Sunday, March 10, 2013

Job, I Feel Your Pain...

...but only a little tiny bit of it because God knows I'm a wimp and couldn't handle more!

So, that rash I mentioned yesterday?  I still have it.  My longing for it to be gone by today was not fulfilled, and tonight I itch...and hurt...and pray that God will mercifully heal my body.

It started Friday evening, and we've wondered if it came about because of an allergic reaction to coconut milk, an ingredient in a lentil soup I made for dinner that night.  I can hardly believe that it could be that, but that's the only thing I can think of that was somewhat unusual in my diet or environment that evening.

Thankfully, the itching is pretty well controlled--although not completely eliminated--by Benadryl; but woe unto me if I let too much time elapse between doses!  Because Benadryl makes me so tired, I have had to weigh the pros and cons of taking it, especially during the daytime.  Do I want to minimize the itching?  Then take Benadryl, but if I do, I'll get terribly sleepy.  Do I want to be alert and energetic?  Then don't take Benadryl, but in that case, the itching will get really bad.  It's quite a dilemma!  ;-)

Every time I start pondering what to do, Jeff solves it for me.  "Take the medicine," he'll kindly order me.  "Just take the Benadryl already!"  ;-)

I'm SO grateful that today was Sunday and Jeff could be here to help out in many ways.  Because of him, I was able to get a wonderful long nap this morning.  I'm always grateful for a good nap, but today even more so, because every hour that is spent in the pleasant unconsciousness of sleep rather than the agony of itching is a gift!

This morning when I woke up, it was so, so bad; and I felt a little like Job.  "Just hand me a potsherd, and let me sit among the ashes and try to scrape this itch away!"  But then I remind myself that my suffering is nothing--NOTHING!--compared to what he endured.

It's still not any fun though...  :(

3 comments:

Miriam said...

I am so, so sorry. I hope that some day you will be freed of this misery, be it by healing or finding the cause and a way to treat it.

Unknown said...

I hope it is better today.

Sally said...

You have my complete sympathy! I have been in your situation, and it is pure, pure agony! I've decided one of the punishments of hell is (or well, could be) extreme, inescapable itching. Do you have (or have access to) any menthol cream? That gives a cool feeling to the skin and helps with the itching. Of course, when it's all over your body, you need more than a little tube. My dr. prescribed it for me (called "Sarna Lotion" I think) when I had a head-to-toe itchy rash from an allergic reaction to a medication. I'm praying for you!