psoriasis

My Psoriasis Journey Video

It’s been a while since I’ve written here. Our lives took a challenging turn at the beginning of the year. My father-in-law, Donald Croup, fell and broke his elbow in late January. That set off a series of health downturns including a heart attack, a urinary tract infection, and the loss of mobility. Complications around dementia took his life on May 3rd. His memorial site on Forever Missed can be found here.

As Dad’s primary caregivers, Lori, an only child, and I took numerous flights down to Southern California from Sacramento airport. The stress of traveling that much began to wear on me. When approached by PatientPortal to be the subject of a psoriasis patient story I felt conflicted. I looked forward to any opportunity to help others who are living with psoriasis, including through various media. But the time commitment felt overwhelming given everything going on.

The Interview and Shoot

The producers told me they would set up a Zoom call to discuss if I would be a good fit for the project. I figured I could decide whether or not to do the project after asking a few questions about it. At first I thought it was a short check-in call. Then I realized about ten minutes in that this would take an hour or more. By the end of the call they enthusiastically asked me if I would participate. Caught up in the moment I responded that I would.

A few weeks later Drew, the director/producer, came to the house with a film crew. They transformed the living room into a studio where they interviewed me and took footage of the living room campsite and journals. We also went to the Homestead Trail near Lake Berryessa, about a 30 minute drive, to film the outdoor shots. The intermittent rain made climbing the muddy hill a slippery adventure.

Here is the final product posted on YouTube:

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Family, Travel

Featured in Redfin blog article on Huntington Beach, CA

I’ve been visiting my parents in Huntington Beach, California over 25 years. My dad moved from Northern to Southern California for work. They’ve since stayed in their retirement.

Lori and I just returned on the weekend from visiting family there. We’ve had to go more often these past few years to support our parents as they age. These trips crossed off one place I wanted to visit once the pandemic eased.

Every time I visit I go down to the beach and pier. This last time the tide was the lowest that I’ve ever seen it:

Redfin blog reached out to me to see if I’d share a tip about visiting Huntington Beach. Check out the recent Redfin article I was featured in: 

Call it by the nickname “Surf City USA,” Huntington Beach has become a destination for many people moving to Southern California. With great museums and plenty of sunny and beachside outdoor activities, it’s no wonder Huntington Beach is also home to about 198,700 people. 

As more people move to Huntington Beach, it’s important to keep in mind that the median home sale price is $1,180,000 and the average sale price per square foot is $658. Or if you’re a renter, the average rent price for a 2-bedroom apartment in Huntington Beach is $2,910.

If those prices are out of your budget, don’t worry. We’ve rounded up a list of the 8 best affordable Huntington Beach suburbs to consider living in – and they’re all under a 35-minute drive from the city. You’ll be close enough to explore Huntington Beach’s best activities without paying the price of living there.

Read the full article here: 8 Most Affordable Huntington Beach Suburbs to Live In | Redfin

We’ll need to go back more frequently this year to especially care for Lori’s dad who lives about 45 minutes away. It’s great to also see my parents each time and we’re grateful they let us stay with them.

With views like these at the beach and pier it won’t be hard to visit!

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psoriasis

FanDuel’s Portrayal of Psoriasis Just Doesn’t Get It

The “clever” Thanksgiving advertisement by FanDuel caught my attention immediately. It wasn’t because I love to watch sports or that I bet on games (I don’t). Rather, their stating of the odds of a family member mentioning their psoriasis at the family gathering felt off-putting as someone who has lived with it for most of my life.

An older women at a holiday gathering is pulling her sleeve up to show that she has a psoriasis rash on it. A graphic shows that there is a 3 to 1 chance that her showing her skin is TMI (too much information)
Screenshot of a FanDuel advertisement on November 24, 2022 taken on my IPhone.

I appreciate how the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) responded with this FaceBook post and debated until now whether to share my thoughts. But I feel I still need to.

As of today I hadn’t seen a response from FanDuel, but if I do I’ll amend this post. Regardless, I disagree that “everything in life is a bet,” as the commercial suggests. Thinking in these terms about others who have a serious chronic illness is insensitive and dark. Nor is it “TMI” to share about living with a chronic illness.

For much of my life I’ve fought the stigma that psoriasis is “just a rash” that is an annoyance to others.

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coronavirus, Living with Psoriasis, psoriasis

I Almost Didn’t Get My Bivalent COVID-19 Booster

One hour before my appointment at CVS pharmacy I felt deeply unsure about getting my COVID-19 booster. (Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com)

I knew I wanted my annual flu shot. But I couldn’t decide on whether I really wanted to get another COVID vaccination.

To help make my decision I messaged my dermatologist the day before. I waited for the email notification that she had responded to my request for her medical advice. As of the time I left for CVS I had yet to hear back from her, but felt that she would say go ahead since we talked about getting boosted earlier in the year.

Making the Decision to Get the COVID Bivalent Booster

I didn’t get my second booster earlier this year even though I was eligible and encouraged to. I had the passing thought I might be immune to COVID already and didn’t need it. 

I’ve had multiple known exposures to people who tested positive for COVID and never got it myself (unless I had an asymptomatic case). Most recently Lori had a bout that lasted a few weeks. I didn’t sleep in the living room until a couple of days after she started feeling unwell. Not getting COVD from Lori made me feel invincible.

Having psoriasis does not suppress my immune system either. But taking a biologic (monoclonal antibody) for psoriasis that modulates my immune system edges me into a potential higher risk group for more severe COVID symptoms. Asthma is a risk factor that I had to consider as well.  Turning 50 years old makes me a candidate for a host of vaccines, including the bivalent COVID-19 booster.

Fearing Side Effects of the Vaccine

The first three Moderna jabs (initial two rounds and first booster) made me feel ill for two to three days each time. The side effects ranged from severe headache, stomach upset, sorest arm I can ever remember, sour joints throughout my body, brain fog, and low-grade fever. 

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