Blue Light Photo Box Therapy

For 13 years my skin has been a problem.  It started with a feral cat bite and morphed into an auto immune disorder.  I reached the end of my rope this month.  As I described in my last post, purple skin and lesions were just too much for me. 

I went back to my dermatologist and she suggested a different kind of therapy while they work with my insurance company on getting approval for injections that can get pricey.

Starting November 5, twice a week, I'll be having Blue Light Photo Box Therapy, which is a fancy name for standing in a shower like booth and having ultra violet rays bounce off of my skin.

The therapy itself begins with just seconds in the light until your skin gets used to it.  The rays are the safest part of the spectrum and it isn't a long term solution.  

Right  now, I'm back on a steroid and an anti bacterial skin cream.  I can see light at the end of the tunnel, but my skin is now two toned--purple and pink.  I'll take that over what it was.  And, I can actually walk without my skin rubbing against my slacks and opening up.  

The weather has turned absolutely beautiful.  It's cool in the mornings and evenings and the highs now are in the 70's.  I love it.

I'm still working on what my new normal is going to be.  There is a Writer's Conference at UNCW in November that I want to attend and  Compass Pointe had a Craft Fair last weekend where our friends, Jan and Stu, showed off their talents.  Stu is a wood worker and I bought two great pieces from him.  Jan does jewelry, bird houses and Christmas ornaments.  Jan is going to teach me how to make jewelry and I'm looking forward to a new creative outlet.

Tony mentioned cooking a meal once a week.  I started to think about the last time I cooked a full meal all by myself and I couldn't remember when that was.  I'm guessing that cooking is not going to be part of my new normal!

This is 3 "air plants" Stu mounted on driftwood

Dixie wanted to ensure it wasn't something she could eat

This is a bowl that Stu made from Sweet Gum wood

Here is Dixie napping--she doesn't care about crafts!

This is a Christmas Tree that Jan made from a bunch of pistachio shells paint-sprayed white with silver sprinkles.

     

Alex, Michael and Jan

You can really see time fly by when you have grandchildren.  It seems like we just welcomed Alex into the world and then she turned one, just the other day.  It doesn't seem possible, but she is walking, waving, laughing, running, swimming, cutting teeth and being charming.  She is such a tiny, little  thing, but she is all wrapped up in cuteness and light.  

We went to Florida for her 1st birthday party and had a great time.  David showed his bakery mastery again with a beautiful cake celebrating everything that Alex loves.  She was surrounded by a loving family and all kinds of presents!!

She smashed her cake with glee and was a true birthday princess!  

After we came home, we dealt with hurricane Michael that hit south Florida.  We made sure that our favorite Aunt, Gerri, who lives in Sandestin, Florida was OK and then rode out the wind and rain that reached up from the south.  It was certainly nothing like Florence, but annoying none the less.  We lost power and Tony's pine trees took another hit, but once again, we were so, so lucky compared to many others who had to brave the worst of the storm.  

After that, it was another round of doctor's appointments--this time focused on my psoriasis.  My legs and chest got infected to the point that my skin was a Merlot shade of purple and I had open lesions on my legs.  On the positive side, people at work thought I was young enough to be having menopausal hot flashes that turned my skin a deep red color--on the negative side, I hit menopause in my 40's and this was really intense pain-wise.  It burned and itched.  I went back to the dermatologist and now on a regiment that will address the infection and attack the actual disease.  

Squeezed in among all of that was another trip to a new doctor and a rescheduled heart doctor's appointment.  

I have 5 official days left to work and that will be it for me.  November 3rd will be my last working day.  I am glad and I am sad, but mostly glad.  I have to define my new normal now and get my health under control.  It will be nice to plan things without having to consult my work schedule or worry about having to get up early the day after an important event. 

Fall brings many good things for us.  I love our clam bakes, fires and sitting on the Lanai with blankets.  We are having friends over in the next few weeks and I am looking forward to that.  

Tony will be going back to Florida soon for the charity golf event that he does with David and then, David, Brenda and Alex will be here for Thanksgiving.  What a crazy year.  What a happy year.  

I am one!!