Rx R Us

You know, I always thought I could tolerate itching fairly well. I suppose I can -- if it's a lowly mosquito bite or seven. But this subtle, steadily increasing ultra low-level itchiness that gradually turns into a realization that I can't stop touching my skin... Aaaaaaah! I usually gut it out and try to ignore itching, but with this I eventually find myself rubbing or smoothing the itchy skin. I rarely actually scratch an itch; I worked on stopping that habitual reaction years ago. But this -- it's really, really hard to think coherently when you're itching like this!!

At bedtime last night I took another dose of benadryl. This morning, all morning, my palms itched and were blotchy and my ears itched. Can't see 'em, don't know about redness. I really wanted to go without the benadryl and see if the Claritin would be enough (clue: no, it wouldn't).

A pretty funny thing happened this morning at Panera Bread (we met friends there): Son2 reached for the honey dispenser, wanting to smell the honey, and my reaction was to stay far, far away from it out of self preservation. I am NOT interested in tasting any honey at all right now. Too funny.

My palms and ears itched very slightly all morning. At noon I took my day 2 Claritin. An hour and a half later I realized I was rubbing my palms and knees an awful lot. By the time it was time to pick up the boys from school, aaaaaaaah!!! We went directly to the drugstore, I bought the store brand benadryl, and I took one then and there in the car. A couple of hours later the itching was completely gone, sweet relief.

I acknowledge that I may have to fill the prescription for the steroids in order to more fully knock down my body's response to whatever it was, honey or whatever. I almost never take prescription drugs, and the combination of Claritin (maybe) and benadryl makes me tired and sort of buzzy and feeling unwell for the first 2-3 hours. I can only imagine how fun it will be to have a steroid romping around in me. But I don't want my body getting into this whole reaction thing; I want it to relax! and cut it out!

I just took my bedtime benadryl -- I realized just beforehand that my ear lobes are itching, and my knees, and a spot on the front of my right leg, and of course my palms, and... aargh. I'll be going to bed soon. Benadryl, tire me out, take me away...