Most embarrassing blog of my life
Door: Ellen
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Ellen
06 September 2014 | Verenigde Staten, New Haven
This is the part where I should be writing how my first day went. Alas. This is not a blog about my first day at the center. I wish it was. No, instead a blog about cleaning, washing, doctors and tips on how to alienate yourself from your coworkers within just 1 day!
First some background to the story.
I am a drama therapist. At the very end of May I attended a drama therapy conference. And I was blown away by a presentation. They offered me a spot to learn more about this. This is a great privilege!
I felt that I needed to do this!
3 months later and here I am! A beautiful home in a nice neighbourhood, with lots of trees. Weather is hot and there is a bookshop nearby which is also offering smoothies! The two girls that I am with, are very lovely people.
First day of work and just before we are being picked up by our supervisor, I receive a SOS email. My college. "Go to the doctor immediately, you have scabies (schurft)!!!"
I have been itching for 10 months, drove me crazy!. I went to 2 different GPs (huisartsen), one alternative doctor (6 or 7 visits) and asked an acquaintance who is a dermatologist for advice. I got 2 treatments of prednison, anti histamine (12 pills a day!), detoxing my liver, trying different washing powders, not eating any dairy or eggs and avoided drinking alcohol. Not to mention even all the different kinds of powder and cremes that I smeared on my skin. Also I looked at psychological issues as well, for example reducing my stress.
Then my poor co-worker got an itch as well. Her doctor was thinking house dust mite first, but that treatment wasn't working. It was scabies.
Scabies is an easily spread skin disease caused by a very small type of mite. Scabies spread by skin-to-skin contact for more than 15 minutes with another person who has scabies. You cannot pick it up with just a handshake or a kiss. Less often it can be spread by sharing clothes or bedding. I probably picked up at work, working with elderly who have psychiatric and sometimes self-care issues.
This is contagious. Nobody was happy and everyone scared. I felt so horrible. This was not only affecting me, but others as well. It was so embarrassing too.
We all needed treatment. Everything needed to be washed and cleaned and everything that couldn't be cleaned with water in plastic bags.
Not the best way to make contact with new people. Hi, I am Ellen and I have scabies. Let me introduce them: This is one is Barbara. Her hobby is digging tunnels into skin and laying eggs there. And this little fellow is Johnny, he loves to tickle! And have you met Richard? He loves to run around in the night and jump around.
Now life has presented me with a 'wonderful' option to heal 3 things that I struggle with.
1. The itch! Oh my God, finally!
2. I am always afraid that I am a nuisance or a burden to other people. This situation brought a nightmare to life. Now I have a choice if this belief is actually true and if it is serving me to be happy and confidant within myself and the world.
3. My bad experiences with doctors who almost never found the cause of what was making me ill. Try having pain and fatigue for 17 years and have it blamed on my weight and/or mental health. It left me with hardly any trust. So for me to have went back to the doctors at all, was a miracle. But this shows me that I have to stand up for myself. To believe my body when something is wrong. To go to the doctors when needed and keep going back until the issue is resolved.
Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is my real first day at the program.
Wishing you all much health and happiness from the States.
First some background to the story.
I am a drama therapist. At the very end of May I attended a drama therapy conference. And I was blown away by a presentation. They offered me a spot to learn more about this. This is a great privilege!
I felt that I needed to do this!
3 months later and here I am! A beautiful home in a nice neighbourhood, with lots of trees. Weather is hot and there is a bookshop nearby which is also offering smoothies! The two girls that I am with, are very lovely people.
First day of work and just before we are being picked up by our supervisor, I receive a SOS email. My college. "Go to the doctor immediately, you have scabies (schurft)!!!"
I have been itching for 10 months, drove me crazy!. I went to 2 different GPs (huisartsen), one alternative doctor (6 or 7 visits) and asked an acquaintance who is a dermatologist for advice. I got 2 treatments of prednison, anti histamine (12 pills a day!), detoxing my liver, trying different washing powders, not eating any dairy or eggs and avoided drinking alcohol. Not to mention even all the different kinds of powder and cremes that I smeared on my skin. Also I looked at psychological issues as well, for example reducing my stress.
Then my poor co-worker got an itch as well. Her doctor was thinking house dust mite first, but that treatment wasn't working. It was scabies.
Scabies is an easily spread skin disease caused by a very small type of mite. Scabies spread by skin-to-skin contact for more than 15 minutes with another person who has scabies. You cannot pick it up with just a handshake or a kiss. Less often it can be spread by sharing clothes or bedding. I probably picked up at work, working with elderly who have psychiatric and sometimes self-care issues.
