Monday, September 6, 2010

What a Long, Strange Trip

For anyone out there who has never had hives, I say this to you: YOU ARE A FORTUNATE SOUL!

Seriously, you are.

Actually, though I have spent the last two weeks covered in unattractive welts and with my face swollen to the size of a basketball, I am extremely grateful that it is simply hives that I have.  They are annoying, uncomfortable and many other things that I won't say, but they will go away.  I will get better. 

I called my sister the other day to tell her about my hives.  I was feeling pretty discouraged and down and was probably more than a tad whiny.  She proceeded to tell me a story about a boy who attends the school where she works who is so allergic to the sun that he has to wear head to toe protective clothing everywhere he goes.  They had to put a special dimming film over the windows so that he could sit in his classroom for the whole school day. 

Can you even imagine that?

It's given me a whole new appreciation for this organ that is my skin.  It's given me a whole new appreciation for my body's ability to heal itself, slowly, but surely. 

So, yes, it's annoying and uncomfortable, but it has reminded me simultaneously of the limits and the power of my my body and of how blessed I am to have both those limitations and that power.

You should, right now, take a moment to thank your skin for what it does.  It is super busy doing jobs that you never thank it for.  While you're at it, thank all your organs.  Tell them you appreciate their contributions to your life. 

Go ahead.  Your organs are waiting.

And now, because you were good, here is a picture of a Rabbit:

You can thank Her for something, too.  She is waiting patiently.

6 comments:

Connie Schwarz said...

i love you blog! seriously good stuff! i dont know how i found you but you're super cool!

i've only had hives once on my neck and it was weird, they came up on my way to a new job, real fast without notice, and sure nuff' they stayed with me for a good two weeks! yikes!

LMA said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LMA said...

Ashlyn would like to thank Miss Zoe for making her life more enlightened.

(And Miss Blueberry, of course. Ash didn't want Her to feel slighted.)

Debra She Who Seeks said...

They say the skin is the body's largest organ. We do take our skin completely for granted and usually treat it terribly. Do you know what it is that you're allergic to? Hopefully it's a specific allergy and you can just avoid that particular substance in the future.

Obviously, the hives can't be the Curse of Zoe after all because she would have lifted her curse as soon as her picture was restored to the banner. Wouldn't she have?

Lisa said...

Yes indeed. A great reminder.

Thank you!

Hugs of healing to you :)

Mrs. C Talavera said...

Goodness hives horrable but allergic to the sun worse your bunny is cute