How Many Times Do You Try To Explain Psoriasis?

I have had psoriasis for 20 years. It used to be that I would try to hide my psoriasis so no one could see it or make comments about it. Years went by of me ducking, dodging, and hiding. That was then and this is now. Now I am happy for the most part trying to explain what psoriasis is and everything I have lived with when it comes to having psoriasis. It’s been a long journey and I will talk about living with it for as long as anyone will listen.

However, this past weekend, I gave a short answer and left it alone. Why would I do that? I have tried to explain to this person at least on three different occasions about psoriasis. How many times do you try to explain the same thing?

What does it take to make someone understand what you are saying?

What makes this situation even more maddening to me is it’s a family member that we have spent a lot of time with. I tried to explain my psoriasis the easiest way possible. The psoriasis was hereditary on my father’s side of the family. Years of treatments and never once have I been in remission. I have always had active psoriasis plaques somewhere on my body. Currently it is mostly on my ankles and feet. However, at the worst, I was 80% covered in plaque psoriasis. I have been on 6 biologics with only 1 taking me down to about 20% covered with the others not doing anything for me. There is currently no cure for psoriasis. That is the way I have explained it to make it the easiest way for this family member and others who are not even family members understand something about psoriasis.

I do not understand how someone cannot understand that. What does it take to make someone understand what you are saying? Maybe he chooses not to listen when I have explained it the other times. Might it be that he thinks I am lying about the psoriasis because I have shown him what my ankle looks like. I will not do that here because it is not pretty. There again everything about psoriasis is not pretty. Living with it for 20 years has not been either. I try not to rant over the way people are or the things they do or say but this past encounter went under my skin.

What would you do in this situation?

We, meaning my husband, this family member, and I were sitting around talking. Next thing I know he looks at me and asks if the psoriasis has gone away. I mean seriously. My mind went to haven’t I told you nothing has completely worked for me. Typically, I am a say it first and think about it later type of person but for whatever reason that thought didn’t come out of my mouth. All I done was look him dead in the eyes and said, “No it never goes away, at least, not for me.” I must admit inside I was fuming. I had a discussion in my head of all the things I could say. I wanted to yell how many times must I tell you the same thing.

Am I wrong for thinking what I was thinking? Should I give this family member another round of what I deal with living with psoriasis? Would you keep giving someone the same spill about your psoriasis? Have you been in that situation and if so, what did you do about it? What would you do the next time the same person asked the same question? I could really use some advice on this as it is driving me crazy which doesn’t seem to be hard to do any longer.