Part II: How I Woke Up with a Rash on My Back ...

... and Cried, "THE VIRUS!"

As I was saying, before my dentist appointment, I was anxious about my anxiety: were my worries enough to bring on Bell's Palsy or shingles?

My dental visit was only half an hour. I was on my back, which was uncomfortable. Mainly, because I haven't laid on my back for three months (doctors recommend MTBs sleep on their sides to have better circulation). As the minutes went by, I kept thinking, "Is the baby uncomfortable?" It didn't help that she(?) was kicking more than usual. So my mind kept on one cycle:

"Is the kicking a cry for help? I better calm down, or my anxiety is going to bring on the virus. Man, I hope I don't get the virus. The baby's still kicking. I better calm down, or my anxiety is going to bring on the virus. Man, I hope I don't get the virus ..."

The next morning, I woke up with an itch on the center of my back. The back is a prime location for a shingle attack, so immediately I started bugging Tim, "Do you see anything weird on my back?" Of course, I knew he would because I could feel it, but still. Tim confirmed I had a red patch of bumps smaller than 2 inches across.

I wanted to panic, but I kept thinking, "What else could it be? What else could it be?" I've never had sensitive skin, really, except I can't wear fake earrings because they cause redness/discharge.

Finally, it came to me: "The paperclips!"

Paperclips? I know, let me explain. For MTBs, the two most irksome things about being pregnant is (1) finding clothes that fit, and (2) finding clothes that fit. There is a time, for instance, when a woman's regular pants won't fit, yet maternity pants are too large. My ob-gyn says women come in with everything from tape to rubber bands to expand their regular pants. Regular shirts make tummies peek out like Pooh Bear, so those have to be replaced in the second trimester, too. The last, and most distressful, type of clothing that must be expanded is, well, (*blush*) undergarments.

Two weeks ago, I noticed that some of my things were getting a bit snug. The next day, I read a great tip in a parenting magazine. It recommended using paperclips as an inexpensive, quick way to expand the width of bras. So, I raided Tim's home office supplies and voila! Unlimited expansion possibilities! I had solved one problem ... and created another.

Apparently, the cheap metal used in the paperclips caused a reaction as it rubbed against my skin for 10-12 days. I didn't notice the extent of the irritation until the day after my dental visit. So, just like my ears, my back won't take less than gold or silver! (Did you hear that, Tim? I need lots of gold and silver.) Who'd have thought?