Eczema flare-up and DD1's first kitchen experience

I just realised I've not updated my blog for more than a month.  There are supposingly 2 birthdays in April (DH and myself) but I've been so busy I didn't bake a single cake.  I was busy preparing for our 2nd F&E trip to Taiwan.  We went Taiwan last Nov for a 10D/9N F&E trip.  I spent about 2 months working out the itinerary, liaising with hotels/minsu and drivers.  It sure is a lot of coordination work done.  Many kind people tell me it is easier to just book a tour package.  I can still remember very clearly when I went to USA some 12 years ago, we joined a package tour.  The trip was hectic with much traveling, checking in and out of hotels on a daily basis.  When I returned from the 14D trip, I lost 4kg because I couldn't eat well and was having motion sickness.

With DH studying in Australia, we did our first F&E trip and fell in love with it.  We planned our itinerary but never stick to it 100%.  Now that is the beauty of going on a F&E trip.  You can plan beautifully but you don't necessarily have to follow suit.  Hahaha!  And when you are traveling with young children, I find it very stressful to follow a package tour.

Now, if you are interested to do a DIY to Taiwan, watch this space!

Besides the planning of our trip, I have another eczema flare-up.  This is my 3rd week, going into my 4th week of flare-up.  When I have a flare-up, it is usually with urticaria (hives).  The itch is unbearable, most often than not, I found myself scratching myself vigourously in the middle of my sleep.  And then I'll be up the whole night for at least 3 hours.  Some eczema patients have localised eczema, which is only concentrated in one or a few parts of their body.  But for me, my flare-up is all over.  If you've seen a person with chicken pox, that's exactly what I'm having now, except that mine is eczema with a heavy load of concentration on the chest (I thought it looks very much like a Singapore map on my chest!).  I've gone to see a dermatologist 3 times within 4 weeks.  Was prescribed antihistamine (for urticaria), steriod cream and moisturiser for my eczema.  However, these medicine don't stop my itch and sure didn't bring down my eczema.  I've been in distress, utterly digusted with my skin condition that it is affecting my personal life.  I deliberately send DD3 off to school later than usual, and pick her up 5 mins later so I don't get to meet any of the parents waiting outside the school.  And I try to walk the dog in the wee hours to avoid meeting any neighbours in the lift!

Finally, during my visit to the dermatologist last Friday, I was prescribed oral steriod in addition to cream steriod.  Besides oral steriod, I'm also on steriod shampoo now.  The moisturiser prescribed has changed from a S$3/tube to a S$37/tube.  But as long as it is effective, money is not the issue now.

After 3 days of oral steriod, I'm finally feeling better now (that explains why I can sit down in front of the computer to post this entry).  12 more days to go and I believe I'll just get better each day.

I don't cook as much as I used to, and definitely no baking at all.  With steriod cream and moisturiser from head to toe, I'm worried some drug may go into the food I'm preparing.  So we've packing food home recently.  But that doesn't help as DH is on a tight traveling schedule again and I hate to leave the house in this condition.

DD1 will be turning 10 this year.  Instead of eating stall bought food all the time, I think it's time to teach my 9yo how to cook a simple meal for the family.