with acrylic materials in it.
3. Then last Thursday, June 2, a red irritated circle with a tail extending downward appeared on the underside of my right upper arm.  It itched like hell, and I used the steroid cream.  Finally after a day or two I could see the bite in the center, and I determined it was possibly a spider bite or a really bad reaction to an otherwise unknown bug bite.  It went away in about three days, and the cream helped a bit, as did taking Benedryl at night.  (Once that wears off, the itch wakes me up.)
4. And again, this past Monday evening, I realize I have an itch on the same arm, but on the underside of my elbow.  I saw a small bump/bite with a red tail and put the steroid cream on it right away, which seemed to reduce the size of the welt and help the itching.  I thought I'd conquered it!  And then yesterday morning, it was big and red and angry and so, so itchy and irritating.  I still think spider bite, and I did some more internet research -- I saw a photo of a similar-looking bite and the guy said his red trail grew longer and was the poision going towards his blood stream.  His moved quickly so he went to the ER, and they stopped the spreading, but my "red trail" isn't growing or anything.  I used the steroid cream again all day yesterday and took Benedryl last night, then today consulted with Britch, my pre-med/biology expert, aka personal physician.  She advised me to use Benedryl cream (or spray) as it sounds like part of the red welting is my allergic reaction to the bite/venom, so something to help reduce itching plus stop allergens would be better.  I bought some around 11 this morning and it seems to feel a bit better, plus the main center of the bite isn't as red and angry-looking.  That said, there is a red halo forming around the outside (don't worry, this is not Lyme disease!) that I think is the irritation/infection dissipating, but my co-workers are all encouraging me to go to a dermatologist. 

Here is how it looked this morning:

And here's how it looks now:

Slightly better?

5.     And finally, the reasons to NOT seek medical attention are the following:

1. According to my research, the danger would come when red streaks are spreading outward, which mine are not -- they've stayed at the same place since they first appeared.
2. I don't currently have a dermatologist, so I would be attempting to be a new patient for one, and it's highly unlikely they could see me right away.
3. My co-pay is $50 for a specialty appointment.
4. Also according to my research, the doctor would only treat the symptoms, probably prescribing antiobiotics if an infection were possible, but what looks like an infection is more likely just the allergic reaction.  And if I take antibiotics, it will mess with my birth control. 
5. I think things are improving, not getting worse, judging by the amount of discomfort/irritation, and if I have a minor infection, I think I can recover just fine.  I may have a slight fever, but it's hard to tell in this heat wave.  My forehead is only a little clammy.

If anyone has any knowledge or wisdom to share, please do so.  I'm also investigating ways to repel spiders while I sleep.  I read that they don't like natural oils, so I diluted some lavender and citronella oils in water and sprayed all around my bed last night, and I intend to keep doing so -- plus give the room another good vacuuming.  Otherwise, I'm at a loss, and these are highly disruptive bites.  Help, please.

Oh, and I am ruling out bed bugs.  Don't make me crazier, people.  The bites are spaced out in time and on my body, and they're huge reactions, and the bed is fully zipped up and we've investigated it for any evidence, finding none, plus my parents slept in my bed a few weeks ago, as has Hike, and nobody else has any issues.