Thursday, March 17, 2022

Irritated

When I come home from work in the afternoon, George and Marco are always eagerly awaiting my arrival and are so glad to see me. This is what happens every weekday at approximately 4:50pm:

George meets me in the garage, at my car door, to give me kisses before I even step foot out of the car. I open the door and wait for him--that's our routine. Then he jumps up and down about 10 times and dances around me as I walk towards the house. The only time this doesn't happen is when it's raining. George hates getting his paws wet and will wait for me on the porch on those days.

Marco starts to let out ear-splitting screams the moment walk through the door. Gregg says, "Get ready!" and covers his ears when I cross the threshold because he knows Marco can't be deterred from shrieking as loud as possible to welcome me! I have to go get him out of his cage immediately and let him ride around on my shoulder as I put my stuff down, take off my shoes, pour a drink, etc. 

It's like a hero's welcome, every single day.

And you know what? On a lot of those days (today being one of them) I'll whisper, "I'm so grateful for you!" to George and Marco. You know why?

Because human children can be real pains in the ass sometimes, that's why!!!!!!! And when they are I'm SO GLAD I don't have any of my own!

It's rare for me to get annoyed with the students at the school where I work. Usually I like them and have empathy for them and enjoy their company. I've always enjoyed kids in small doses, anyway. But I'd be lying if I told you there's not a few that I swear to god I'd like to drop-kick into the next county!

There are two young men at the moment that are driving me especially crazy. They're both big boys because they've failed a grade or two. They're always in trouble. Because the ISS (in-school suspension) room is near my desk, and the discipline in there is lax, these boys are always walking past my desk to get water from the fountain or to go to the bathroom. Or, more likely, cutting class and creeping around the halls. Any time I say anything to them they're rude and nasty and sarcastic in return. They think it's funny to be openly defiant and mouthy and generally just awful. One of these boys is a physically big fellow and a couple of times he came and hovered near my desk, smirking and laughing at me, Well, I'm not about to be intimidated by an overgrown BOY and I put him in his place and made him go sit down, and I called the principal on him and then I called his mama! He didn't like that, let me tell you! I was steaming mad when I left work. 

Speaking of irritation, have I mentioned lately that I struggle with eczema? Like, really struggle? The last time I went to the doctor she said she thought I had dyshidrotic eczema because it's mainly appearing (these days) on my ankles and the tops of my feet. She prescribed a pill that's commonly used to relax patients before surgery, but that can also help with the allergies that seem to be a factor in triggering the skin inflammation. Well, just like topical steroid creams they worked great for a while and then gradually became less and less effective.

I'm currently suffering through a terrible flare. My feet are swollen, inflamed, and will bleed at the slightest scratch (thanks to so many years of steroid creams). And not scratching at the moment is agonizing, because the itch is absolutely maddening. It's really awful and it's making getting through the day a struggle. I itch almost constantly and have to fight with myself not to scratch. Sometimes I catch myself doing it without being consciously aware of it, and my socks will have bloody patches. 

Look away if you're squeamish. I'm embarrassed to show you these, but maybe it will help you understand the misery that is eczema. I've been dealing with flares like this for over 20 years now.

My ankles and feet today:





It's painful to walk, I itch to distraction, and I can't wear sandals in public. You'd be surprised at the number of people who will comment on it when my feet and ankles look like this. I can only imagine having a real disability and the things people would say!

I guess it's no wonder that I'm especially irritated at rude children and teenagers at the moment.  At least Marco and George love me, bad skin, irritation, and all!

25 comments:

  1. I was loving the George and Marco tales so much that I didn't avert my eyes.
    OUCH!!!!
    I hope the new meds help. Nothing like having an itch you can't, er, shouldn't, scratch.

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  2. You are so right about children! Thank you for having George and Marco! Their stories are the best- I had a parrot, I appreciate you being so understanding with him. Emily also has eczema on one foot. she is thinking it might an allergic reaction to something on this planet (?) Not as painful as yours but driving her crazy just the same. So sorry for both of you- it is a feisty reaction- so difficult ! I so hope that relief happens SOON! How you go to work is beyond me- it would put me in a murder mood.

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  3. I love your bird stories so much..but oh my ...your feet..My son had ??? all over his skin and the itching was driving him crazy..I use this Phytoplex Botanical Nutrition for sensitive skin moisturizer. he uses it every time after he gets out of shower and it works for him..I also got him a leave in cleanser and moisturizer that he uses to wash with ..It's a Medline Remedy..get it at amazond..might give it a try.

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  4. So sorry to hear about the eczema, that looks like a really bad flare-up. I'd offer a homespun remedy, unfortunately the only one I know is a baking soda paste, but I think that's only good for poison ivy. Get better soon!

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  5. What a lovely welcome home you get! My cat used to be somewhat happy to see me when I came home--but mainly because she associated my arrival with her dinner time. :) That looks extremely painful! I hope the new medication will alleviate the irritation and itching. So very sorry!

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  6. I might be calling that boy's mama hourly!
    I wish I could help you with the eczema, but no. I do hope there are kernels of good advice in the comments.

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  7. Man, if I were you and had such bad eczema flares, I'd have killed someone by now. Your restraint is unbelievable. You deserve that daily hero's welcome from Marco and George!

