The Daily Routine...

My Dad was back on the East Coast working out of Philly, my brothers were in school all day - so it was just me and my mom. She stayed at home with me for several months during the beginnings of my psoriasis. I wasn't permitted to be in school. She spent the day taking care of my skin. I believe it was her full-time job.

Just before bed, she would cover my body in different steroid creams/ointments and then wrap my arms and legs in saran wrap. She remembers that her father (my grandfather) had psoriasis on his elbows quite severly and would wrap them in saranwrap before bed. We found that not only was the "occlusion" good for loosening the scales but it kept me from scratching them. Before I was wrapped, I would wake up in the morning, with dried blood all over my sheets because I had unawarely been scratching my skin until it bled - all while I slept.

In the morning, after she un-saranwrapped me, I laid on a towel on the living room floor. She had to "loosen" all the scales. It would take what seemed like to me, a then 8 year old, hours to do. Now, as a mother, I can't imagine having to pick scales off my daughters entire body and scalp, knowing that it caused such pain. But also, just stomaching it day after day. She was so gentle, so patient. Never rushing to be done. What a blessing she is. What things she endured.

After that, I had to have light treatment. We were able to buy a UVB sunlamp for home instead of driving to a UVB lightbox at the clinic. She would have it pointed at different areas of my body for just a few minutes at a time, and then move it to the next spot. And the next. And the next. I never minded the light therapy. It was one thing that didn't hurt. I loved the warmth of the light, and remember how cold it felt whenever it would shut off.

After light therapy, more ointment. Then in the afternoon, I would have to bathe in a tar solution. It was thick and brownish-black. It was disgusting. But an important step in my treatment. My mom would sit outside the tub and read me stories while I soaked.

Then in the evenings, the ointment and saranwrap again. It was an all day affair. And never once did I see her wince at the sight of me, never once did I hear her complain... never once.

More tomorrow...