91 Today

91 Today

Actually it was last Monday November 6th,but my internet connection which has been super reliable for years went down. I was like a bear with a sore backside without it.Lost.Bored.Miserable.

There was life before the internet but it’s hard to remember how we filled our days.

1926 was an eventful year as you can see below –

Sorry I couldn’t help doing a name drop. It reminds me of the nonentity who said “Nelson’s dead, Shakespeare’s dead, and I don’t feel too good myself”

I'm battling a horrible skin rash and blisters disease which added to my woes. I couldn’t sleep because of the itching.Is there anything more tormenting than an itch that you can’t reach?

And at my age and stiffness there are more places that are just beyond sc r a t c h i n g

Bullous pemphigoid

Getting under control now with antibiotics and steroid cream.I reluctantly turned to strong chemical medication because I don’t think my natural approach of Apple Cider Vinegar,vitamin D3,B6 and Turmeric was going to heal it.

I’ve always felt that there is a place for both orthodox medicines and the alternative natural approach, which should be the first resort.

Our health services are swamped and at breaking point because too many don’t do enough to look after their health in the first place, and then swamp the surgeries for the simplest complaint.

Some friends knowing my love of a joke said the rash was Fowl Pest.

But the doctors diagnosed it as -

Bullous pemphigoid
Symptoms copied below from the NHS website

Bullous pemphigoid is a blistering skin disease that tends to affect the elderly.
It's caused by a problem with the immune system, but usually goes away on its own within a few years. In the meantime, blisters can be controlled with medication.
About 1 in 10,000 people are affected by the condition in the UK each year.
What are the symptoms?
Bullous pemphigoid typically starts with a red, itchy rash that looks a bit like dermatitis (a type of eczema) or hives. This tends to last several weeks or months.
Groups of large, itchy blisters usually then appear on the red patches, just beneath the surface of the skin. They can be up to 5cm in diameter and full of fluid, with the thick skin of the blisters stretched tightly.

Blisters last a few days before healing without leaving a scar, but a cycle develops where more form.
The rash and blisters are usually seen on the upper arms and thighs, sometimes spreading to body folds and the tummy. In severe cases, the blisters may cover most of the skin, including the inside of the mouth.
What is the cause?
Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and organs.
The person's immune system produces antibodies against the skin. These antibodies attack the basement membrane, which lies between the skin's top layer (epidermis) and the next layer (dermis), and holds the skin together. The skin layers start to separate and fluid builds up in between.
It's not understood why autoimmune diseases like bullous pemphigoid happen, but it's thought something triggers the immune system to attack the body's own tissues. Certain medicines and sunburn have been known to act as a trigger.
Symptoms usually come on unexpectedly.
Bullous pemphigoid isn't:
infectious
caused by an allergy
affected by diet or lifestyle

Which quote describes this best - 'If at first you don’t succeed' - or - 'Hope springs eternal'?