Dermatomyositis

Not eczema.

What I have is an auto-immune disease called Dermatomyositis. I can't even swear that I spelled that right, but I can show you all over my hands what it looks like. So far, I only have the skin problems -- my immune system is trying to destroy my skin. It's mostly inconvenient, sore, ugly. But if I start to get the other symptoms, it can be bad.

Like... my immune system might start going after my muscles. That's pretty much not good since your heart and diaphragm are muscles, too. And the muscle enzymes that then enter your blood mess with other organs. Possibly, it might start on my lungs. Seriously bad - transplant bad. Oh, and 25%-40% of the time, this disease is found in someone with cancer or who develops cancer soon after. Graaaaayytt.

I've had a lot of medical tests (it's a toss up whether the 75 minute MRI or the colonoscopy was the worst) and will continue to have a lot of medical tests. So far, no cancer. So far, the lung test is clear. And my last tests had fewer muscle enzymes than the early tests. But my muscles ache nonstop (no one knows why, but assumes it's all part of the lovely dermatomyositis package). And I can never go out in the sun again. Nope, no picnics, no car washes, no fairs, no days at the beach. *sigh*

But, for now, it's mostly a major inconvenience and other than being too sore to operate clothing latches behind me or being able to stand floss wrapping around my fingers while I clean my teeth, life can go on as normal. At least, indoors.