031. Why you should not ignore medical issues in hopes that they will go away...

So, two or three weeks ago this dry, kind of scaly patch of skin showed up on my stomach. I didn't think much of it at first. It seemed like it was getting better and it wasn't really itchy or bothering me. I had my mom look at it, she didn't think it looked like anything to worry about.

Over the last week or so I've broken out into a really bad rash all over my chest, the top half of my stomach, and a little bit on my back. I had no idea what caused this rash because I haven't changed soap or laundry detergent, or worn any sort of new/ different fibers, or eaten new foods, or any other the things one generally associates with an allergic reaction/ getting a rash.

Toward the middle of the week, it started to get really bad/ annoying. It was quite itchy and it was worse when I was in the shower. I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for Saturday already so I just dealt with it. Well, unfortunately for me, there was a cross in the wires and the appointment I had wasn't actually an appointment with the doctor. It was just an appointment to get my blood drawn for follow-up bloodwork. The doctor wasn't even in the office yet so I couldn't even as to see her.

Before we started Gingerbread Fest I was showing my mom and Nicki the rash and how bad it was getting. Nicki looks at it and proclaims "That looks like ringworm if you ask me." I figured there was no way it could be ringworm; from where/ how the hell could I have possibly gotten ringworm!?

When I got home I started googling and I checked out WebMD, and after about 5 minutes, I was 95% sure Nicki was right. I more than likely have ringworm. I've got the round patch that shows up in all the example pictures. It gets worse/ itchier when I sweat or when I'm in a hot shower (heat and humidity).

I did learn a lot about ringworm in my 10 minutes of searching.

• It's not actually a worm, or even a parasite, it's a fungal infection
• It's actually the same thing as athlete's foot or jock itch.
• It can generally be cured with over the counter anti-fingal cream/ ointment like Lamisil or Lotramin.

I went to Target Sunday afternoon after I dropped Chris off at work (conveniently he works in the same stripmall as Target) and picked up some Lotramin. I have to apply it twice daily for 4 weeks. I am definitely going to need more.

I'm a little annoyed with myself because I'm generally not one to ignore medical issues. As soon as I feel a sore throat or earache coming on, I get my happy ass to the doctor for meds. Had I gotten the little spot looked at (or even looked into what it was) when it first showed up, I wouldn't be cover in an itchy and gross rash. I also wouldn't be needed to wash all my clothes including dry cleaning several sweaters.

The only thing we're still not sure of is how I could have possibly gotten ringworm. My stomach is always covered unless I'm in the shower, changing, etc. I haven't really been to the gym in well over month so I doubt I picked it up from a machine at the gym. It's possible I picked it up form the one time I had to use the gym's yoga mat, but that was well before my little red spot showed up and even then my stomach was covered.

My mom's hypothesis is possibly that I picked it up trying on clothes at a store or wearing a new shirt I hadn't washed yet. I don't know if that's actually feasible though.

Anyone else out there ever had ringworm? Any tips for treating it? Any ideas from where I may have gotten it?