Two steps forward, two steps back.

It has become quite obvious now that Sam's eczema is of the detergent-related variety.  I keep reading and re-reading the solution to this kind of eczema on the Solve Eczema website but I am still a little confused about how to manage it in our particular situation. This is something I know I will just need to figure out with time. Due to our circumstances of being in a rental that will not allow removal of the carpet, and being in GA in the humid summer where washing the carpet ourselves might induce mold, I feel like there is only so much I can do.  I don't know if we'll get all the way to clear skin for Sam  while living where we are, but if I can just manage the rash to where it is not out of control, that is still much better than where we've been.  The rashes that do still exist don't bother him nearly as much as they used to. We are all getting sleep!

Certain areas of Sam's skin have regressed a bit in the past two days.  Grandma lives across the street and often watches the kids for me, a couple of hours here and there so I can get things done, or else she just invited them over for the company.  Sam spent just an hour there Wednesday evening, and a few hours today, and he is quite broken out now.  The breakout screams detergent because it is only on his face, arms and hands, which were the only parts exposed at Grandma's house. (Even though I keep him in long sleeves inside, he still pushes them up.)  His legs, which I have kept covered in footed pants, continue to heal.  But his lower arms and hands are pretty bad compared to how he looked before going to Grandma's.  Both times after coming home I stuck him in the bath right away and washed him well with soap and then dried with a layer of Aquaphor, straight in to clean cotton clothing.  His face looks a *little better from the washing but his arms and hands are still red and rashy.  I am not sure why we are not getting that washed-away result from bath time.  It certainly has worked for my own eczema, but doesn't seem to work that way with Sam.

I don't want to have to keep Sam home all the time, my other two children would go crazy, but maybe I do need to commit to keeping him home for at least a couple of weeks to give his skin a chance to fully heal, or at least to discover how much it is capable of healing in our home environment.  It's tough because I think the only way we survive is by getting out and doing things! It is pretty hard to keep a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 2 year old happy in a tiny two-room apartment all day in the summer.  We already do not play outside much just because the sunshine exacerbates Sam's eczema,  and now it seems all of the indoor places are also problematic and consistently interrupting healing. *Sigh*.

Another thing I have found to be a huge challenge personally is keeping on top of 5 people who are coming and going at various times, picking up detergent and dust residues and bringing them home. I'm still not sure if everyone has to change and bathe whenever they come home before lounging about. If they don't is it just undoing everything I have done?  The solution makes so much sense in concept and on paper but I am finding it difficult to implement practically. I know it must be doable because I've read the letters and testimonies of parents who have done it and been successful. One mother saw her son's skin heal after EIGHT years of severe eczema by implementing the SolveEczema.org methods.  It's a learning process I know, and I am constantly having to step back and remind myself of the scope of this process and the ongoing work involved, and to be patient.  The reassuring thing is that it IS doable, and it IS a real solution that does not involve any creams, oils, drugs, wet-wrapping, or other crazy quick-fix band-aids that are a pain in themselves. This solution addresses the cause and I'm convinced that when its done right and all the way it knocks out eczema. Just knowing that possibility is out there is exciting.