I used to use Topical Steroids for eczema, until one day they stopped working and left me with a crippling side effect known as Red Skin Syndrome (RSS). The only two options when this happens are to move up to a higher dose steroids (deepening the issue further) or go through the long and painful process of Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW). The intense skin damage you can see in the pictures is caused by skin atrophy (thinning) plus lymphatic, vascular and adrenal complications directly caused by the function of Cortico-Steroids. They work by altering the cortisone receptors which can quickly clear up eczema symptoms short term, but in some cases like mine, leave users with devastatingly worse long term problems.

I have been going through the most difficult challenge I’ve ever experienced in these last near 5 months when my skin turned red in large patches from head to toe and began a process of raw open wounds oozing, bleeding, scabbing, and gradually healing in repetitive cycles ever since late February of this year.

Thankfully by changing my diet, using red light therapy, and exercising (even though sweat makes my skin burn) and because of the prayers of many I have made so much progress in healing this condition, but regardless of my healing the financial toll this experience has caused on my family is a whole separate struggle. Being a dad and sole provider for my wife and baby girl was doable before, but after having to take almost 3 months off to figure this out because I could not show up or perform at my job in this state, let alone get hired for a new one it is no longer as feasible as it was before this began. Even though I still have large painful spots in places like my hands, feet, and the behind my knees, I am back at work now and doing side jobs like yard work and house cleaning and busking as much as possible to remedy my losses, but I am hoping to raise this money to get back on top of rent, bills, and debt accrued from my lack of income for such a long time. Whatever you can give is helpful, and I’m sure God will provide even if I don’t raise anything at all, but after mulling over it for a while, I decided to just give this a shot. Feel free to share and thank you for reading this far. Have a blessed day!

WARNING *Graphic Images Below*

Those are all from the past 4 months

and this is where I am currently at