Eggsima - The manageable

May 16, 2013 what I thought was impossible for me became possible, I found out I was pregnant!!!! I almost gave up trying. Several of my friends just had babies and I was feeling like Hannah in 1 Samuel 1, so taunted about not having children that I was reduced to tears. Therefore I prayed what Hannah prayed in desperation, “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the LORD, his hair will never be cut. ” (1 Samuel 1:11 NLT). 

After praying that prayer I left it in God's hands. If I were to be a mother or not was up to him. A few months and a April fools joke later, we were pregnant and I was certain it was a boy. I thought it to myself surely God has heard my prayer and given me a boy. His name was to be Mekhis Jabez, who is like the Lord, the one who prayed to God and God answered his request.  My original due date was January 23rd and was so excited to dress him in Jordan since his initials would have been MJ. (And with the assumption of my race and his dad's height we would make a great basketball player....haha). It wasn't until a couple of weeks before my anatomy ultra sound that I had this overwhelming feeling it was a girl. It's what started my journey on finding her name. Though I was a little discouraged it was a girl at first because I was in fear of the type of role model I was going to be for her, since I'm not always the greatest person to be around. I instantly fell in love with the idea of molding her into the woman God has created her to be. It is such a privilege God would trust me to have such responsibility.

As I prepared for my little loves arrival I thought she might have sensitive skin since my skin is ridiculously sensitive. Any clothes people would give me for her, that I liked, I would wash it and hang it up by age and color. I thought I was doing good in preventing her skin from any dryness or rash until last month. She had red spots that came and went. I took her to the doctor after seeking counsel on what it might be. The doctor said it was just heat rash and to keep Kamea cool. I followed the doctors orders and the rash was getting better but still present. At her four month appointment her doctor said it could be a start of eggsima (eczema) and to lather her with cream twice a day. Wednesday we got her some Aveeno cream which seemed like it was working. The dryness on her arms had disappeared and her back was clearing up. Yesterday morning after her lunch time feeding I went to change her onesie and it looked like she was having a reaction to something. As a first time mom I freaked out and called her grandma, who was visiting, to come check it out. She didn't know what it was and we both started investigating and calling our nurses to figure out what's next. I started crying for the unknown that was happening to my beautiful treasure. After gathering what we could from the nurses I made a doctors appointment. The doctor who saw her said it was eczema but wanted a second opinion. The second doctor agreed, it is eczema. As they recommended some treatments my husband asked if there was a way to prevent eczema. One doctor said no, you just manage it. 

Out of all six of us my middle brother had eczema pretty bad as a toddler. My nephew has it and my best friends son has it. I pray God's healing power over eggsima - the manageable dryness of skin to overwhelm Johnathan, Laien and my Kamea. May they continue to bring laughter, joy and peace in their mothers hearts as they endure this process. In Jesus name, amen.