Feel Like Chillin that Hot, Itchy Skin?

Red Skin Syndrome has the name 'red' in it for a reason, you burn at some point and the degrees of it vary but it is hot! I was always using about 10 ice packs to keep my burning, hot skin cooled when enduring topical steroid withdrawal in the early months. Then I needed ice for the insane itch as well. My sleep was the worst as I would lay there and just burn like I had been in the sun all day and unlike a sunburn that clears in a few days, this lasted about 4 months. The itch lasted much longer and when I needed quick relief, I reached for my trusty ice pack and placed it right on the area itching the worst. If I drove my car anywhere in the summer, I had to lay ice packs on my lap as my AC was broken and it was awful to go somewhere and suddenly get an itch attack while driving!

One time I went to my grandson's birthday party which was in the summer on a hot 90 degree, humid day.  I am a very dedicated "Nana" and would not miss my grandchild's party unless I was on death watch so I went which was about a 20 minute drive. About halfway there my whole body got too hot even with all the windows down and I began to itch violently all over my body like ants were crawling on me and biting! I pushed the gas pedal down and hit almost 90 on the highway without realizing it while scratching one -handed to get some relief as you cannot not touch your skin when it feels literally like ants biting or needles poking you everywhere!

So now here comes a police car speeding up on me while I'm doing my best to look sane and drive! He walks up and I'm literally having an itch fit which probably looked like an epileptic fit. ARGH...Now I have the greatest respect for our law enforcement officers but he was young and cocky, not the least bit understanding. While trying to respectfully scratch like a lady, I'm sweating and getting worse while trying to explain to him that I am in topical steroid withdrawal in speed sentences which probably did not sound too good with the word "withdrawal" in the 20 second explanation. Then I quickly add in my "speedonic" language, how the heat is making me worse and sitting there talking to him is not helping!

While staring coldly at me scratching non-stop, he says I need to get my air fixed after I just told him it was too expensive, but he acted like money was not a big deal for this repair. He then asked for my id and car info and went back to his patrol car while I fought the urge to scream and ask for an escort to my destination. I could tell he was watching me writhe around like a crazy person while scratching and sweating. It was hell to say the least and anyone reading this who is in the process of or has endured TSW knows exactly what I'm describing here!




He comes back and says "get that air fixed" and lets me go without a ticket. Yay for pity on the insane itchers! I didn't care at that point, just needed to get going so I could run into my daughter's air conditioned house and hide in her bathroom for a bit. My poor grandson got a "hi honey, happy birthday" while I ran into their bathroom for a reprieve from my itch hell. I did not stay long and learned after that to do Facetime with my grandchildren more as RSS disrupts your life in so many ways.



Needless to say, if I had seen this handy ice vest, I would have bought one and wore it all the time except for my bath times! This could be useful even after Red Skin Syndrome like a hot ball game day, working in the garden or sitting at a parade! I am sharing and hope someone will benefit from it. Keep cool! :)

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