Getting Better

It's been about three and a half weeks since the pityriasis rosea showed up out of the blue. I have way more more sympathy for people with skin issues. This itching has been awful since it covered my entire front wrapping around my sides and going into my inner thighs. The rash is slowly fading now, though it is still a bit itchy, it is so much better than it was.
The best thing I've found for dealing with the symptoms of this have been: 30-40 minute tepid, colloidal oatmeal baths (grinding oatmeal to a powder and the putting it in a cheesecloth bag), Skinfix body repair paste (i found it at well.ca and bought the largest size) and sweet almond oil. I've been trying to avoid added scents and additives, going as natural as possible.

Going Natural

I've started down the path to using more natural cleaning products.

I was doubtful that baking soda would clean my disgusting oven.

I sprayed my oven with water and sprinkled a thick layer of soda throughout then wet the soda down with my water sprayer bottle.

I left it like that while I went to town to do errands. 

I really, really didn't want to deal with it when I got home but I took a plastic scraper and tentatively started scraping and much to my surprise the gunk just scraped up.  It was amazing.  I was so happy. 

I've put off cleaning the oven because I didn't want to use the harsh chemicals.  I've been burned twice with that stuff where a drip landed on my arm where my rubber gloves ended; it's nasty stuff.   I was a the point where I would've scrubbed for an hour just to avoid the oven cleaner.  The door needs a little more work, I was focused on the bottom since every time I baked something smoke would start up (a sure sign that it is waaay past time to have cleaned it).

Voila!  Clean oven-took less than ten minutes to scrape and wipe-and no harsh chemicals. 

Rough Start

Well, 2013 is off to a rough start.  Not so bad and I really shouldn't complain because there are others out there so much worse off than myself.  It's more of a small pity party lol
My uncle passed away quite suddenly and that is always a shock.
Then I ended up with a nasty rash called pitysiasis rosea.  The itchiness is driving me crazy.  I was up at 3 in the morning rubbing on lotion early this morning.  I've had it 2 weeks and, of course, I've been researching it online trying to find a way to get rid of it.  BUT there is so much conflicting information out there.  It's viral; it's fungal.  Take a tepid shower; take a hot shower.  You might have it two weeks or two months (or in some cases more than that).  They don't seem to know what causes it.
     It would be so much easier if I knew what to do with it. I've taken baths in: bakings soda, sea salt, powdered ginger, cider vinegar and colloidal oatmeal.  Not all at once, of course. 
     I tried some Aveeno lotion today that's supposed to be for rashes and dry skin and holy it started stinging.  It felt like I'd been dipped in menthol.  I read the ingredient list and lo and behold there is menthol in the Aveeno.  That seems odd to me. 
     So I'm on a mission to see what is going to work the best.  So far I'd have to say the colloidal oatmeal bath was one of the best.  The morning after I did that my rash was pink instead of the angry red it was after my pharmisist had said it was fungal and to use Selsun Blue shampoo on it (you rub the shampoo on and leave it for a few minutes, if you can stand it and shower it off).  After I did this it was bright red and my skin went rough and scaly.  After about the third day it was so tender I could hardly stand it.  To find out if you have the fungal variety you need to go to your doctor and get a sample taken so you know for sure.
     I'm trying to go more natural, no scents.  I've been using sweet almond oil and coconut oil.  It has also been suggested that I try colloidal silver.  So here we go...wish me luck.