*itch Session: My Embarrassment, Shame, and Frustration Vent

I am grateful for this community and for the support available. Eczema is a chronic issue that can be at times, uncontrollable and frustrating. Yet, there are times that while dealing with eczema, that I do not normally vent. In the spirit of sharing the good with the bad, I have not always had the best experiences. Other individuals outside of this community, like one of my past family members, may not be familiar with the dynamics of how eczema manifests and looks. There are times that I have felt embarrassed, ashamed, and frustrated.

When have I been embarrassed?

My first example is Embarrassment. I was planning on going to a wedding out of town. The weather pattern there has elements that trigger my symptoms. When I had left for the trip, I had no symptoms. Then within the next day of arriving, I had external symptoms that showed on my skin. When it was time to get dressed for the event, the affected areas, like my arms and legs, were red and inflamed. I did not have another set of clothes nor other cover-up items to cover up my symptoms. When I arrived at the event, I got a lot of looks that initially made me feel embarrassed. However, after getting a lot of questions, I chose to just ignore the many inquiries smile and enjoy the event.

When have I felt ashamed?

My second example is Shame. As an eczema patient, we are prone to getting random, unexpected flares. I was scheduled to get an annual vaccine. When I went to my appointment, my skin was so raw, swollen, and irritated, that the clinician was not able to provide the vaccine. Because of this, I was delayed in being able to participate in a fun event. I had to miss out on a great experience and there was no one to blame but my friend: "the Flare." As a result, I am very mindful of when I need to get skin tests or vaccines which can result in an adverse event.

When have I felt frustrated?

My third example is Frustration. I was in bed for a long time as I had very uncomfortable and painful symptoms. I used a number of medications, experienced many side effects experienced, and I lost time missing out on regular life activities. This was the time I built my eczema patience muscle. A family member, who has since passed away, who loved and cared for me very much, kept kept sharing their comments and opinions that I should do certain activities that I did not feel comfortable with. At one point, the commentary was that I was not doing enough… Well, that was uncalled for. I shared with my family member that I loved them, but I asked them to please refrain from providing commentary on my medical condition; all other topics were acceptable. Since that experience, we developed better communication with one another until they passed.

Is this all part of the eczema journey?

Overall, I have learned is that there are good and not-so-good times being an eczema patient. I can choose how to react to my circumstances and how it impacts my attitude. Some are funny and some are not so funny to me. In the past several years, I have been a living eczema learning lesson to my family which has led to better communication. However, I know that I will continue to experience more embarrassing, shameful, or frustrating experiences. It's all part of my eczema journey.