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  8. What Debra said. Honey- that's horrible! If I have any advice, it's to seek other medical opinions. I feel certain that stress has a lot to do with it. I just can't believe you manage to perform your job daily with that going on. I would have killed someone by now.

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  9. Sounds to me like those boys should be expelled at once! You poor thing; my youngest grandson (The Cherub) suffered with eczema, and his mother tried every cure known to mankind. None of them worked. Luckily it has now calmed, and he doesn't really suffer any more. You have my utmost sympathy.

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  10. George and Marco are wonderful and loving children! Your poor feet and legs! I am sorry you have to deal with that. I hope the doctor can come up with something that will give you some relief!

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  11. Oh you poor thing. I have known many who have had eczema. That looks maddening and painful Jen. I sure hope that heal and moves on quickly for you.

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  12. Poor you, that is really awful. I suffered with eczema as a kid; my hands and feet were often covered in pus-filled blisters (yep, lovely, isn't it) and I hated everything about it - the look of repulsion on other children's faces when they saw my hands, the not knowing what I had done wrong or what I could do better, and the itch - the itch!!! It was, as you say, maddening, and of course as a kid I did not have enough self-control to keep my scratching at bay.
    I don't know whether warmer weather and fresh air will help you; it always did it for me, and the eczema disappeared altogether once I hit puberty. Who knows - it may be something to look forward to when you reach menopause...

    That apart, I love how our pets love us, and show us how much! It never gets boring, does it.

    Sorry to hear you have such troublemakers at your school. Their behaviour even as young lads does not bode well for their future.

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  13. Oh your poor feet! I have no remedies sorry!
    You are lucky that you get a greeting when you arrive home. My dog is such a laid back boy ( which is good in many ways) but he rarely bothers to get out of his bed when I get home from shopping or whatever! Annoyingly, he is far more pleased when husband comes in......I am the one that takes him for walks and feeds him !!

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  14. Oh my god, the eczema looks like hell. I had no idea. I hope you find some relief.

    As for kids, I’m with you. I love them - in general, but I’m glad I don’t have any of my own. I wonder what will become of those two boys. I hope some miracle worker helps them change the roads they’re on.

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  15. Oh gosh, while much less severe, that it what I have. I wake in the night to find one foot rubbing away at my itchy ankle. My skin cancer check doctor said, use non soap soap, Keri something and moisturiser. Neither makes any difference. It comes and goes without an obvious reason. The first attack was the worst with the sides of my stomach area breaking out too. I try to think of what triggers an attack, but I have failed so far. Maybe it is an allergic reaction to some food? Am I eating too many cherry tomatoes? I am eating too much yoghurt? Anyway, I now have a name for the condition, thank you, and with your severe attacks, you really have my sympathy.

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  16. Oh hell, that eczema looks horrible! I have rosacea flare ups now and then, (I am currently in a flare up now) but it is nothing at all like what you have. I bet the itching drives you crazy, it would be. I totally get what you are saying about students. With each year I teach I find the disrespect grows. In my last post (I have been horrible about reading blogs and posting) I told of a student who got off with no discipline for doing something I thought was pretty nasty. Teaching isn't what it used to be. I hope your eczema gets under control soon. Take care...Michael

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  17. I am a retired teacher and I know exactly what you mean about irritating students - . I used to find that if it was just one (I am speaking here of teenagers in Comprehensive Schoos in the UK) it was usually a possibility to find a way of forming a bond but several and it becomes impossible. You have my sympathy As to that awful rash - has your doctor seen it when it is in this terrible state? Surely there is more he can do for you. I am so sorry.

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  18. Oh, my heart goes out to you. Both my kids have a little bit of eczema which tends to be worse in the dry winter months, but a little hydrocortizone cream usually helps. But you really do suffer from it, don't you? Ugh, I wish for you a new form of relief, cream, medicine, something! And yes, there are some particularly dreadful kids out there. -Jenn

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  19. Yikes! I'm sorry you're dealing with that eczema. It looks like it must be driving you nuts. I hope you find a solution!

    As for kids, yes, there are always a few who are a nightmare. And the minute I get rid of one (through graduation or moving away or growing maturity levels) another troublemaker seems to find me! It sounds like you handled that smirking kid just right.

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  20. I am sorry to hear (and see) that you are suffering from eczema. I hope you seek out more help to solve the problem - maybe a second opinion is necessary. Just hope you can get healed soon so you are not in such pain.
    Kids can be little shits, you are right about that!

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  21. I LOVE the daily hero's welcome from Marco and George! How cute! And I'm so sorry about the eczema flares.

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  22. Your eczema looks so painful. My grandmother suffered from eczema her entire life and her ankles and feet were also her area of greatest infliction. My boys also had eczema when they were little but eventually outgrew it. Their skin specialist's advice was to give them a nightly bath with a couple of capfuls of Oilatum. After the bath, they were coated in Vaseline before they put on their pjs. They only required cortisone cream on particularly bad spots, (which became fewer and fewer after several nights of Oilatum baths.) This was a nightly routine for years. Oilatum helped them give them an itch-free childhood. I just thought I'd mention it although I'm sure you've tried every product known to man.

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  23. Thank you all for the excellent suggestions and the encouragement. I love you guys!

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