What Good Is A Diagnosis...

... when you cannot treat the symptoms?

When I was in 5th grade I was ready for the summer of my life.  We were moving to a new town and my parents were busy building our new house 2 hours away from where I had gone to elementary school.  I had made some grand plans to see my old friends before moving on to better, brighter things.  The summer started with the usual activities- squirt gun fights, endless days spent running around the neighborhood, going to the waterpark in Denver... and then one day I noticed some itchy spots on my stomach and back.  My mom assumed I had developed a rash from my severe allergies and running around outside in the weeds certainly didn't keep me safe from pollen, dirt and dust.

A few days went by and the rash spread all over my back and a little to my upper arms.  It stopped being so itchy, but the rashy spots were bright red and after a few days they would get scaly and dry.  I felt like a lizard.  My mother quarantined me to the house and slathered me in calamine lotion. I was not to go outside, I was not to touch anything, I was not to get to participate in anything fun until this rash cleared up.  A week or so went by and when nothing changed my parents decided to take me to the doctor.  My mom was sure I had some crazy contagious rash and I was handled like a leper, kept away from the family and everything I touched or used was promptly washed. 

The doctors thought it was just an allergic reaction, but assured my mom it was not contagious.  I was to avoid anything I was or could be allergic to and I was to avoid the sun and swimming.  UGH. 

A few weeks went by and I stayed mostly inside, but got to have friends over and go on some fun outings.  Still, the rash persisted.  I went to the pool with my family but brought books to read and sat at the edge fully covered and not enjoying the heat from the sun or chlorine smell I once had loved.  My family lovingly called me Lizard Girl for a while and I stopped crying about it after a few days.  Right before we officially moved my mom took me back to the doctor who had me see another doctor who told me, "I bet you have Pityriasis Rosea," which meant absolutely nothing to me.

He explained to my mom that it was a skin condition that came from who-knows-what and would either get worse or get better, but really there was no telling and there really was no treatment for it other than hydrocortizone cream if it was too itchy.  It would, "Clear up on it's own," if we just waited it out which could be, "a few weeks or a few months" away. 

So now I was moving to a new town and starting a new school a lizard skinned freak.  I thought my life was over.  But sure enough a week or so after that doctor's office visit the red spots started disappearing and before school started my skin was a perfect as a new born's. 


This was 1996.  It is now 2011, fifteen years later and I had pretty much completely forgotten about that summer being Lizard Girl.

Until today.

I've told you about the weirdy rash thing on my face/neck/chest/torso (it has spread), and I've been covering it with ointments and looking up naturopathic and homeopathic remedies to try.  Nothing has really worked.  I called the doctor a day or so ago and explained what was going on, and she told me to come in on Friday (today) and she would take a look.

I've been researching what this could be and what the cause of it could've been and I had a whole long list of possibilities.  Upon my arrival to the Dr. office I started telling her what I'd researched and what I'd already tried and how long I'd had the rash and where it started and where it had gone and where it seemed to be headed.  She took a look at the rashy bumps and said, "I've seen this before and it is not what you think it is.  It's nothing on your list that you researched and it's not contagious so don't worry too much about it."

Pityriasis Rosea.  Ah!  Mystery Solved!

Now I know.  It is not really treatable, per se, however there are some things that may help aid in soothing the skin.  Cortizone cream, UV light treatment* and warm baths.  OMG, I'm going tanning!  Not really, but maybe.  And then I'll sit in a nice bubble bath and slather myself in Cortizone 10 cream.  Awesome. 

Until then you can call me Lizard Girl if you want, I don't cry about it anymore.

*UV light treatments don't really refer to tanning, it's a special UV light laser that a dermatologist can use to help lessen the redness that occurs with some skin conditions.