Knock on wood, after the head to toe lube last night, the itch seems to be gone (so far). I went to the laundromat tonite (I haven't been to a laundromat in years) and washed all my clothes, sheets, towels, etc. I think whatever causes the itching is in the clothes because right after loading the washing machine up, I got a little bump on my thumb...I am hoping all that cleaning - combined with the lotion - will make all the difference.

Heard from BB today...first time in almost three weeks (but who's counting). Not sure what his purpose was in contacting me (via IM, no less) but I also don't want to spend too much time figuring it out. Man's rejection, as Oprah says, is often God's protection. This feels true with BB. I am grateful for the protection from a man who would treat me poorly and/or with disrespect. I am grateful for the protection from a man who is clearly afraid of all I have to offer. I am grateful for the protection from a boy in a man's body.

I hope Vada finishes my business school recommendation.

I have some kind of a medical condition that is really driving me nuts. I don't know what it is or how I got it, but I am having some kind of random, itchy thing happen in various places on my body. My back. My legs. My feet. In between my forefinger and my thumb. My neck. My upper chest. Not all at once. One day it was just my legs. Another day it was my shins and my feet. Tonight it was my lower neck/upper back. I went to the doctor today to figure it out (it's been going on since last Thursday). Last Thursday my cleaning lady came. I also got my laundry done. So perhaps I am having an allergic reaction to one of these two things...perhaps the cleaning people used some toxic cleaning supplies to which my sensitive skin is reacting...I try to leave out my own supplies - the all-natural cleaning goods - but they clearly do not use them. So I was thinking that was it. Then I started to wear my freshly washed clothes...and the itching raged. So I thought maybe they switched detergents. Or maybe they washed my stuff in with someone else's and I am having an allergic reaction to one of those two things. So I got on the Internet and surprise surprise, there are tons of explanations for random itchy bumps. Shingles. Scabies. Hives. Generic allergic reaction to mites of some sort.

So I went to the doctor today. He doesn't think it's shingles. He doesn't think it's scabies (scabies is such a hideous word! I remember in college Liz C. had scabies - self-diagnosed - and I remember reading the description and thinking, "eeewwww"). It is kind of hive-ish, whatever it is. And it's clearly an allergic reaction. So I got all sorts of medicine. Creams and pills. And I have to change all my sheets, "butter myself up" with the medicinal creams, change the sheets again in the morning and then shower it all off. I also have to wash ALL MY CLOTHES that I have worn recently...get them out of the house. I have to vacuum and then throw out the bag (just in case). I have to take anti-histamines - non-drowsy in the morning and then super-drowsy at night. All this...and the itching may still continue for up to 14 days!!!! ARGH! One good thing is that I am headed out of town for a few days. I am going to ask the building to fumigate my apartment while I am gone. Seems like good timing and there certainly aren't mites at my mother's house.

Ugh. I am sick of scratching.