vw - I hate to sound like a nervous mom, but I've had friends who've reacted badly to steroids and one of the symptoms was hives... I swear I'll stop with the hand-wringing, but I just needed to say Maybe it's not spiders?

Oh, I react VERY badly to steroids. I just don't think this is hives. It's a few spots (3-4) added overnight for the last three nights...they're in little bunches, and really look like misquito or spider bites to me. And they're in different parts of my body. Last night's are on my leg. The night before were around my waistband, and the night before that are on my back. It just seems to random to be hives.

ETA: My mom is coming over this afternoon. I'll have her take a look at them, and if she's concerned, I'll page my doctor.

gotcha - yucko. Bad Spider! no, um... flies?

Bah. Good luck finding and ridding yourself of the spider, vw.

vw, have you changed detergents or anything, lately? I had a weird rash on my way lower back, a couple of weeks ago. I can still see where it was, although it's finally cleared up. If you have any cortisone, it's probably not a bad idea to put it on the bites/rash.

vw - I hate to sound like a nervous mom, but I've had friends who've reacted badly to steroids and one of the symptoms was hives... I swear I'll stop with the hand-wringing, but I just needed to say Maybe it's not spiders?

Usually, steroids are going to [if I'd had more coffee I could word this better] not give you hives and, they're often prescribed to treat bad cases of hives.

They're immunosuppressive drugs, and hives usually result from the immune system overreacting. Steroids are given to people with asthma for two reasons: first, they help make the lungs stronger, but secondly, because they knock the legs out from under an overactive immune system's response to allergens (which often includes asthma attacks).

Crap. I've tried rewriting that about 5 times, and I keep making it worse. Anyhow, I'm not too worried that vw has hives from the steroids.

Coffee. Must find more coffee.

Anne, how are you feeling?

vw, have you changed detergents or anything, lately?

No. I'm really careful about that, because I have sensitive skin.

Anyhow, I'm not too worried that vw has hives from the steroids.

Thanks. Me either. But, I think I'm gonna wash my sheets today anyways. In nice hot water. Take that! whatever it is :).

Oh, and I've been putting Benadryl cream on the areas.

If you can do so without annoying your asthma, vacuum your mattress and dustmop under your bed. Do you have laundry facilities at your apartment or do you have to go to a laundromat?

meara, the surrogate mom was played by Joan of Arcadia's best friend whose name escapes me but she was the daughter of a rabbi. Real name is something like Becky Wahlstrom. (I saw the name in the credits but don't remember it exactly.)

Do you have laundry facilities at your apartment or do you have to go to a laundromat?

I have laundry downstairs. I was gonna do laundry anyways...

And vacuuming and dustmopping is a good idea.