Bozo on a Bender

If you were to see me right now you would think to yourself that I look like one of the following things...

• a young girl who got into her mother's lipstick
• a 3 year old that does not know how to drink red Kool-Aid yet
• a drunk clown

Can you see it?  Do you have the visual?  No?  Let me spell it out.  I have a huge (and I mean it) ring of red around my mouth.  My lips are swollen and they itch.  Hideous right?  Yep. 

This started this past winter.  My lips would get chapped to the point of severe irritation and this was the result  A few days and nights of extrememly heavy Blistex application and it goes away.  But the in the meantime (the in between time, you go for yours and i'll go for...sorry--slipped into the rap from Can't Hardly Wait) it is so embarrasing.  You can tell people are trying not to look at it.  But how can they not?  I would!  You can't miss the glow of red that eminates from my face.  It's like a beacon begging your eyes to follow it as I talk.  sigh*

Since the weather has warmed up (Thank you, God!) this has pretty much stopped happening.  Only after the temperature dips and I subject myself to the elements does it show up again.   I've been good for a few weeks now.  My Blistex has stayed perfectly hidden in the drawer, not needed in the least.  Then last night I went to hockey with Steven.  After the games the guys all stand outside for a while in a circle.  There's a cooler in the middle.  And they stink.  But i've already written about that.  Anyway, last night was really chilly.  I had a coat on and the wind was a little punishing.  I should have known today would be this way.  I should have known that my mouth would turn on me. 

I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business, when I began to feel that familiar tingling in the lower half of my face.  By the time I went to lunch and bought some Carmex (they did not have Blistex) I was puffed up pretty good.  Note to self:  Carmex is not Blistex.  It does not work like Blistex.  Carmex sucks.  My lips have gotten worse!  Bigger, redder, badder than ever! 

I give up.  Steven went out and bought me a supply of the good stuff so I can start my treatments tonight.  In the meantime (the in-between time) I will have to settle for looking like Ronald Mcdonald's half-sister who may just appear on an episode of Intervention in the near future.