LTLYM # 11

11. Photograph a scar and write about it.

Bet you thought I forgot about LTLYM!

Actually, I have been thinking about it a lot - I just haven't had the time to do the challenges, let alone find time to write about them!

I only have two permanent scars on my whole body. I say "permanent" because I have a big scar on my knee from an enormous scrape that I got in a rugby game in March. It probably won't totally heal for another 3 or 4 months. But - of my two scars that I will have for the rest of my life - one is from when I was 6, and the other is from last February.

The one from my childhood is hard to photograph, as it is underneath my chin, and even kind of hard to see. I have a much more concrete memory to go with it - and a better story! I went to a huge daycare (the kind that is a "chain daycare" and not a home-based daycare). During their summer program, we would take trips around Wilmington and do fun things. One day, we went to my elementary school for a kickball game. By some stroke of luck, I was chosen to be a "captain" along with another boy. This was so exciting for me - the teachers had never chosen me to be a captain! We picked out teams, and I was so excited to get started with the game - I ran back to the dugout. On my way back, I tripped and busted my chin on the ground. I remember crying so hard - not because it hurt - but because they had to take me back to the daycare to decide if I needed stitches or not. I couldn't believe I was missing the whole game - and I was a captain! They eventually decided that I didn't need stitches - called my mom - and taped some gauze to me. I got to watch Snow White with the 3-4 year olds who were too young to go play kickball, while I waited for my Dad to pick me up.

The scar in the photo that I posted is of a biopsy done on my arm a few months ago. They are still trying to figure out what this mysterious "rash" is, and what is causing it. Basically, they've narrowed it down to it being "contact dermatitis" which is commonly caused by certain laundry soaps, perfume, or body wash. I haven't figured it out yet - and I continue to use my normal laundry soap, perfume, and body wash. As of right now, my body is rash-free... I think it's because of the sun, though. Being in the sun seems to cure it, which is fine by me, because if you know me well, you know that I absolutely LOVE being in the sun!