Got the itch

For more than a week, I've been suffering from painful, very itchy sores. I first noticed a red bump on my neck that began to itch. I didn't think much of it until another developed, then another.... And they got bigger and more itchy each day that went by. I also had the sores on my face, a couple on my arms, a large one on my back, and on my leg.

I started to do some research on the Internet. First I thought it was flea bites - since we now have two cats and three dogs. I looked at both cats very closely and could not find any evidence of fleas on them. The pictures of flea bites on the Internet had similarities to what I was experiencing, but there were differences, as well.

Next, I researched beg bugs. This option scared me. Each Web site talked about how difficult it is to get rid of beg bugs and that professional help is recommended to clean the house. Plus, bed bugs can live up to 18 months without eating - so they could return at any time with a vengeance if not properly taken care of. I immediately ripped off our bedsheets and bedspread and washed them in hot water. I lifted the mattress to look for evidence of an outbreak. I woke up in the middle of the night and flicked on my tiny mag light, hunting for the tiny wingless creatures. I found nothing. Still, I was worried that the tiny bugs were crawling all over my face every night - I spent several sleepless nights thinking about this possibility. Gross.

I started to get names of doctors who could diagnose my condition. On Wednesday, I went to Bible study and showed one of the ladies (who has some medical background) the lesions on my neck and face. She didn't even think twice: Ringworm.

I was relieved to find out that ringworm has nothing to do with worms. It's a fungus infection that I most likely got from our kitten. I'm treating it with an over-the-counter medication. So far, I'm still pretty miserable at times but I have seen significant improvement. I'm just glad I know what I have. We are also treating both cats for ringworm. They both had baths last night with a special shampoo - much to their displeasure. What a fiasco! We have to give them baths 2 to 3 times each week for several weeks.

I hesitated to share this on the blog because it's not very appealing. However, I could use some prayers for a quick recovery. Most Web sites say it takes up to 4 weeks to completely heal. Here are a few pictures so you can see what I'm talking about.