So where have I been the past year you ask?

Crazy busy with family, work and life. But one “thing” that kept us really busy was an illness that seemed to control our lives for many years and was finally addressed last year.

You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, how can an illness take over and control your lives?”

Let me begin with our journey that started when our daughter was 18 months old. At first I thought it was just diaper rash. But none of the creams or suggestions by the doctor seemed to clear it up. So after months of the irritation on her skin, we decided to take her to a dermatologist for kids.

Diagnosis – eczema.

OK, now that we know, we can use specific creams and lotions to help. But day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, it didn’t get better. In fact, it only seemed to get worse.

So your thinking, itchy skin, how bad can that be?

When you scratch until you bleed and can’t stop, that is problem. When you scratch so much that you look like Freddie Kruger has used his blades on your skin, that is a problem. When you scratch so much that you get an infection, that is a problem. And not just any infection, a staph infection. And you finish one round of antibiotics just to find that you either still have the infection or you’ve developed another infection so you start a new round.

I’m not sharing this experience for sympathy. I’m sharing because it took us so long to get the help we needed. I’ll get to that part later.

First, I’ll tell you the many specialists that we went to for answers. Dermatologists, allergists, immunologists, kinesiologist, homeopathic doctors. You name it, we tried it. Some things would work for a while but we always ended up with her worse than before. We tried essential oils. Changed the foods we were eating. Used strong steroids. Tried experimental treatments with medicines that are used for transplant patients. Yes, we were desperate and would try anything to relieve the pain and suffering she was enduring on a regular basis.

Where to find answers?

Yes, we are believers and prayed constantly. We had others pray for her. We believed God would heal her though either a miraculous intervention or through one of the doctors. But it is hard to wait on answers from God. Just ask Abraham.

This post is getting a little long, so I’ll stop for now and in the next blog, share some photos and tell more about our journey to healing.