Not really sure that the picture does it justice, but there is a lovely and large puss-filled bubble on my palm (at the base of my thumb).
On Friday morning, I woke up with a mysteriously red and very itchy spot on my left hand. If you asked my mom, this meant that I should buy a lottery ticket, as I was going to be coming into some money very soon. On Saturday, the spot had spread, and was now becoming wrinkly. On Sunday, the wrinkles continued, but something was changing. and becoming painful, so I stopped at the pharmacy where they suggested I had a bug bite, and gave me an antihistamine cream. Which did nothing. On Monday night I took Tylenol for the pain, and woke up to the afore-mentioned puss-bubble, which throbbed off and on during the night.
So, I loaded up NB S and head over to the KCA SEHA clinic (hours of operation, for those who are interested, 8 am to 11 pm Monday to Thursday, 3 pm to 11 pm on Saturdays, and closed on Fridays). I had to take a chance on the opening hours (you have to get there early, or expect a LONG wait), and decided that if it WASN'T open at 8 am, that I would drive home, and go back again for 9. Luckily for me, starting time was 8 am (which means that they got things rolling around 8:15) and about 10 minutes later I was in with the doctor.
Who had no clue what was wrong with my hand (but she thought maybe Lyme disease...?).
So she got me to pick up NB S (who I had carried in with her car seat as it was less painful than shifting her to the stroller) and carry her all the way to the opposite end of the building, to see the SURGEON (who was obviously the SEHA go-to person). She showed HER my hand, AND...
She had no clue what was wrong with my hand (but she took some pictures with her phone and told me to go to the New Al Noor Hospital, and she gave me the name of a dermatologist who was the head of the department and told me to go and see him), AND...
He wasn't there anymore. He apparently has not been there for over two years (as the receptionist who had been there for just over two years had never heard of him).
However, after a 90 minute wait, I got to see Dr. Rehad, who appears to be a competent doctor and a great lady. She laughed off the Lyme Disease suggestion (apparently it has a variety of other symptoms), and told me that I was experiencing an ACUTE eczema episode, likely brought on by some soap or lotion that has irritated my skin. After going through a list of things with me, all I could come up with was it must be something that I used from Peter's bathroom, as I think I showered in his bedroom on Wednesday and Thursday (due to sleeping children). While she was talking with me, she managed to calmly pierce the blister (and let me tell you, I appreciate her sneakiness as I had no time to get scared and I didn't feel a thing). I was most disgusted by the splurt of liquid splattered out (and got on my pants). It reminded me of that disgusting gum they had in the 80s, with the liquid in the centre that gushed out as you chewed it--I never liked that stuff. She gave me two creams--one medicinal, and the other to be used afterwards to create a barrier on my very delicate skin.
She also made me laugh, by telling me the 'old' name for the malady my hands are suffering:
Housewife's Eczema
(seriously--you can google it). NB S was fabulous the entire time, and being with her, alone, reminded me of when I first moved to Abu Dhabi, and little A was the one who accompanied me everywhere. She was the Tonto to my Lone Ranger-and for the longest time, she was my only friend while Peter was working--keeping me busy, giving me company and someone to smile with, while we passed the hours til Peter came home from work. NB S looks so much like little A--sometimes, I feel like I'm back in time...
But, little A and T N stayed home, and when I returned they were starting lunch. T N was intrigued by my band-aid, and kept squeezing it (probably helping more of the blister to drain out). Little A was watching a show and happily eating her spaghetti with Maggi dip (her favourite, which she has not had for a while).
The hand already feels a lot better, and I will be sure and use my medications appropriately.
Some other highlights of my day:
**helping to plan a baby shower for my friend Sharon.
**my friend Shariza is back in town!! Yahoo!! I cannot express the joy when I saw her name on my call display today.
**my new friend Yang is going to come and visit tomorrow. I am going to enjoy getting to know her.
**Peter reminded me of a girl we went to school with, Carmella Zawada (spelling most likely incorrect) who I went to Junior high with (and Peter went to Elementary School with). Carm (as we called her) was an outcast, who suffered from acute eczema, and I remember NOW how her hands had exactly the same rippled and wrinkly appearance that mine do. She was a nice girl, but did not fit in with any crowd, and it was junior high...things must have been awful for her (though I must say, I was always friendly and nice to her). I hope that where ever she is now, that she has found some friends, and has a happy life.
P.S. in the case that Dr. Rehad is WRONG, and it IS a bite from a radio-active spider, I will let you know if I wake up with super-powers in the morning.
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