A Diagnosis---Finally

I've been battling my hives for nearly 10 years now. Basically, the doctor explained them by telling me that I have an over-active immune system. It's not necessarily a bad thing, more of a nuisance---sort of means I have a very healthy immune system. I went today for my 6 month check-up. For just about the past year, I've had very few out-breaks and am able to self-medicate with prednisone as needed. I now recognize all the signs and can tell when I am descending into a bad case. A round of prednisone keeps them at bay---at least long enough for my body to realize there is nothing wrong---just a mosquito bite, hard bump, bee sting, new earrings or shoes---I never know what might trigger them. Anyway, today Dr. McDaniel told me that the dermatology community has finally put a name to my type of hives---Auto-Immune Hives. There is no cure, but rather the approach to take is to just control them. It is not unusual for them to go away altogether. I look forward to that day. In the meantime, my hives rarely "put me to bed" anymore as I recognize what is happening and can start medication to prevent that descent. 

After our hive discussion, I asked the doctor to remove a wart on my elbow and check a spot on my face for skin cancer. He called it some "mumbo jumbo" medical term that I cannot pronounce or even remember to repeat. He then asked if I had ever had anything "frozen" off. I told him that another doctor had removed an "age-related wart" from the side of my nose---twice. He said, "oh, this is the same thing. I just don't call them that. Most women don't like hearing it". I love this guy!! Then I asked about a long-lasting "pimple" that I've had since I went to St. Louis in mid-May. It just seems like it's never going away. The doctor then said that it's not a pimple, but the same "age-related wart" that probably had a bit of an infection that gave it the appearance of a pimple. 

So the good news is that I am no longer looking like Quazimoto due to my hives, I'm just going to be covered with warts! For each one that is frozen off, I better not get 10 more! I swear, I have never kissed any frogs!