The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein is narrated by the family dog, Enzo. He shares his perspective of this family's drama. It was both heartwarming and funny.
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
is written and read by Rob Lowe. It is an autobiography. I have always had a crush on Rob Lowe so listening to him tell me stories about his life was super, plus he does good impressions of the Hollywood people he interacts with. We are about the same age, so I could relate to many events/movies he talks about in his book. It was an interesting insight into his experiences. I liked learning about all people he has crossed paths with.
2. I did not exercise at all last week! That was weird! I had an allergy patch test to find out what is causing me to break out in an itchy rash on my neck, shoulders and arms.I was hoping it would go away, but no such luck. The test lasts a week and during the test you cannot sweat or get your back wet. That meant no working out. For the test, they adhere 50 patches of common allergens to your back and then after a week, see if any have produced a reaction.
I am coming into contact with something in my daily life that is not agreeing with me. I have changed the products I use to "unscented", "free and gentle" "natural" and "for sensitive skin only", but it's not going away.
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| These are 3 of the 5 patches on my back . The red spots are the rash - yuck! |
The good news is I now know what to avoid, the bad news is they are common ingredients in everyday products. So as long as I avoid coins, jewelry, keys, paperclips, detergents, cosmetics, creams and lotions I will be just fine. Looks like I will be cleaning my clothes on a rock.
I've never been allergic to stuff before, so this is big news. Initially I was overwhelmed by my task to find products that do not contain these items because these ingredients have many pseudonyms that are very technical. Fortunately, my doctor was able to run a list of products for me that I can use. It is not a large list, but I am glad I have options. My new shampoo is now California Baby!
Do you have any allergies?
Do you just suffer through them or have you made changes to your life?
I just posted about my struggles with my peanut allergies!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found out what was causing your rashes, but yikes those are some tough ones. Glad your doc was able to help sort it out. Good luck! Allergies suck big time!
I had to send myself the name of that first book. It sounds cute, I might have to listen to it!
ReplyDeleteI've got really sensitive skin. Fortunately my mom figured out when I was younger that my biggest problem seems to be scented soaps. Forget about using Mr. Bubble. We bought that once because the box was so cute ... BAD reaction. And fun shaped soaps for kids - no go for me! Now I use Ivory soap and have to get unscented laundry detergent. Once in a while something slips in and I get a mild rash, but not like when I was a kid, thank goodnes!
So.... a week without getting your back wet? Does that mean you had to improvise on your showers/baths? Not sure I could handle that!
ReplyDeleteI have very sensitive skin, so I actually use a laundry ball instead of detergent. I got it at Whole Foods. Propylene glycol must be a tough allergy. I wonder why it's just not getting bad. I don't think I could not sweat for a week. I sweat easily. Also, does this mean you couldn't bathe?
ReplyDeleteIt is very rare to develop skin conditions from a propylene glycol allergy.... if it doesn't get better, consider chelation therapy ( for heavy metal toxicity) or see a dermo to check for eczema.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any allergies that I know of. I just hope it stays that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced those allergy tests are all a form of torture. I test positive for sensitivity to every single thing they put on me.
ReplyDeleteGood luck figuring it out!