Ironic Allergy

So a few months ago, I noticed that my skin started itching. And where I had itched, my skin puffed up like puffy paint.

At first it was strange, then it got annoying, and then I wondered if there was something wrong with me.

I took a picture of what happens if I 'draw' a smiley face on my arm

and did some googling. Normally I'm not for self-diagnosing your illnesses, but I stumbled across people who suffered from the same skin-thing, and learned it is called Dermatographic urticaria or 'skin writing disease'. Some people even turn it into art! Here is a Flickr group where people show off what their skin can do.

But because the itching got worse, I decided to go to my family doctor today.

He was surprised to see it, as it is rare and he had not seen it in years. He confirmed the Dermatographia, and asked if I had any pets. Um, yes, Keesha.... He said that it's a rare allergic reaction, and is often seen in people who are allergic to pets. I told him that we said goodbye to our labrador a few months ago, and that I never had this back when he was alive, but as my doctor explained, you can be allergic to some dogs and not others, especially when the allergy is not so much hair but saliva. Ahhh.. Keesha is (still) quite nippy, so that would explain a lot!

Doc got me allergy pills, and told me that the condition does not have a cure, but the pills will make it occur less and/or make it less itchy. And because getting rid of Keesha is not an option, pills are the only choice.

I think it's incredibly ironic that I now turn out to be allergic to dogs. I've been scared for dogs for most of my childhood and adult life, only since moving here and living with dogs again did my fear finally go. I take Keesha to the park every day (except when during those incredibly heavy rains we've been having lately), and as of Wednesday I'll be taking her to dog training. And now my doctor tells me that I should try and avoid most contact... As if I could do that! No way!



Anyway, hopefully the pills will kick in soon and Tye can stop calling me his human etch-a-sketch or post-it note. ;)