results are in...

don't ever get a fungal infection on your skin. 
ugh.
I'll move to Canada if I can avoid this heat/humidity related infection forever.  (Lee's been pushing this thought lately)

I went to pick up my blood test results today.  I waited a half hour (when I thought it was just going to be a hey you're fine here's your script for a pill bing bam boom)
I had a meeting at 11 and was assured I'd be done in time.... not so much.
I was finally called back by the nurse at 10:45 and he had just enough time to tell me my blood test was a bit abnormal & I'd have to wait to see the Dr.
great. 
I said I had to leave for a meeting but I'd be right back to see the Dr.

While in said meeting(s) I of course completely freaked myself out and convinced myself I had leukemia or some other horrible disease...

I went to wait for Lee outside of his lecture and made him go back to the Dr. with me b/c if I was dying I wanted my husband there with me.
turns out it wasn't that big of a deal.
My lymphocytes are high & something else was low... but could be just because I have a little infection somewhere or sickness my body is fighting off (dag-on nurse for making me worry)
My liver function is perfect & my iron is good & I'm not pregnant.
fabulous.

that is until I get to the pharmacy to get the pills (that I have to take everyday for 3 MONTHS)
and the girl behind the counter looks at me and says "Do you have enough money for this with you today?" ummmmm I hope so..... "$331 per month"
eeeesssssssssssh.
and I need 3 months. that's $1000EC - $400US
for some fungus medicine.

and to get a blood test you pay per thing they test.... so that cost $135EC.
the appointment was $50
the cream I've been putting on my skin was $20.

don't ever get a fungal infection.
not only is it expensive................... it lasts for months!

fungus.

nothing too interesting to blog about... but I'll update you on my skin condition
I know you're on the edge of your seat..

I went to the doctor on Friday (and apparently SOs now have to make appointments for the clinic on campus & it costs $50EC =$20US to see the doctor)
so the doctor confirmed that I do in fact have a fungus growing on my skin
he prescribed me a cream to put on it (which ended up being over the counter in Grenada, so I could have diagnosed myself and bought the cream)
but, he said that since I've had it for weeks and it's all over my shoulders and back that I would probably need to take a pill because I'd need like 10 tubes of the cream to cover my skin for the necessary 3 weeks of  treatment (eek!) and stuff isn't cheap.

Before I can take the pill I need a blood test though, to rule out any liver problems and make sure stuff is normal (which I know I'm not.... but hopefully my blood will be!)  so I'm going back Monday for a blood test.

He also said that it could take MONTHS for my skin to return to normal....... MONTHS :(
the fungus will go away quickly, but the spots will remain until my skin regenerates...

Hopefully by my birthday (which is in a April) I will be back to wearing tank tops without shame....
haha. just kidding. I'm not that shamed.... but it isn't that pretty....

Leave it to me...

I have developed this skin condition... white patchy skin (looks kinda like I got a sunburn & it peeled)

at first I thought it was too much sun... so I avoided the sun the past couple weeks
then I thought it was just really dry skin that needed to be exfoliated & moisturized
and finally I thought it was something to do with psoriasis

today I was telling some friends about it & they mentioned that they knew people who had a fungal (disgusting I know) infection on their skin.  People who live in the tropics.

I immediately came home and googled it & alas, that's what it is!!
tinea vesicular - yeast-related infection that produces white spots on the skin that are hard to get rid of

this is what my shoulders and back look like :/

How did I get it?
Pityrosporum orbiculare, the yeast that causes tinea vesicular, is present in little numbers on normal skin; regular washing rids the skin of dead epidermal cells as well as excess yeast. Nonetheless it can grow in great amounts in the summer months when humidity sky-rockets or when a person’s immunological response is weakened and meddle with the standard coloration of the skin; leading to unpleasant spots in both light and dark colors.

humidity (Grenada) + a crappy immune system (Me) = fungal infection

Lee wants to do like experiments on my immune system...
I've had everything, everything you can think of! and now add this to the list.

I'm going to the clinic tomorrow to get a topical cream (unless it's too bad & then I'll need pills) and I read on the internet that if you wash your body with Selson shampoo (and leave it sit for 10 minutes) it's a good treatment and prevention as well.

& now you know.