February 3rd, 2014
Hi folks. Man, it's been a while.
So what's happening now, you might be asking? The answers are both maddeningly simple, and similarly complex, as per usual. The overarching theme is that I still spend most of my time cooped up in the apartment, trying to stay focused on studying, but occasionally, and occasionally frequently, distracted by the internet, video games, works of fiction, and, of course and always, politics. The short version of that is that I sit in front of a computer a lot, pursuing various interests. I also cook and clean, though admittedly, more of the former and less of the latter, also always and of course. I also-also exercise, though not as much as I'd like, most of which I blame on skin troubles. Oh, do I have skin troubles.
It turns out that a sizable portion of my previous and ongoing dermatological troubles can be attributed to a significant predisposition to eczema, which, sadly, I am yet burdened with. In fact, post chemotherapy in particular, my eczematic predisposition has worsened. I was told to expect this, and what do I do? I go right on ahead and move back to Saskatchewan, where at forty below, one hundred percent humidity amounts to less than a thousandth of a gram of water per cubic meter of air. For context, at plus thirty degrees centigrade, one hundred percent humidity means that there is approximately thirty grams of water per cubic meter of air. My skin does better when it happens to be thirty degrees and humid; for that matter, so does everyone else's, from the standpoint of eczema. There are a whole other host of heat and humidity related skin peccadillos that one can fall prey to, but we're talking about me, here. ME ME ME ME ME. And I have problems with eczema. So anyway, it's cold as balls out here, and I am freaking covered in eczema to the point that I have compound eczema, which is what happens when two or more separate patches overlap, in a hideous approximation of shitty teamwork. I've got topical steroids that I'm pretty sure have given up the ghost entirely, which is a thing that happens to me constantly: I find a cream, ointment, steroid, whatever, that works, and I'll get anywhere from six months to two days before my skin develops intolerance to it. That's been going on for so long that I can get a good idea about how long something is going to work for me the first time that I apply it, and there are certain things that, if on the ingredients list, are immediate disqualifiers for success, such as any sort of added fragrance.
Side note: while I do appreciate the sentiment when friends offer me advice on moisturizers, no matter how well said product worked for them, I can almost guarantee that the results will not be duplicated on me, especially, especially when said product is a major lady brand or has any sort of 'lovely aroma'. If you offer me a remedy, the above will no doubt account for the long-suffering face that I think I have gotten bad at hiding, or the reluctance and/or doubt that I evidence regarding said remedy's efficacy vis-a-vis my person.
Theoretically speaking, this condition should dramatically reduce during the summer, and in further theoretical parlance, should be less severe next winter, as my body continues to recover from the effects of the chemotherapy. I remain fairly certain that the only real, long-term option is to remove myself from this climate in its entirety, relocating to a geography more conducive to epidermal integrity.
So what's happening now, you might be asking? The answers are both maddeningly simple, and similarly complex, as per usual. The overarching theme is that I still spend most of my time cooped up in the apartment, trying to stay focused on studying, but occasionally, and occasionally frequently, distracted by the internet, video games, works of fiction, and, of course and always, politics. The short version of that is that I sit in front of a computer a lot, pursuing various interests. I also cook and clean, though admittedly, more of the former and less of the latter, also always and of course. I also-also exercise, though not as much as I'd like, most of which I blame on skin troubles. Oh, do I have skin troubles.
It turns out that a sizable portion of my previous and ongoing dermatological troubles can be attributed to a significant predisposition to eczema, which, sadly, I am yet burdened with. In fact, post chemotherapy in particular, my eczematic predisposition has worsened. I was told to expect this, and what do I do? I go right on ahead and move back to Saskatchewan, where at forty below, one hundred percent humidity amounts to less than a thousandth of a gram of water per cubic meter of air. For context, at plus thirty degrees centigrade, one hundred percent humidity means that there is approximately thirty grams of water per cubic meter of air. My skin does better when it happens to be thirty degrees and humid; for that matter, so does everyone else's, from the standpoint of eczema. There are a whole other host of heat and humidity related skin peccadillos that one can fall prey to, but we're talking about me, here. ME ME ME ME ME. And I have problems with eczema. So anyway, it's cold as balls out here, and I am freaking covered in eczema to the point that I have compound eczema, which is what happens when two or more separate patches overlap, in a hideous approximation of shitty teamwork. I've got topical steroids that I'm pretty sure have given up the ghost entirely, which is a thing that happens to me constantly: I find a cream, ointment, steroid, whatever, that works, and I'll get anywhere from six months to two days before my skin develops intolerance to it. That's been going on for so long that I can get a good idea about how long something is going to work for me the first time that I apply it, and there are certain things that, if on the ingredients list, are immediate disqualifiers for success, such as any sort of added fragrance.
Side note: while I do appreciate the sentiment when friends offer me advice on moisturizers, no matter how well said product worked for them, I can almost guarantee that the results will not be duplicated on me, especially, especially when said product is a major lady brand or has any sort of 'lovely aroma'. If you offer me a remedy, the above will no doubt account for the long-suffering face that I think I have gotten bad at hiding, or the reluctance and/or doubt that I evidence regarding said remedy's efficacy vis-a-vis my person.
Theoretically speaking, this condition should dramatically reduce during the summer, and in further theoretical parlance, should be less severe next winter, as my body continues to recover from the effects of the chemotherapy. I remain fairly certain that the only real, long-term option is to remove myself from this climate in its entirety, relocating to a geography more conducive to epidermal integrity.
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