A thing called PUPPPS...

So Saturday May 26th I had developed this awful itchy rash that was becoming unbearable! It was on my large pregnant belly, thighs, hips, feet, ankles, and on my arms. It had started about a week ago, just on my belly. My doctor said it's just because of the stretch marks that your itching so bad. Try not to use your nails when scratching, just rub it and it'll all be over in a couple weeks. So I was sent on my way. At work the following days I noticed small ant looking bites showing up on my feet and ankles, and they ITCHED like CRAZY!!! I started freaking out thinking I had bed bugs in my house, and was stressing about bringing a new baby  into a home with bugs that are biting us in our sleep. But the funny thing was that the bites weren't showing up on Benson. I went crazy cleaning and disinfecting, bleaching everything in the house...even the mattress!!!
Slowly the ant looking bites started turning into huge red welts that continued to itch. It started creeping up my legs, to my thighs and then finally to my hands and arms. I was very concerned but it was memorial day weekend and I let my pride get the best of me and didn't want to disturb my doctor. So I just told Benson that I really needed to go to the insta-care. When I went it the doctor knew right away after me answering a few questions of his. I had a condition called PUPPPS or the scientific and medical name is Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy.
This rash only happens in 1% of pregnant women!!! I know right!!! What are the chances of me getting it????!!! Well my chances were 1/200 of pregnancies. Also 75% of cases the woman was pregnant with a boy. They don't know much about it because it usually happens late in pregnancy and it won't really hurt mom or baby so not much research has been done. But in a nut shell of what the condition is, is I am allergic to pregnancy and get a rash. The only cure for the rash...is to give birth to the baby, or steroid medication.
So the insta-care doctor sent me home with a cream to help soothe the itch. Slowly my feet turned purple, and swelled to the point that they looked as if I had elephantitis. It was so awful and hurt. It was so hard to sleep and not scratch off my skin. I took oatmeal baths, put baking soda on them, used my prescription cream. NOTHING helped the itch. Benson kept saying I look contagious or like a leper. I felt so ugly and just didn't want to do a darn thing. I hid in my house for 2 whole days, I did not step a foot outside. On Monday (Memorial Day) I emerged from my cave to have family dinner. My family was in shock and wanted to take me to the hospital after seeing my body. But I reassured them I felt fine, I just look awful. Finally my next doctors appointment rolled around (On my due date May 29th) and I couldn't wait until I was able to go in. The insta-care had informed my doctor of my diagnosis. I was there in the exam room, hoping and praying that he was going to help me out. My doctor came in and said he had heard of the diagnosis, and wished the insta-care would have reported the severity of it. He said my case was really bad. Then he had some news that was music to my ears!!! Meet me tomorrow morning at Orem Community Hospital and we'll get this baby out :)!!! Ahhh that was such a relief... I truly was so miserable, induction sounded so amazing!!! So he prescribed a steroid anti-histamine so we could start fighting the rash, and then we'll have the baby the next day so it can start going away.

These pictures aren't the worst of it, nor give it justice!!!