Cathie:
When you say fish oil, I believe you mean the Omega 3 oil, right? Alan can't take this because he is on plavix and aspirin and he bleeds enough as it is. I Fish oil is also a blood thinner (at least that's what I read). He used to take it every day but when he went on the plavix and aspirin he stopped the fish oil. He eats fish once in a while. (I live on it). His psoriasis is going nuts on his arms. Yesterday he started yelping "i'm bleeding on my elbow). He had scratched the lesions, he tore some of the scales, and it bled. Of course, eventually it stopped but since the IVIG, he has had outbreaks. I have no idea why. Some of the lesions went away on other parts of his body and erupted on yet another part of his body. And since he shaves his head, (he likes it because he has thinning hair, and it's simple to keep), I noticed a thing on the top of his scalp the other day. I said to myself, "jeez, don't tell me he's getting psoriasis on the top of his head so everybody can see it". I immediately put some vitamin e oil on it. It has since disappeared.

Sometimes when you put some psoriasis meds on, he says they burn. So I would never put it behind his ear. The vitamin e seems to help a lot. Today, I'm going to buy acquaphor. That is gentle.

bye for now and thanks.
melody

Alan is so lucky to have you. You take such good care of him. Since I am down quite a bit, and not able to do all I once could do, I am afraid my hubby might want to come up there to New York and steal you away from him...

You are a great nurse!

Cathie

Tell him he's welcome. He can keep Alan company.

lol - you're funny

Melody

Thanks for posting. I thought the rawness behind my ears was due to my own OCD and the fact that I seem to pick at anything and everything. I sleep with oxygen and was thinking that the little tubes that circle my ears may be causing the irritation. Then when it the rash develops, I pick (and pick and pick.)

I keep Bag Balm nearby and if I use it several times per day (twice is not enough), I can see some improvement. But if I don't use the Balm, the rash like area dries and is very scaly and yucky.

I'm embarassed to go have my hair cut because I don't want the beautician to see it. I'm hoping if I put the Bag Balm on every hour tomorrow, I may get it healed enough so I won't be so emarassed and I can get the haircut that I desparately need on Monday.

I think any heavy lotion or cream would help (petroleum jelly?). You just have to apply it VERY often, as soon as the rash starts drying and becoming scaly (if it is like what I have.) For me, that means almost every hour.

That this patch is infected. It sounds like it might be a fungus.
With all the steam, sweating at the gym etc, it is a possibility.

Covering over an infected patch with an occlusive ointment may make it
worse. Also staph is often on the skin, and can complicate things.

I'd do an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin first for a few days. If it does
not clear up, I'd add an antifungal like clotrimazole cream or Lamisil and see
what happens. Once cleared up/healed then any barrier ointment may work.
I prefer A and D ointment for this. But Aquaphor is good too.

A & D 'rocks' !!
I use it for all cuts, scrapes, scratches, etc.
Better than any first-aid creme I've ever used.

Hi Bob, and Mrs. D

I really don't think it's infected because his doctor once gave us A & D ointment and it did the trick. I completely forgot about that. I do believe the plastic in the glasses is affecting the area. And Alan does have patches of psoriasis all over the body and this looks exactly like that.

I'm hesitant to put clobetizole cream on the ear part because it looks red and raw (at times, not ALL THE TIME, just sometimes). So it's a toss up between the acqauaphore and A&D. I think I'll go and buy some A&D.

As we left to go to Dunkin Donuts for our Sunday Breakfast (it's the only time we get to out to eat, it's really a treat for us) and for me because now that I don't have a micro anymore, well all I do is cook and bake and jeez, once in a while it's nice to sit and eat what someone else has prepared.

Anyway, as we were walking around the corner, I looked up and said "let me check your ear (I forgot to put on Vitamin E oil on it yesterday). Obviously if I miss a day, WOW,!!!!! I looked at the behind the ear area and said "Holy Moly, it's really bad. It was all scaly. And dried up scaly. Not the kind you want to pick because it would bleed.

So in a while, I'm off to my local pharmach to get the A&D. I really should keep this stuff in the house.

Oh, yesterday, Alan had a bad period of PN. He lied down on the bed and started jumping and I said: "what's the matter" (the weather has been changing from the 70s to the 40's over here) And as it changes, his toes go nuts!!!. He said "My feet are killing me". I immediately got out my Super Blu Emu that I just bought the day before. Well, I immediately coated the three toes of his left foot, and in 1 minute, he fell asleep. It really works, that Super Blue Emu stuff. It expires in 2009 and the jar is a nice size jar that cost me $14 and change. A good deal actually!!!!

So we shall see what the A&D does.

Thanks so much guys!!!

P.S. I really have to go and get a micro. We don't drive but I'll find a way. I might even buy it from Sharp on the internet. They have one for $79.00 with free shipping. Can't beat that. This cooking and baking all day is NOT FOR ME!!!!!

I wasn't meant to live in the 18th century. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!!!!

lol Melody