My inward and definitely outward battle!!

Rich was out of work so his family in Utah told him to come up and they had some stuff that he could do. So we used our flyer miles and he flew up on the 16th. On Friday the 18th of June I had my last day of preschool and our program for the parents to come watch. The kids sang some songs and performed the three little pigs. Needless to say that week I was a little stressed. I woke up Friday morning with a sore throat, but continued on with the day as planned. That night my sore throat had worsened. Since Rich was gone I had decided to go stay at my moms, especially since now I wasn't feeling good. So Friday night I didn't sleep much. All day Saturday I had body aches and my throat kept getting worse. I hate going to the doctor and I hate taking any type of medicine so I continued to put it off. Saturday night I didn't sleep so Sunday morning I looked in my throat and I had never seen anything like it so I went straight over to the Doctor's office on Lyon's Ave. They tested for strep and yes it came back positive. So I went over to walmart to pick up my prescription and they were not open so I went back to my moms. Chris ended up going back and getting it for me later among many other trips to the store for me throughout the few days I was staying with them and the weeks following. I have a mild case of psoriasis which for me are light pink spots that I get on my abdomen. Not a big deal but when I lay out in the sun it helps them go away. So in the summer I try to lay out a few minutes a day. Well on Tuesday I got sunburned on my back. Not good. Two days after that I started getting this rash on my neck and chest, a very light rash. So on Saturday I called the doctor and told them I was having an allergic reaction to the prescription they had me on. So they gave me a steroid pack to try and get rid of the rash. It continued to worsen. They called me a few days later and put me on a different prescription for the strep because they didn't want that to return. So I was pumping my body full of these antibiotics. AHHHHH!!!!! The rash got worse daily, and then it started to itch. The most painful itch all over my body. I couldn't sleep at night. Every night finally around three I would fall asleep and then have to get up with the boys at seven. I was completely exhausted and didn't have the energy to do anything. Then Rocky got sick and was sick for about four days and once he was better Lincoln got sick and was sick for the same amount of time. So I couldn't solicit help from friends to take the boys because they were sick. I tried every kind of cream and lotion. I got on a probiotic to replenish the good bacteria in my stomach. Then Rich gave me a priesthood blessing on July 4th. I knew that I would be healed but I also knew that it was a matter of time and I was going to have to wait it out. I looked horrible so I did everything I could to not go out in public. It didn't spread much on my face but it was all over my arms, hands, chest, neck, back, stomach, and legs. One night in particular I was really struggling and we like to watch the mormon messages and Rich had lds.org up and clicked on one that we hadn't seen yet. Here is the link to my new life. This video completely changed my perspective on my miniscule problems. As I watched this video crying the whole time I realized for the first time that I was not alone and that it could be a lot worse. My Savior had suffered the pains I was experiencing whether it was physically or emotionally, I was not alone. My family was extremely supportive. Rich gave up sugar with me as I went on the eating right for your blood type diet he put lotion on my back daily and through it all made me feel like I was still attractive. I am the luckiest person to have my wonderful husband to love me and be there for me he was my strength. I finally had gone over to the wellness center in Newhall and she gave me a few different holistic remedies to take, along with the diet. Through my nights of sleeplessness I would get on the computer and research, research, research. It didn't seem like an allergic reaction there was something more to it. I ended up self diagnosing it as Guttate Psoriasis. A form of psoriasis that you can break out with after getting strep throat. Some of the other causes are stress, sunburn, and insect bites. Of which I had all of those within that one week. It was inevitable. There is no cure. All of the forums I got on said there was nothing a doctor could do so I decided to not waste money on a visit to a dermatologist. I also read it would take months for it to clear up. It is currently November 19th and my skin is clear. My legs and feet still have light spots but I think it is scaring and will lighten with time. It was a trial in my life that I am grateful for it helped me to grow and to realize that I need to be better about passing judgement on people by their outward appearance. Which is what that video helped me to realize, beauty is in our daily tasks, mine as a mother and wife and I need to be grateful for those blessings and for a body that is absolutely magnificent!!! I am grateful for my testimony of my Savior and for the strength he gives me daily to accomplish my many responsibilities. I love my family and my husband without them I would have really sunk into a state of despair. They kept me going. Thank you!!!!

These pics were taken on July 4th 2010. This was not at it's worse. It continued to spread and the spots continued to enlarge. My back and stomach at it's peak were completely covered in redness you couldn't see an ounce of my real skin. I completely forgot what it felt like to rub lotion on normal skin.