- Allergic Reaction- This makes sense, that was my first thought.
- Contact Dermitis- That one makes sense as well. something touched my skin and its affecting me
- Abscsess- hmm, no I think I would notice that
- Poison Ivy, Sumac, Oak- Haven't come into contact with it and I think I'm immune
- Burn- Wouldn't I notice that as well?
- Osteomyelitis- a bone infection caused by bacteria...thats scary!
- Epidermal cysts- it's just some hives and a rash not cysts...
- Acne- Wait, I've been though puberty, I know a pimple when I see one. I do not have pimples all over my hands!
- Brown Recluse spider bite- are you kidding me? Do they even live in New England?
- Phlebitis- an inflammation of the veins. Another scary one? I thought I had a rash, do I have to worry about dying? I shouldn't have looked into this. I don't want to die!
- Medication reaction/ drug allergy- Haven't taken anything, except for the Benedryl to deal with this issue.
- Blepharitis- a Bacterial eye infection, ...?
- Actinic Keratosis- precancerous skin condition that develops in sun-exposed skin, especially face, skin, forearms and neck in pale-skinned, fair-haired, light-eyes people. GREAT! So, I'm dying? pale-skinned? I make paper look tan! Fantastic! I'm already paranoid about cancer based on my genetics. but the description says the itchy patches don't go away, but mine went away yesterday and came back today. But they came back...I'm freaking out!
- Cirrhosis- Seriously? I've only been legal to drink for 16 months! And there hasn't been any binge drinking in there. And where is the correlation between the liver and hives and itchiness on the skin? Cirrhosis is deadly. Do I need a liver transplant? Am I going to die?
Showing posts with label skin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skin. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
How Web MD Made Me A Hypochondriac!
Web MD is a fabulous site. You can go on and find out about all kinds of illnesses and bodily type things. You can educate yourself on almost anything having to do with health and diet, bodily functions, diseases, medical conditions, allergens, and drugs and supplements. If there is something you want to know about health, you can probably find it on Web MD. I have used it as a source for papers before.
Web MD also has an interesting function on their website called the SYMPTOM CHECKER. You start by selecting your gender and age (wouldn't want to tell a man they're pregnant right?) and then you have two options: you can either click on the body parts that you are trying to diagnose or you can type symptoms into the search feature. For the past to days I have been dealing on and off with an issue. Randomly I will break out into hives. My skin will become super itchy, red, and splotchy. It looks oh so attractive! Someone suggested that perhaps it is stress related but it has been happening when I am at my least stressed. Not when I am presenting a paper, but rather when I am in the class I enjoy. Not when I am doing homework but when I am out at trivia night. Not when I am in the class that is kicking my butt but when I am at work surfing the internet. Very confusing. And it is more frustrating than anything else.
So I went onto Web MD. I haven't changed my soap, or shampoo or lotion or anything I bathe with. I haven't changed laundry detergent (which reminds me I need to do laundry stat!) I simply cannot figure this out! So maybe Web MD could help? I selected the different symptoms, the redness, the itching, the hives and got some very interesting results:
Web MD is a great resource. But it can turn you into the biggest hypochondriac. After reading this I am fairly certain I am allergic to oxygen, am on fire, have pimples covering my body, my veins are clogged, my liver is scarred, have cancer, dying from spider toxins, and have been rolling in a patch of Poison Ivy that I just don't remember. Yeah it's a great resource to drive me crazy! And now I'm even more itchy...great...
Monday, January 10, 2011
Schools
1/4/11 6:50 PM
American schools don't know how good they have it. Today Ma took me to the government bilingual high school, which is one of her many jobs. When I told her there were thirty students in classes in America's public schools she laughed. The class I visited had 135 students in it. 135 in one class room! That grade has six classes of over one hundred students each! The vice principal of the school had me introduce myself. Essentially I told them my name, where I am from, that it is my first time in Africa and that I love Cameroon. They laughed after that. We stopped at the library to greet someone. It is disgusting how few books they have. When I get home I want to look into some way to ship books over here. I'm too poor to do it myself but I wonder if there is some resource. I'm also going to contact the Presbyterian Church Young Adult Volunteers. There are many things here that would be great for the program. When we left the school there were children on the side of the road cutting grass. Apparently that is a punishment here, instead of detention you do manual labor if you act up. They also hit students here. A flick to the neck or a cuff to the back of the head.
After school we went to the central market. There are people selling everything there! It's aisle upon aisle of stall upon stall. We stopped at ones that sold medicine and hygiene supplies to get stuff for the store. She bought a thing of ten packs of sanitary napkins and had me carry them around (because I am part of the business now). It's odd, in America I would be so embarrassed being seen carrying around this passive thing of feminine hygiene supplies, but not in Cameroon. We brought the purchases back to the shop and stayed there for a little while. Shelby's host is also a teacher but she had a staff meeting so she dropped Shelbs off at the shop. Because it was the first time I'd seen Shelbs since we got new hosts I told her all about Ma and she told be all about Evelyn. Ma supplied us with coffee flavored candies and groundnuts (peanuts).
