9 years (T)SW

For the first time, I am a few days late in sharing a blog post about my (T)SW anniversary. This is for a lovely reason though as I've been away with my wonderful mum on holiday – this photo was actually taken on my anniversary on Bournemouth beach feeling full of gratitude. Because these milestones mean a lot to me, I thought I'd share the words I used for an Instagram post I wrote on the day:

9 years ago today I Googled something like addicted to steroids and changed my life. 

Thank you, (T)SW, for being the best thing that ever happened to me wrapped in the worst thing that ever happened to me, but first I had to peel off the layers, the skin, to realise it. 

In sharing my experience for the last seven years, I am not professing to be an expert on skin, I’ve not got a medical degree – I’ve not even got A levels – but one thing I can offer is honesty. I stopped using medication that I’d been told was my only option to ‘manage’ my ‘incurable eczema’ and ended up with the best skin of my life. And this wasn’t from using some expensive product, or eating a miracle health food that has to be shipped in from the back of beyond, but simply time. 

Yes, the road was bloody tough, and it tested me in every way imaginable, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat for everything it gave me – hard to imagine this process giving you anything but heartache and anxiety when you’re in the thick of it and filled with so much doubt, but (T)SW gave me so much more than it took away.

The lessons I’ve learned, seeing the kindness and bravery of others going through this preventable iatrogenic condition, has truly been extraordinary, so here’s to you, (T)SW – you absolute shit.

The best advice I can offer you is to take it day by day and seek distractions not cures.

Whilst I made a full recovery seven years ago, I feel like my journey won’t be truly over until (T)SW is finally recognised and no one else suffers from this preventable iatrogenic condition. 

We are all the foundations of this condition where research and a better understanding will be made, so here’s to all of us and a future that I hope will be much brighter for you and all the people out there who think they currently have ‘incurable’ eczema.

Time heals (physically and mentally).

Sending love and healing to you all,

Cara x