My covid rash no longer looks like I could lose my arm.
Warning. The following is pretty gross. Covid is not kind.
The itching still makes me worried that I might scratch myself down to the bones, but the skin is no longer the weak layers of odd flaky flesh like really old plastic with dark blood and constantly leaking lymph just below the surface.
It takes days to get over and I have feared I would get a secondary infection. The constant eruption of white heads and the shedding of sharp little crystalline grains of lymph has nearly gone. Keeping a thin layer of petroleum jelly on it has really helped. I still have other areas and they always threaten to spread, but the worst of it is over. It seems to take about ten days to go from horror to manageable.
Be careful out there my friends. I thought I had recovered a month ago, my cough was gone and the lack of energy was mostly gone. Then I got this. I known this is gross. But be warned. I will not describe the bowel issues. Again my friends. Be careful.
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The cream helped a lot with skin qualities. I worry about the long term effect of cortisone but I gave in after I got worried about the long term effect of loosing and arm and being exposed to the hospital staff. By staff I mean staff infections and the like.
Petroleum jelly did as much as the cortisone. It did not moisturize the skin as well, but it did keep the skin from losing moisture and with all the lymph involved, moisture was not a problem after evaporation was reduced. I would have the cortisone handy though to help weather the worst of the itching. Treatment of this condition is walking a thin line.
Diphenhydramine HCL (Benadryl but cheap version) has helped and helped me sleep, but I did manage to worsen the injury by scratching in my sleep. 
from someone who has had it. Thank you for sharing your story. 
On your last sentence about sprouts — I haven’t grown alfalfa sprouts in a good long while, and just when I started thinking about trying them again, I read that the seeds can be contaminated, like so much of our food supply these days. It didn’t occur to me to google for reliable sources (or just ask my fellow DUers in one of the sustainability forums). Note to Self: do that.
Thank you for sharing your experience. 
They really REALLY need to be rinsed frequently with clean water. It is very easy to create a micro-environment for fungus and bacteria when making sprouts... i lived in a community where a number of people got sick. We were using wellwater and the rinse schedule was for 2x a day... not enough! After the water was tested there was a very small amount of pathogens that otherwise wouldn't have needed treatment, but for the fact that they reproduce quite well on sprouts (apparently alfalfa especially).
If people could see and understand what could be in store for them if they continue to ignore this illness, most would be more serious about avoiding it.
Back in the 1960s, TV news showed what was happening. I have a childhood memory of seeing a Buddhist monk set himself on fire to protest the Vietnam War. At the time, I didn't fully understand so I was just confused. Now I'm not confused, just a little wiser.
Just a little.
for your full recovery.
I hope both of you are over it.. it would be so scary. I'm glad you got to go home, too!
Do you know where you could have gotten it from?
My sister & best friend passed away in a San Diego Rehab center the day after Christmas.. suddenly and shockingly from pneumonia.. she went in because of a fractured hip..
Now we're wondering if it could have been something to do with the CV. there wasn't an autopsy. I know her immune system must have been compromised too.. having to be in bed for so long. We talked about when was she going to get the hell out of there.
After I got home from the memorial in LA I was sick for 3 weeks with a cough & weakness and thought at one point I could die.. we knew nothing about the CV at that point. it was in early January. I attributed it to the shock & grief and running myself ragged.. and the plane ride on top of that.
I'm just now being able to talk about it. 
but I am so sorry for your loss.
Sending love to you.
I miss her every minute of every day. She was the one I could talk to about anything. You know how that goes.. I still can't believe it happened. she was my person.
But having you say this really helps.. funny how that it is. 
To my sister, Mary.
We talked Politics, too.. and we were on the very same page from Pres Obama On! Only she got her impressions and who she liked and wanted to support just from watching TV.. & could see through all the Bullshit. I was amazed at times and Happy!
Thank you, Squinch.. Love right back at you!
Wishing you a speedy continuing recovery.......
through all this COVID Shite, PV!
My first thought about the itching and skin is Aloe Vera gel in a bottle. It's really good for burns and skin issues.. but, of course, I don't know it it would be alright for your challenging issue!
Best of Healing Viibes
Get well as soon as you an
