Cardboard Clothes and Sandpaper Towels

My continued God-Adventure with Idiopathic Angioedema and Chronic Urticaria

by Charlaine Martin

I thought I should update you on my progress with idiopathic angioedema and chronic urticaria. What is God doing through it? I shared the last time in “Learning to Live Simply” about the spiral downward into the horrible agony of feeling like I had chemical burns on my hands and feet. At the same time, my lungs and heart felt awful, and my head felt like a soccer ball played in too many games. I had to become a recluse because none of my clothing and bedding were safe. But more importantly, I  wrote what God was teaching me through this not-so-great adventure. In this post, I want to share with you about my slow and steady progress after one month on a biologic my immunologist prescribed and what God is doing through it now.

Beginning Treatment

Boy, that first injection stung! The nurse did her best to make it less painful, waving her hand over the alcohol-cleansed spot before inserting the needle. She set the timer and left the room to attend to other patients. “Lord, please, let this treatment work.” After I was released from observation, I went home to do laundry, which has been a constant source of frustration lately.

I cleaned the HE washer and wiped down the interior of my dryer with my gloved hand. A residue seemed to linger inside, and my clothing appeared to carry the same contraband. One dud laundry load convinced me to only wash in the washer and hang dry. Stiff as a board, my shirts and pants remained in their poses from the hanger. My towels, being unable to use fabric softener, felt like a sheet of sandpaper. Sigh. This seems to be my lot in life. Drying off with sandpaper towels after my shower and walking around like a cardboard cutout in my stiff clothes. Oh, well. At least, I’m not reacting to them. Or not. Within an hour, I stripped off one outfit, took a shower, and put on another. Over time, I realized that a chemical residue buildup needed to be washed out of my clothing and bedding. The dryer wasn’t the culprit.

At night, I placed my hands and forearms on sheets and pillowcases to test for a reaction. They felt like they were on fire ant mounds; I couldn’t sleep on them—period. Sometimes, they seemed fine until around 1 am when I woke up with my lungs on fire and my heart overwhelmed as my skin itched and hurt. I’d peel off the sheet and pillowcase and then shower. When I came back, I cleaned the plastic mattress cover and my pool pillow with a wet wipe and dried it off with a paper towel. My Boaz looked over his shoulder and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I will be.”

“Okay.”

However, over time, it began to improve. One month after my first injection of a biologic, I realized that it probably kept me from using my Epipen on the way to the hospital. Progress is slow, but it’s not quite right yet.

The Real Test of Improvement and Improvisation

My son’s family came to visit us at our house for a week. Oh, my! What if I have problems with my clothes again? I don’t want to hole up in my bedroom and miss time with them because I have nothing safe to wear! My Costco order included a couple of UV50+ long-sleeve t-shirts in case the shirts I already had wouldn’t be safe. Thankfully, I could wear the least of the “evils,” yet still suffering to a lesser degree.

I let them know that Grandma couldn’t hug them very well because of the clothes they had worn all day (and the fact that they were probably washed in cold water—quite normal for non-allergy sufferers). We did cheek hugs instead. But later in the week, my grandson wanted to give me a real hug badly. “Grandma, boys don’t have to wear shirts. He took his shirt off, “Can I hug you now?”

“Yes!” We hugged tightly. My heart felt so warm and full. Praise the Lord that everything worked out well that week.

Non-Medical Helps

My Boaz and I were at Barnes & Noble on a rainy afternoon when he spied a magazine touting anti-inflammatory foods and recipes. “Char,” he pointed at it.

“Thanks, Sweetie, but I already cook with anti-inflammatory foods.” He didn’t understand that my inflammation originates from external sources, such as dust mites and chemical triggers. I appreciated the fact he is looking out for me as best as he can, though.

I started a garden to eat healthy, low-PFA foods with a netted cover to reduce the need for pest products. Nothing keeps monster grasshoppers away—NOTHING! The netting has helped tremendously. My anole friends also help keep pests out of my garden. For those that do breach my cover, I use Neem oil and insecticidal soap for organic gardening. We already have tomatoes ripening, as well as green peppers and hot peppers growing like crazy! My worm composter bins seem to keep them fed well. I know what’s in my garden food. I can gain greater nutritional benefits because I care for them with the least amount of chemicals possible. Growing my own healthy, non-inflammatory foods helps me take control of my symptoms and manage them more effectively.

I recently received my second injection, one month after the first. As I reflect over the past month, I have several blessings to be grateful for:

1. My Lord loves and cares for me. Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:6-7
2. My husband puts up with my whining and bitiness when I feel like garbage. He is my encourager, my helper with taking the dirty sheets off the bed, and an overall great, godly guy.
3. My family and friends pray for me, support me, and love me despite my responses to yet another chronic illness added to my list.
4. My doctor and her staff are willing to figure things out for me when others have gaslit me or written me off.
5. I’m able to take advantage of medical advances that bring new treatments to illnesses that were previously difficult to treat.
6. Good health insurance covers a rather pricey drug.
7. God is carrying me through rough days to keep on writing for Him. Isaiah 46:4, Psalm 91:11
8. A godly husband and prayer team who lifts me before the Lord daily. Ephesians 6:18-20
9. And You! 1 Corinthians 1:4-7. Philippians 1:3-6

God continues to meet my needs every day, even when I don’t recognize them. Philippians 4:19 states, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” As my skin heals, my hair grows back, and my nails grow out the Beau lines, I thank the Lord for working through all that I’ve experienced. Gratitude makes things like this bearable.

Many blessings to you.

Affiliate Links to safe products I use

All Free and Clear https://amzn.to/44hZrZI

Persil Free and Sensitive Detergent https://amzn.to/3HIQ5xq

Vanicream and Cerave Skin and Hair Care products https://amzn.to/45taK2q

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