The healing has begun.

For the past couple of years, I have been dealing with eczema. Primarily along my left arm, but some on my right arm, some along my right jaw, and a small patch on my forehead. The repeated doses of steroids have each done their bit to help clear things up.

There have been no bits of peeling skin on my right earlobe for maybe a month and a half. It is soft and supple.

The itching and peeling on my arms has been gone for awhile as well.

And this morning I noticed that the worst patch, on my left arm, is fading fast. The skin is crepey, because I've yet to re-hydrate after waking up. It had been a vivid red-to-purple from where I'd scratched and scratched and scratched. It was visible in the pictures from Lark's wedding last year. Firstborn was able to cover the bits on my face with makeup. But the space from my left cuff to my hand was all too visible.

Those of you who deal with eczema will laugh in recognition. My stress level has dropped so much since last week that it is no longer provoking my skin to scream for help. I may well be my normal little old lady pink in time for our modest office celebration in three and a half weeks!

Wonderful office manager sent the announcement email to my coworkers on Sunday night. I was off yesterday to take the bipolar bears to their monthly appointments and pick up their meds. I had hoped to work from home later in the day, but those two or so hours out and about wiped me out. I went to bed and slept for several hours. I noticed when I emailed my OM that I would not be WFH, that my inbox was jammed with messages from my coworkers.

I made the announcement on Facebook last night, and that has blown up as well. It's a lovely "problem" to have.

Later today, Fourthborn has her second pre-surgical consultation for a wisdom tooth which will soon be evicted. Her disability hearing is next month. We are hoping for the best.

We also got word yesterday that Middlest's disability hearing is set for early November. The court had been mysteriously and aggravatingly silent on that for months.