Thursday, August 07, 2008

How Much We Move



I may have mentioned this before, but I move a lot during the day; I don't notice, though, until I really can't, much.


As some of you already know, I have 109 different substances adhered to my back. They are on little disks attached to adhesive strips, and they are all taped down with lots of paper tape. I think too much tape, actually, because the strips have a tendency to stick to the tape rather than my skin as I move...the whole thing becomes a shell that shifts a bit too much. I'm trying not to move too much, and not pulling t-shirts and whatnot over my head because I can't really lift my arms too far. I also lean against things to get the tape to stick down properly. This part of the process I find pretty hilarious.


I am hopeful that something will happen, because the specialist dermatologist I saw Wednesday is not. He doesn't believe me that this lip thing is an allergic reaction to my lipstick. As you can imagine, this is infuriating, and I have to confess that I bordered on the rude in a few of my reaction comments...or not rude so much as short. It just didn't feel like he was really listening. His assistant doctor and the nurse, however, were much more my speed. The female doctor was very nice and acknowledged my intense preparations with approval--as she said, I am an educated woman and I want to know what is happening! That's just what I needed to hear.


I told the specialist that I would be putting on the lipstick and topcoat and wearing it for the next few days so he can see (I phrased it almost exactly as a "you'll see"). I am hoping for a big reaction, as painful as it is. I'm already having soreness, tenderness, and little blisters from the experiment. I am going back tomorrow to have the substances removed, and I anticipate being read once tomorrow, and then again at my appointment on Tuesday. I will be, for once, showing this crazy mouth off boldly, and hoping that I finally convince this new set of people that my condition is not so easy as they think.


On a better note, here is a picture of my beauteous morning glories:


They have grown so fast this summer, and I'm delighted they've been flowering so well. I have been worried about not watering them enough because it hasn't rained...like, at all...but I put a jug on them every few days and they're still kicking and trying to climb under the siding and up the eaves.

4 comments:

Mrs. White said...

Good God, I can't imagine having to wear all that nonsense on my back for days! I hope it comes off soon, that they finally pinpoint the problem, and that your lip gets huge and puffy so you can show that smug doctor who knows what about her own body.

(But then I hope that the puffiness immediately dissipates shortly after you've been properly vindicated, of course.)

Abs said...

Thanks, Mrs. White! I appreciate all your hopes. :) Fortunately, the stuff on my back only has to stay on about 48 hours, which means 19 hours more from this moment. Really, that part is pretty funny. I told my Mom it looked like I'd had wings removed.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You look like something from Star Trek: The Next Generation (I mean that in a cool way).

The dermatologist probably doesn't realize that that CG Outlast stuff is really more like a varnish topped with a gloss. And that the varnish is pretty tough and strong and probably full of interesting allergenic chemicals.

The morning glories are beeyooteeful! And I am glad for your sake that you haven't had much rain, which I assume necessarily means not many storms.

-SECP

Abs said...

Ha! You're right...I look like I had some Borg implants removed.
I did have to sort of explain the concept of the lipstick to this guy. They also were glad I had ingredient lists. I just wish he'd been more open to the possibilities.
We haven't had much storminess lately...it tried very hard to sprinkle today but didn't have much luck. Even I, though, think it's too dry and wouldn't have minded it being rainy today when I can't do much. Oh, well. Soon, I'm sure! I saw that Wisconsin had some big ones recently!