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Update of my recent medical experience

As reported in my last blog, I had a most sever flare up of my psoriasis condition result in three days on high intensive care in a hospital and am now recovering at home since 1/28/2020.

To recap, Psoriasis is a kind of auto-immune disease whereby you own system design to defend against foreign invading biological agents decides to attack your own healthy cells. The attack takes two forms: 1. Against the cell of your skin causing burning sensation and peeling, 2. Against your body joints causing psoriatic arthritics and painful joints and movements. I had this auto-immune disease for over 40+ years in a moderate form ( no joint pain) and have learn to live with it without resorting to drastic measure or taking immune-suppressive drugs with deadly side effects. But two weeks ago, a massive flare of my psoriasis was triggered for unknown reason. My whole body ( yes 100%) was burning with pain and peeling, and for the first time psoriatic arthritics set in resulting in pain whether movement or staying still. Doctors suspected worse possibilities. Thus, I was placed in the intensive care for three days before they eliminated other causes and released me to home recovery.

First of all, I wish to thank sincerely all my family and friends from the US, China, and rest of the world who read about my condition and expressed concern, offered helpful information with both Chinese and western medicinal advices. They brighten my day while recuperating.

Now what kind of home care and progress I am making. As for the skin peeling and burning, particular prescription cream combination applied apparently worked. Except for swelling with my hands and feet, peeling and burning on my whole body has calmed down and stopped. Just to give you an idea how bad things were: one night in the intensive care when a nurse trainee was asked to apply ointment to my body, she was so horrified by the sight of my skin she refused to touch my body even wearing rubber gloves mistakenly thinking that the condition is contagious (a common misconception). And now every day three times a day, I must have prescription cream applied to my entire body. Who else but you loving wife can do that for you at home. Anyhow, my skin condition is under control, it is just a matter of time before both my hands and feet will return to normal. As for the joint pains, western medicine only offer one alternative – immune suppressive drug with possible deadly side effects. Basically, the drug completely suppress your immune system so that you healthy body joints are no longer being attacked by your own immune system. But then you will have no defense against any other invading illness, flu, TB, cancer, and coronavirus currently raging in the world and just confirmed to be present in Boston, Massachusetts.
At my age, I did not feel this is a good trade off. Thus, currently I am just taking pain pills to cover up the discomfort and let nature heal itself, we hope. I must now walk with the help of a cane since otherwise, I am not stable. Finally, what about the Chinese medicine alternative. Twenty years ago, I had a Chinese specialist in psoriasis in Beijing examine me who prescribed Chinese medicinal brew for me to drink. However, the prescription did not agree with me and cause vomiting and body shaking. Since Chinese medicine often require several visits and adjustments to get the treatment right, this is not practical. Now that I am in the US, availability and reliability of Chinese medicine are further in doubt. Also interference with my current western medicine treatment if I start on Chinese treatment is a distinctly possible bad outcome. Thus, I appreciate the information offered, it is not something practical for me currently.

So this this the summary of my current recovery which most probably will be long. Basically I have canceled all engagements (except for more doctor visits) for the month of February, resting at home, and thank my lucky star that my loving wife is besides every minute. 

Note added 2/2/2020 . I discovered that the skins of the palm of your hands and the sole of your feet are of different thickness and texture. Swelling, peeling, and healing are different and involving pain not eased by simple application of cream as on rest of the body. Thus more suffering I must pay.