Take care of yourself

I was born with several illnesses. It is not easy to live with an illness, it forces you to think about what things to choose because it is always present. Things you love to eat, smell and feel but have to avoid. I have atopic dermatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and hip dysplasia. Atopic dermatitis is common during childhood, but it is rare to have it continue into and past adolescence, in such a case atopic dermatitis becomes chronic.

Atopic dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin, it is genetic and the symptoms get worse from any number of things; in my case this is stress, pets, dust, sweat, pollution, dry and cold weather, chlorine (swimming pool), certain fabrics like wool, perfume, detergent and some food items (rice, tuna, chocolate, strawberries, peanuts, tomatoes, spices, sodas, and processed food).

My skin condition is probably one of the reasons why I am shy. Kids can be cruel, they were pointing their fingers to show my skin and making fun of it. But adults can be just as bad. I lost one year in school because the sports teacher wouldn’t let me take part in the class. He didn't allow students wearing pants, requiring girls to wear shorts. Some people feel disgusted seeing my skin. There were places I couldn't enter like pool slides, Turkish baths, saunas... The condition is not contagious, but some people’s ignorance can make others feel bad.

My family did everything people said to try to cure me, the best doctors, some of them being pretty expensive. The overpriced skin care products are not covered by the medical insurance. The doctors were giving me pills, creams for specific areas and other ones for my whole body. They were only having theories of how to cure me. First, they said I was only going to have it until I was 7 years old and then it was going to disappear. Then they said when I hit puberty and started my period it was going to disappear. The last theory was that it would disappear when I have a child, I don't believe that.  

I stayed one week with a group of people who said they follow the star of David. I am not sure if they were Jewish or Catholic, I was still a child. I stayed in a town so far away from my family. We were praying the entire week and the healing would happen during the night I slept in the temple. That night the spirits would come to cure the illness. I shared that week with a group of people suffering from cancer and stomach problems. They gave us some beverages to cleanse our bodies which we drank it in the morning and the rest of the day you could only have water. Another time, I went to see a doctor on a farm outside of my city. The people were saying good things about him. He was catholic, I had to enter a room, lay in the bed and repeat some prayers he said, it was around two hours. Then he gave me a bag with natural medicine that looked like sand. I had to mix spoons of the medicine with water and drink it.

I tried a lot of things people recommend; aloe, lemon, showers with water and herbs, skin products for animals. I went to see a homeopath but the medicine he gave me was so bad for me. My allergy was only in some parts of my body, but after that treatment, it was everywhere. One time, I was having a lot of stress from my job and the doctor gave me an inability to work for one month. It was so bad! I was covering my skin from my neck to my toes. My sister joined me to see the dermatologist and when I took off my clothing and she saw my skin, she started crying. With the medicine the doctor prescribed me, I healed for a few months.

I searched on the internet who were the best doctors for skin conditions in my country. I found one and I started an experimental treatment with her. It was controversial because the medicine she prescribed had secondary effects, and I was experiencing those. My boss called me and told me I had to do something because I was not looking the same anymore. Unfortunately, in some places, you get a job for your appearance. The medicine changed my face and body. My skin was looking perfect but I had fluid retention.

I gained nine kilograms and after that, I decided to change my life. I researched the fluid retention and it was sodium combined with the medicine that made it happen. Sodium is in everything however, it is not only in salt. Some vegetables and proteins have it as well. I cut all the salt and refined sugar from my diet and I started a nutritional plan. I did it on my own, reading books, and reading information on the internet. I started going to the gym often, five days a week without excuses. I went to talk with my doctor, I told her I didn't want to continue that medicine anymore and she changed the treatment.

The new treatment consisted of taking a medicine intended for cancer treatment and UV light sessions controlled by a doctor. I had to have three treatments a week and a doctor’s appointment every month. Blood exams every month to check my liver and kidneys. I did this continuously for 3 months. After that, I continued to only take the pills and going to one appointment every month.

One day I started feeling pain in my hip. I didn't know why and I was thinking it was because of lifting heavy weights in the gym. I took some days off from exercise to recover, but every day it was getting worse. Five days later I couldn't walk normally. The first orthopedist I saw, said it was bursitis. He told me 10 days of therapy would be enough to heal. During the therapy, I felt great, but a few hours later the pain was back again. I completed the therapy but I went to see another orthopedist and he found the dysplasia. It is degenerative so I can't do anything to recover from it, I lost part of my cartilage. Now I have to take care of myself, I can't jump, run, or have a baby. I have to sleep only on my left side with a pillow between my legs. It was not easy to change how I sleep, it took me months to start sleeping normally again.

While I was on my trip in Brasil, I forgot to take my medicine. I told that to my doctor and she said that if you stopped just don't take it again. I continue doing exercise, taking vitamins, eating healthy. My metabolism is better now and I lost the weight I gained. I know my hip will never be fine, but I have hope that getting strong muscles will help with something, doing just the exercises my body allows me to do. I have to take sun baths twice a year and continue eating healthy. I didn't have allergic reactions again after I started the sun baths. Changing my diet was the best decision I did in my life. I don't eat processed food often. It is weird for some people when they see me eating.

For me, it is normal to deal with my illnesses and taking care of myself. I’ve had it all my life, but I understand the people around me, it can be annoying. I have to think before doing or buying something, the laundry detergent or the soap for showering, the makeup I wear, the ingredients on the creams or personal products reading all the labels, the fabric of my clothes and my bed linens, the smell of cleaning products and perfumes, the additives in food, the dust in the house. I am the kind of person who liked to jump in concerts, jump in a waterfall, paragliding, bungee jumping, running and doing activities like hiking and walking up long stairs, but now I can’t do that.

I have freckles, wrinkles and a lot of scars but being better feels great. I have decided to stop going to the doctor, believe me, it is exhausting to see doctors. Sometimes I eat some of the stuff that causes an allergic reaction, I’ve had pets too. I am alive, I have to live. I don't want more chemicals, strange treatments or medicines. Your decisions when you are going to eat can help you to heal. I hope this help someone to decide to change their habits to have a better life.