From Paradise Beaches to Hell-ish Itches

A good friend of mine, Miss Ash, came back to Singapore this month, and we went for a day trip to Mersing, Malaysia with her dad and some friends two weeks ago. 

Miss Ash is finally back for a visit after 10 years, and I couldn't be happier!

It was heavenly! I always dreamed of traveling to beaches where the water was so clear, you could see the sea bed. And my dream finally came true!

Look at that sand and water!

 We island hopped and went snorkeling. Snorkling took some getting used to, especially given the salty sea water (urgh!), but once I got the hang of it, I loved it! Too bad the coral reefs were mostly dead (*sob*) but we saw purple anemone, lots of sea urchins, and some really cool fishes. It was magical. Other people can have their mountains and stunning aerial views, but me? I'm a beach girl through and through. :)

LOVE all that turquoise

Anyway, as usual, I got sunburned down my entire back despite applying loads of sunscreen, and knew I just had to tough it out.

Cute shop we passed on the way back to Singapore

But two days after the trip, I suddenly developed a deep and very painful itch on my back and shoulder blades. It felt like tiny needles relentlessly pricking my back. I applied A LOT of aloe vera cream, and when that didn't work, lavender essential oil (huge mistakes I found out later). But nothing worked. The itch only intensified to the point where it felt like I was continuously being bitten by fire ants.

The worst thing was sleep didn't help...because I could not sleep. It didn't matter what position I slept on -- front, back, side. Every time I turned, I would get two seconds of relief, then the pain resumed. It drove me absolutely bonkers (and to tears), and literally kept me awake all night. And in this instance, prayers didn't help either.

Finally, at about 4.30am, I got up and decided to work out because I hoped my body heat would relieve the pain. And if you are wondering if you can work out without sleeping all night, I learned that the answer is yes (not that I recommend it). Working out and taking a shower relieved the pain for that duration...then it returned. 

Finally, in agonising frustration, I went to work early because hey, I couldn't tell my boss I wasn't working due to a severe itch and not sleeping. On the way, I googled my condition, and I discovered that my condition was "legit" and even had a very appropriate name: 

"HELL'S ITCH".

Yes, that's the name. It is a rare condition that happens to only 5 to 10% of people who are sunburned, and I had all the symptoms. Thank goodness when I got to work, my colleague advised me to go to the university health clinic. I don't think the doctor has heard of Hell's Itch because he didn't seem to believe me, but my red back and shoulders convinced him that something was wrong, and so he prescribed medicine and more importantly, a day of medical leave. 

It still itched like crazy but the medication took away 40% of the pain, and I think my body finally crashed from not sleeping the entire night. The itch abated over the next few days, but it has been 2 weeks, and I'm still itching a little. 

*Sigh* The price to pay for paradise.