Taipei and my last day, infectious eczematoid dermatitis and me
The doctor immediately diagnosed infectious eczematoid dermatitis, a kind of allergic eczema. But he doesn’t know the cause. He thinks the fact that I’ve suffered from prickly heat before, and I’m sensitive to sunlight, heat and humidity; the allergic reaction to ‘OFF!’ (possibly DEET) could have made the condition worse.
I’ve been prescribed 6 different pills and was given an injection. I’ve been told to see another doctor for another injection when I get to Singapore. And that I should not use these pills for more than 2 weeks otherwise it could affect my body badly. He tells me to stay away from sunlight, heat and humidity (I’m thinking of the countries I’m going to next) even wearing protective clothing. I am to stay away from coffee, alcohol and spicy foods. Everything he’s told me I can handle. Then he tells me my legs are going to be scarred for up to 2 years! But it will go back to its normal colour eventually. I’m left dumbstruck. I thought maybe a month or two the most. But 2 years?!!
After swallowing the disgusting tasting pills and phoning Ling, I walk in the pouring rain to the internet cafe. I am numb. At least my UV umbrella is useful in sun and rain. Yating had called me a typical Taiwanese girl when I told her about my UV umbrella. They carry UV umbrellas here so why not. I feel bad for my legs. I feel shitty that I didn’t go to the hospital sooner especially after all the crap that I sprout about health and me being responsible for myself. I feel I’m a lawyer who has been negligent and I should not be left responsible for me because I am just crap. I’m the only person responsible and I’ve been rubbish at it. Now, I sit here, accepting the consequences. Ling tells me it won’t take that long for the scars to disappear. At this moment they’re still blistering, not even brown, not even scars yet but you can see it going that way. Yes, I feel sorry for myself, for my legs, goddamitt! And also so so so angry with myself! How can I make it up to you? How can I make it better for you? For myself, my body, me, my whole responsibility.
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Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision. 
Tags: Doctor, Heat Rash, Hospital, Taipei, Travel
monkamonkamoo
Now you’ve started looking after youself make sure you keep it up… hope it starts getting better soon, doctors usually exaggerate to cover themselves so I’d agree with Yating that two years seems a bit unlikely.
How do you find drama wherever you go?! I think it follows you around like a sneaky mischevious cloud, hanging above you ready to pour when you look like you’re enjoying yourself too much.
Maybe stick to coastlines as much as you can – the sea breeze keeps the air pretty clear. I don’t remember it being humid at all in Thailand, not on the island anyway. But guess it’s best to be careful – get it to go away so you can enjoy the rest of your trip in peace and unitchiness.
There’s a French film called District 13 that’s just come out here – very groovy action film, not explosion action but just lotsa running and fighting, Luc Besson wrote and produced.
Gosh reading all this reminds me when I was suffering from the same small itch rash in Australia. The same need to try and ignore the itchiness and all you want to do is scratch, scratch, scratch! I went to see an Austrailian doctor about it and all he could do was prescribe cream that didnt really help. I remember the sleepless nights of scratching my skin raw. I did find relief by running boiling hot water from the taps on the rashes. Try it, might help you for short term relief…trust me the relief was unbelieveable, enough time to have a good nights sleep.
It didnt clear until I got home to England. The good thing was I only had 3 weeks of it. My scars didnt last for two years, it was at least a couple of months so dont worry too much about that. Like Tobias said, the docs are exaggerating.
Do hope it goes away for you soon.