We both love our second hosts. Evelyn goes to sleep early, does force food or alcohol, and Shelby has her own bathroom with a shower there. We are a lot more comfortable bow than when we went with our first hosts. Both of our hosts are teachers and speak very clear English which makes things easier.
At noon we walked over to the church manse. Ma's shop is just across the street so it was not a scary walk. There David was waiting and we found out about his second host. Emmanuel is more hands-on than his first host, Thomas, which took some getting used to. David is staying in a hotel that hist host owns and his breakfast was delivered by room service. We got in the van, provided by the hotel Emmanuel owns and went to Fru Ndi's compound to pick up Cindy. Once we were all together we headed to Bafut.
In Bafut we went to the palace. You have to pay to take pictures in the palace so Cindy took all the pictures. There is a museum in the palace so we went through that. As we were leaving, people living in the palace set up handicrafts to sell. I got a necklace, David got a cup (which will be our new communion chalice) and Cindy and Shelby both bought masks.
When we got back to Bamenda the girls stayed at the manse for a little while. We had drinks and watched pastor Julius register people. People here have to register as members of the church at the beginning of every year. Then the elder who is head of the Christian youth fellowship (their youth group) came in to talk to Shelby and I about youth work and youth activities. He was surprised by what we said about our lack if youth involvement in our church and in our area. When he left Cindy, Shelby an I went and checked out the Sunday school room where the children's choir was practicing. When Evelyn came to pick up Shelby I walked over to the shop.
I love that the little kids are so excited by the color of my skin (or lack of color). One child started shouting "white man" and Ma apologized profusely. It doesn't bother me. I'm sure if a little white kid saw a black person for the first time they'd do the same thing. The fact that people love my hair is interesting. I told Ma that I don't get it. I wish my hair could do things their hair does so she said she will try to get some one to braid my hair before I leave. I hope there is enough time.
American schools don't know how good they have it. Today Ma took me to the government bilingual high school, which is one of her many jobs. When I told her there were thirty students in classes in America's public schools she laughed. The class I visited had 135 students in it. 135 in one class room! That grade has six classes of over one hundred students each! The vice principal of the school had me introduce myself. Essentially I told them my name, where I am from, that it is my first time in Africa and that I love Cameroon. They laughed after that. We stopped at the library to greet someone. It is disgusting how few books they have. When I get home I want to look into some way to ship books over here. I'm too poor to do it myself but I wonder if there is some resource. I'm also going to contact the Presbyterian Church Young Adult Volunteers. There are many things here that would be great for the program. When we left the school there were children on the side of the road cutting grass. Apparently that is a punishment here, instead of detention you do manual labor if you act up. They also hit students here. A flick to the neck or a cuff to the back of the head.
After school we went to the central market. There are people selling everything there! It's aisle upon aisle of stall upon stall. We stopped at ones that sold medicine and hygiene supplies to get stuff for the store. She bought a thing of ten packs of sanitary napkins and had me carry them around (because I am part of the business now). It's odd, in America I would be so embarrassed being seen carrying around this passive thing of feminine hygiene supplies, but not in Cameroon. We brought the purchases back to the shop and stayed there for a little while. Shelby's host is also a teacher but she had a staff meeting so she dropped Shelbs off at the shop. Because it was the first time I'd seen Shelbs since we got new hosts I told her all about Ma and she told be all about Evelyn. Ma supplied us with coffee flavored candies and groundnuts (peanuts).
We both love our second hosts. Evelyn goes to sleep early, does force food or alcohol, and Shelby has her own bathroom with a shower there. We are a lot more comfortable bow than when we went with our first hosts. Both of our hosts are teachers and speak very clear English which makes things easier.
At noon we walked over to the church manse. Ma's shop is just across the street so it was not a scary walk. There David was waiting and we found out about his second host. Emmanuel is more hands-on than his first host, Thomas, which took some getting used to. David is staying in a hotel that hist host owns and his breakfast was delivered by room service. We got in the van, provided by the hotel Emmanuel owns and went to Fru Ndi's compound to pick up Cindy. Once we were all together we headed to Bafut.
In Bafut we went to the palace. You have to pay to take pictures in the palace so Cindy took all the pictures. There is a museum in the palace so we went through that. As we were leaving, people living in the palace set up handicrafts to sell. I got a necklace, David got a cup (which will be our new communion chalice) and Cindy and Shelby both bought masks.
When we got back to Bamenda the girls stayed at the manse for a little while. We had drinks and watched pastor Julius register people. People here have to register as members of the church at the beginning of every year. Then the elder who is head of the Christian youth fellowship (their youth group) came in to talk to Shelby and I about youth work and youth activities. He was surprised by what we said about our lack if youth involvement in our church and in our area. When he left Cindy, Shelby an I went and checked out the Sunday school room where the children's choir was practicing. When Evelyn came to pick up Shelby I walked over to the shop.
I love that the little kids are so excited by the color of my skin (or lack of color). One child started shouting "white man" and Ma apologized profusely. It doesn't bother me. I'm sure if a little white kid saw a black person for the first time they'd do the same thing. The fact that people love my hair is interesting. I told Ma that I don't get it. I wish my hair could do things their hair does so she said she will try to get some one to braid my hair before I leave. I hope there is enough time.
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