Spring Break day 3

This morning I woke up with so much energy. I think there is something to this getting lots of sleep thing! I have been sleeping a full 7 to 8 hours and working on getting normal meals in and I am feeling great. Lots of sunshine and playing outside is helpful too. Being inside an old school all day (possible mold issues from a previous flood) cannot be that great for me and I have really noticed a difference. I got up and made breakfast and coffee for Brandon and I before he left for work at 8.

Split sausage, pancake, egg and coffee! mmm

  I did some laundry and  headed to the dermatologist. I had a full body examination and she said I looked great. She asked if I was a college student (oooo yay!) then she told me for 26 (almost 27) I had fabulous skin and hardly any wrinkles. She told me it was well hydrated and that I was not a "moley" person so I shouldn't worry too much about skin cancers but to do routine checks on myself and visit once a year. I never knew the dermatologist was a yearly visit! I have never been before. So I asked her a lot of questions:


1.) Do I have cancerous moles. She gave me the pamphlet below  and told me that everything looks normal. We talked about one on my chin that has been bothering my, irritated, changed colors etc. and I am having it removed over the summer and they are sending it to get a biopsy (but she isn't too concerned).

ABCDE's of Melanoma

2.) I have little red bumps on my arms....and my butt ;) What are they and how do I get rid of them. She said a common mistake we make is to use hydrating lotions but not an exfoliating lotion so we get dead skin cells commonly on our arms and butt areas. It is called Keratosis Pilaris and it is worse in the winter. She said that an exfoliating lotion with alpha hydroxy, urea or lactic acid would be the best. However, it won't remove redness but it will smooth the skin and help with any irritation it causes (mines not irritated it just looks ugly!) To remove redness that would require a chemical peel and that does not sound fun to me. Carry on tiny bumps!

Reading material and my new exfoliating lotion.

3.) When I am over heated or nervous or worked up in general, my skin get red and blotchy. What is that? Why does it do that? Please make it stop!
~I told her it is most common when  I am nervous, being put on the spot, being the center of attention, in stressful situations or if I am sitting in one spot for too long.
~She said it is very common and it is an adrenaline rush. She told me that it isn't as bad because I am not fair skinned and the more tan I get the less it will be noticed. She recommended  .25mg of Atenolol (beta blocker), 3g of Lysine and Arginine, or to try some calming methods (yoga, breathing) before I am in these situations. 


                                                


I am not a fan of medications but I would love for this to go away because it is really embarrassing. People always feel the need to point it out too- just ignore it and it goes away in 2 minutes. I am not sick, I am not gonna throw up, I am not over heated, I am just blotchy... IT HAPPENS. 
So I am going to try the over the counter Lysine and Arinine first to see if that works. I never noticed Xanax working or not working- might have to keep that around when I speak in public or know I am going to be center of attention. I would prefer not to take the beta blocker because I hear it can mess with blood pressure. 
Anyone else suffer from this? What do you do? 


Other than my doctors visit, Sali had a vet visit and needs leg surgery and a tooth removed. She is not happy about it and neither is our wallet but she is Mans best friend and we love her. She has been such a blessing to our family and she is getting her surgeries ASAP.

Always a brighter tomorrow

Finally I made it home and got to garden, clean up my yard and relax on the couch for a little bit while Brandon was in class. Can't wait for a doctor free tomorrow. I need a break from Spring Break!

mmmm can't wait to use this garden.