I'm in Panama

[DorothyB]

Realized I haven't updated here.

I came to Panama on July 6th. When I arrived, I had part of a roof on my casita. Now I have a whole roof and a ceiling and a floor. Last I looked, they haven't knocked out my bathroom window, but have openings for the other windows & doors. They were supposed to come today, but will be next week.

My friends' house is moving along - they have tile floors but not quite all of the short tile pieces that are like the trim we have between the floor & wall. The kitchen / living area has primer (3/4 done by me) and about 2/3 of the first coat of paint (all except the top & bottom edges done by me). I also put the second coat on their bedroom (except for edges) and the primer in their guest bedroom.

I leave for home Monday morning.

I got a rash about a week ago - first itch was Friday night on the way to dinner. It is itchy, but not as bad as poison ivy and itches mostly where it is new. It started on both sides of my neck & jaw and my upper back inside the bra strap lines, but not under my hair. I did cortisone cream and lots of benadryl, but it didn't get better. I couldn't tell that it was spreading. Went to a dermatologist here and started pills w/ steroid and a cream w/ steroid instead of the cortisone & benadryl. The rash is spreading each day. It is now on most of my chest and shoulders and upper arms. I look a bit like a leper. The derm. thought it was due to climate change w/ rainy season here, but I'm not so sure she is right. A nurse friend saw it today and said it looked like a strep rash but I haven't had any fever and have felt fine other than the side-effects of the benadryl.

[Idaho Linda]

Sounds good, except for the rash. Where are you staying while your houses are being finished?

[ride4fun]

rash doesn't seem to fit typical plant sap, bug bite, excessive sweat causes (in my limited experience) Hope you can find the cause and cure soon. Otherwise it sounds like you were very productive and I'm sure your friends appreciate the help with the shingles having sidelined him.

[DorothyB]

so far the dermatologist and a nurse friend both say heat rash, but I haven't been hotter than my other three visits. I stayed the first 10 nights in the home of friends who were visiting the US. I house sat and fed their dogs and drove their car. They drove my car in Houston. They came home on Thursday evening so I moved over to stay w/ Terry & Liz.

[Yip]

Wow, Strange that you can't get a firm diagnosis. That must be miserable. Hope it's all in the past soon.

[DorothyB]

I went to my doctor in Houston a couple of days after I got home. She agreed with heat rash and gave me good cream and cortosteriods. It quit spreading and then went away relatively quickly.

I've been working outside a lot the last 2 1/2 weeks and sweating a lot. I haven't had any issues at all. I still think the new pillows had something to do with it.

In any case, I head back to Panama on Monday. I'm taking the cream with me just in case

[MJ]

Hey Dorothy, how's the Casita coming along? Also, how are you feeling?

[DorothyB]

Actually I'm back in Panama. I've been here almost two weeks and head home on Wed. My rash came back about 4 days after I arrived, but I started w/ my steroid cream immediately. My neck / jaw are fine and I only have a small itchy patch on the back of one arm.

Casita is going very slowly We were concentrating on getting my friends moved by the end of August. They moved in yesterday, but still have some items to clear out of the old house. We don't have electricity or occupancy permit yet. We are hoping the bombero will come tomorrow to do the occupancy inspection after which we can order electrical service. In the meantime, they are running power via an "extension cord" (really heavier wire and several hundred feet long) from a neighbor.

Their house is basically finished - no a/c and a little tiny bit of painting left. My casita has only the skeleton bathroom & lower kitchen cabinets. More are scheduled to come tomorrow. Painting is finished except for about 2/3 of the cutting in in the bedroom and cutting in outside. I'm going to work on that tomorrow. I don't have counter tops anywhere so sinks aren't mounted either. Shower isn't in at all yet - needs floor foundation, all tile work (two walls and floor) and faucet / shower head. No a/c or water heater yet either. I do have a working toilet

[Jenni]

Well I hope you don't get a rash every time you go there! Yikes... maybe you are allergic to something in the environment there?

[DorothyB]

Dermatologist in Panama and Internal Medicine Dr in US both said it was heat rash . . . why it started both times on the side of my neck / jaw is strange. I sure hope it doesn't happen every time. I thought I was allergic to my new pillow, but I haven't seen it this trip.