I'm a freak!

[podling]

So for about a year and a half I've had some sort of weird skin condition, where my skin is more sensitive and often gets welts or hives. I kept intending to go to a doctor, but didn't quite get around to it. So then I'd come across a pamphlet in the doctor's office at my work describing the very thing that it seemed I had. Dermatographia! (is this literally translated as "skin-writing"? I think it is.) Anyway, astrophysicat and I both read it and decided it was definitely that. And given that there is no real solution, I ignored it and just took benadryl if it really annoyed me.

So then recently, in a fit of being more responsible about my health and well-being I scheduled all kinds of stuff, appointments left and right. Dentist, physical, dermatologist, root canal. Get it all done. (oops, forgot to schedule something else. My bad, I'll do it soon) So I went yesterday to the dermatologist. Walked in, described it, she wrote something on me with a capped pen, waiting a few seconds, then said, "You have dermatographia. It's pretty rare. Only 5% of people have that. Here, this drug will work better than benadryl." And so lo, we were right in our self-diagnosis. Woo!

But so then I thought about it. I'm one of 5% of people who have this. I'm also AB-, which apparently is less than 1% of the population. Am I a statistical freak of nature? I think I might be.

I called my parents later (to talk about new housing stuff, not this) and the freak of nature thing came up. My aunt gets on the phone and tells me that there are several odd statistically improbable things that run in our family too (that, oddly, doesn't include dermatographia, go figure). Family of freaks, I'm telling you. Heh.

Comments

[teapot-farm.livejournal.com]

5%? That's only 1 in 20! I am 1 in 200 000 - I'm 10000 times more statistically improbable than you! Woohoo! Though obviously, there's some weird synergistic thing going on in your case...

Re:

[podling]

Well, see, what confused me really was that she said that it was rare, but the pamphlet I had said that it commonly occured in women my age.

But I think I'm more a freak because of the combination of the things, not by itslef. Hee. Besides, I've always said my family was weird. It's good to have confirmation.

[melintur.livejournal.com]

Plus, to be fair - the chance you have these things is now 100% - the other probability only really applied before you existed. Even a 1 in a google chance is 1:1 after it happens.

Re:

[podling]

Ooooh. Good point. So I simply am what I am, and have every chance of everything that happens to me happening to me. Is this right? :)

[melintur.livejournal.com]

After the fact, yes. At least, that's how I see it.

Re:

[podling]

So it's not predestination (which has always struck me as odd) but more of a "it is what is" thought. You deal with the reality of the situation and move on from there?

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

Dermatographia. What a word. Still, I should think the treatment would be obvious. Have your favorite word or words tattooed on your flesh. Then your lack of dermatographia will be fixed and everything will be ok.

[melintur.livejournal.com]

Yeah (though I think that free will is an illusion. An extremely powerfull illusion that masks as reality so well, one may as well take it to be reality). I'm a weirdo.

[podling]

I don't know... my favorite words are 'miasma', 'multifaceted' and 'interdigitation'. None of these seem particularly noteworthy... But it is a good idea...

[podling]

Well, it would be sad, and truly a hardship equal to most other mutant hardships. But as long as I get a hot body and a hot costume, I'm sure it'll all work out okay. Oh, and while I'm making requests, give me a counterpart hottie mutant to boink. Thank you. ;)

[amary.livejournal.com]

The same weird skin thing happens to me too. Started happening around the time I got my cat (6 years ago), so I figured it was some sore of allergic reaction, but I still don't know for sure.

I even went to a dermatologist and she prescribed an antidepressant(!). As if to say it's all in my head. :P

Maybe it's an AB thing? I'm also AB (positive, tho).

::shrug::

Re:

[podling]

Yeah, mine started happening when I was doing a project with insulation. But then it never stopped happening.

That's crazy about the dermatologist though! Yeah, 'cause I'm imagining that I have welts on me all the time, oh yeah. :)

Actually, mine also suggested I see an allergist, though she didn't think it likely that they'd figure it out.