This is contagious. Nobody was happy and everyone scared. I felt so horrible. This was not only affecting me, but others as well. It was so embarrassing too.
We all needed treatment. Everything needed to be washed and cleaned and everything that couldn't be cleaned with water in plastic bags.
Not the best way to make contact with new people. Hi, I am Ellen and I have scabies. Let me introduce them: This is one is Barbara. Her hobby is digging tunnels into skin and laying eggs there. And this little fellow is Johnny, he loves to tickle! And have you met Richard? He loves to run around in the night and jump around.
Now life has presented me with a 'wonderful' option to heal 3 things that I struggle with.
1. The itch! Oh my God, finally!
2. I am always afraid that I am a nuisance or a burden to other people. This situation brought a nightmare to life. Now I have a choice if this belief is actually true and if it is serving me to be happy and confidant within myself and the world.
3. My bad experiences with doctors who almost never found the cause of what was making me ill. Try having pain and fatigue for 17 years and have it blamed on my weight and/or mental health. It left me with hardly any trust. So for me to have went back to the doctors at all, was a miracle. But this shows me that I have to stand up for myself. To believe my body when something is wrong. To go to the doctors when needed and keep going back until the issue is resolved.
Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow is my real first day at the program.
Wishing you all much health and happiness from the States.
-
08 September 2014 - 14:16
Martine:
Who, Ellen....nu al zo veel winst en het programma moet nog starten! :-) Ik ben echt heel blij voor je dat je nu weet wat zo jeukt en wat eraan te doen is. Wens je herstel! -
08 September 2014 - 14:34
Ellen :
Dank je wel, Martine! -
08 September 2014 - 16:47
Anneke :
Hoi Ellen
Wat een ontdekking! En wel erg dat het in Nederland niet ontdekt is.
Super dat je nu weet wat het is en belangrijk dat het behandeld wordt en jij er straks vanaf bent. Fijne tijd in de States en tot ziens maar weer ..
Liefs Anneke Buis -
08 September 2014 - 21:15
Bernadette:
Hey Ellen,
wie heeft uiteindelijk ontdekt dat je al die tijd met vreselijke jeuk, eigenlijk last van schurft had?
Wat een binnenkomer in de Amerika?
Die arts waar je in Nederland bent geweest is ook geen knip voor z'n neus waard.
Jij denkt dat het van het werken met de ouderen is? Dan moet dat hier ook verder uitgezocht èn bestreden worden, want dan moeten meer mensen jeukklachten hebben.
Ook de dramaruimte zal eraan moeten geloven, dus alle verkleedspullen in plastic zakken.
Weet jij hoe lang zo'n mijt eigenlijk in leven blijft, zonder gastheer- of vrouw?
Een voordeel, jij bent straks jeukvrij en zonder lelijke rode plekken.
En het levert je in ieder geval een fantastisch verhaal op.
Straks lach je erom.
Laat het je goed gaan.
Bisou Bernadette
-
08 September 2014 - 23:04
Tina Blatchford:
What an awful experience, hope you are all better soon. Hope you're settling in well, lots of love, Tina xox -
09 September 2014 - 01:43
Ellen :
Hoi Anneke, dat was zeker een ontdekking. Ik kijk er naar uit om je weer te zien, nu zonder jeuk! -
09 September 2014 - 01:50
Ellen :
Hey Bernadette,
De arts van onze collega die ook jeuk heeft, heeft haar goed gediagnostiseerd. Ze stuurde mij dus een sos mailtje zodat ik ook actie kon ondernemen. Vervolgens heeft een huisarts hier de diagnose bevestigd, hoewel ik wel een a-typische vorm heb. Zal toch wel eens niet wezen!
Ik heb een mailtje naar mijn managers gestuurd, zo kan de GGZ ook actie ondernemen. De schurftmijt kan maar heel kort zonder gastheer, 3 dagen is voldoende voor hen om het loodje te leggen.
Ik ben zo blij als ik hier vanaf ben! En soms kan er al een pijnlijk lachje vanaf.
Bisou -
09 September 2014 - 02:17
Ellen :
Dear Tina,
It certainly was awful. Hopefully the only way is up from now on!
xox -
09 September 2014 - 06:00
Erik Roesink :
He Ellen,
Je maakt wat mee zo voor de start van het programma daar.
Fijn dat je nu de oorzaak hebt, en van je jeuk af bent!
Gelukkig er is wat aan te doen en het ligt zeker niet aan jou!
Dikke knuffel en veel plezier daar in de states! -
11 September 2014 - 14:01
Ellen :
Dank je wel, Erik. Ik ben ook heel blij dat ik eindelijk van de jeuk af ben, wat een schurft beest! Dikke knuffel terug!
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