Am I half a reptile?

I am sure you can envisage how dandruffs look like. My skin flakes like dandruff and sheds like a snake. I first experienced this some 7 years ago. It was so bad that I thought the dermatologist I was seeing made a Huge mistake. Maybe I have psoriasis instead of eczema or has my eczema turned into psoriasis?

So, off I went to see my long time dermatologist, Dr Cheong Wai Keong. Showed him my shedding skin parts - it was on the trunk of my body, my arms and my ankles...even my face :(

He examined me with his magnifying glass, asked me what I had done or eaten that caused my skin to be so bad. I couldn't think of anything in particular other than STRESS.

I was on prednisolone again and ointments to apply. He gave me ointments instead of creams because my skin was terribly dry and sore. As much as I understood NOT to further aggravate my skin..I just couldn't help the process of tearing the flaky skin off from my body. So I spent lots of my time doing that..peeling away all the dry skin..it was an endless task. The dry flaky skin will pile up around where I was seated all the time. It shed even when I didn't touch it..it was exasperating. I was down in spirit and ignored my children and husband. I locked myself in the room and asked to be left alone.

It took some time for the skin to recover..in fact should I be using the word recover?? My skin never looked normal..it looks dry all the time and of course there are signs of eczema here and there..they never totally left me. I am still flaking today but very much milder compared to that episode 7 years ago. I guess it is because I learn how to stay calm internally, not to expect too much of people and from people (so that I won't get angry over small issues), relax, take deep breaths to increase oxygen intake and most of all have a happy outlook of life.

I slowly picked myself up but with some encouragement from my spouse. He tried to talk some sense into me, telling me not to pity myself so on and so forth. The enemy is still Myself...I have to look forward and live my life. I don't want to rot away as a useless person. I want to be a good mother who can spend quality time with the kids. I want to join in the family activities but can I? I try..and am still trying today.

Whenever I feel a lot of heat pent within me..I will consume home boiled chrysanthemum drink without rock sugar. It does help in bringing down the internal heatiness.