Aveeno was my solution. "I'm tired of feeling pain on my skin!" I exclaimed at my mother. "You're going too have to deal with it Lizzy, because it's something you'll have to live with for the rest of your life," my mother told me looking into my eyes. Tears filled with rage flowed down my face. I had been standing in the middle of my room with only my under clothes on, getting ready for my mother to pour two bottles of alcohol all over my body. I was terrified; I knew what I was about to feel. She poured the bottles over me slowly; my skin began to sting and burn; I could feel it getting hot. I couldn't help screaming and cry frantically. I would've thought I'd gotten used to this after many times. I was exhausted of the painful monotone routine every day. I was just twelve years old; I didn't want to live like this for the rest of my life.
      I don't know why I have eczema, I guess it's genetic since my father had it too when he was young and still get it once a while in his face. My eczema began to reveal itself when I was eight. Initially it started with small rashes which then spread all over me in other areas of my body. I had seen various doctors and dermatologist who didn't know how to help me. Each of them prescribed me with creams which either didn't help me at all or just simply made my eczema worse. I repeated the same procedure every night: shower, alcohol, and cream; every single morning, my blankets appeared with new blood spots. Yet, I still couldn't stand the itchiness. I detested living this way and my parents were beginning to lose hope of me getting better. I knew there had to be a solution out there that could help me. "I'm not giving up! I will find a way to get better!" I told my parents and myself. I began to take care of my skin more frequently, drinking two gallons of water every day, keeping my skin moisturized with cream, and eating healthy. I researched information about eczema to find creams that could help, but had no luck.
       When I was fifteen years old, I had my monthly doctor's appointment. "They're probably going to say the same thing like always," I thought to myself. "Elizabeth," a young female doctor called. I raised my hand and walk over to her as she led me to the room I'd be waiting in. She began to check my hands, legs, stomach, everywhere I had rashes. She wrote something down and asked me, "Have you ever used Aveeno Elizabeth?" "No," I replied. I had used all types of creams, but never Aveeno. "Try using that from now on," she said kindly. I wasn't sure if it was going to work. My mother bought the cream immediately and I was eager to try it out. Within a week I saw an improvement in skin. My skin was clear and I didn't have many rashes like before. I felt so content and clean. I remember touching and feeling the places where I had rashes once. The only thing left were the mark of where they were before. Touching my sking without the rashes felt like touching silk for me.

     I can't say I don't have eczema anymore because I do, it's still there, and yes I do have to live with it for the rest of my life, but in a different way now. Eczema could have dragged me down, but instead it made me stronger helping me learn to have confidence and hope in myself.