I'm Still Standing...Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (Part Three)

Good afternoon, friends!

Due to the expressed high demand to view nasty pictures of my face melting away, I have yet another chemical peel update for you this week. That makes it three posts this week...we're breaking records this week!

WARNING: As always with the chem peel posts, please discontinue reading if you are faint of heart.

 Day Five: Peeling has begun in chin area.

 Day Six: Chin is entirely peeled...the rest is taking it's sweet time.

Day Seven: Happy about chin peeling, but still waiting for more peeling. The rest of my face is peeling far slower than my chin, but I have been advised that this is normal. Annoying, but normal. ;)

Status Update:

PAIN: Still no pain since initial procedure; however, I have become more itchy in the past two days. Had a derm appointment this morning and was reassured that the itch is an expected side effect.

DISCOMFORT/SLEEP: The itching has meant less sleep at night. I usually pass out within minutes of laying my head down (thanks to the Valium...last of five pills consumed last night), but wake up to itching at least 5 times in the night and wake up to use restroom at least another 3-5 times. (Derm ordered lots of water consumption to keep my hydrated and speed up the healing process. I've taken him very literally and drink water non-stop, which means lots of restroom visits). When I'm not getting up to put Vaseline on the itchy parts or to use the restroom, I'm usually tossing and turning. That hasn't been fun, but hey, let's face it, a little bit of an itch and some lack of sleep is nbd when all you do the rest of the day is sit inside the house.

POST-PROCEDURE CARE: Same as first reported...throw some soapy (Cetaphil) water on my face in shower and rinse it off. Apply post-shower Vaseline and continue to apply Vaseline at least every two hours.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY/ANTI-BACTERIAL PRECAUTIONS: Still taking the pills, although, my dosage of anti-inflammatory meds is lower this week. The derm prescribed me a topical anti-inflammatory today, which he said will help with the itching and will eliminate the need to up my anti-inflammatory oral med. You know me...the less pills I need, the happier I am!

SPIRIT: I'm still feeling pretty grateful to be able to have this time off to heal and hopefully improve my skin. The itching and lack of sleep is making me a bit less pleasant to be around that I was earlier in the week (basically, my friends Emily and Jess got the best of me on Tuesday when they visited, while poor Dr. Love returned from his work trip on Wednesday night to find his wife itchy and tired...my bad.)

Any irritability that I feel about the itching and fatigue is entirely overshadowed by all the love I'm getting from all my friends and family. While I am camped up in our bedroom most of the day (way too bright downstairs and am getting frustrated with wearing a hat all day), I feel like I am constantly in the company of all of my loved ones. All of the texts, beautiful flowers (pic below), calls, visits, Gmail chats, homemade meals, and comments on this blog are so very very very appreciated and make face-melting, uber-grossy me feel GREAT! Love you all!

BTW: For those of you who are sick of the melting face stories and pics, worry not!  Next week there will plenty of updates relating to the my garden, caulking the tub, and our Boston travels. 

x