My battle.

Eczema.

It is something I have battled since I was little but, until recently, I had it beaten. It was under control and I was on top of it. Something slipped. I am not sure whether it was my raised stress less, increased tiredness or I simply lacked the time to keep using moisturising creams morning and night.

So, what it is. This place explains it better than I could;
http://www.eczema.org/
All I would say for myself is that it is a nightmare. I was waking in the night clawing at my arms because they were itching so much. My skin was red raw, broken and bleeding in places and I had to wear long sleeves to hide them whilst I was desperate to leave them open to the air to try and help them to heal.

It all came to a head when my mum came for the day and stayed to help with bath time, a time I love for the fun but dread because it was so painful, my eczema being concentrating on my hands, wrists and forearms. I also have patches at the back of my knees and my inner thighs. At its very worst I eve had it on my eye lids. My mum saw my arms and was horrified. That night I did something I had not needed to do since childhood. I slept, coated in cream and wearing gloves plus bandaged to my armpits to stop me scratching and doing any more damage.

It also meant that at the weekend I had to watch the smalls go swimming with Daddy and Grandad. They love swimming, they are so confident in the water, they will jump in and swimming about playing sharks and trying to swim without their armbands and much as it was lovely to watch I would much rather have been in the pool with them.

I have spent the last 4 nights sleeping exactly the same and my arms are miles better but still healing. It was a harsh reminder that I need to take the time to look after myself otherwise I am of no use to anyone, least of all my children.