| From mid-April 2004, patches of red round speckles, a highly itchy eczema, appeared on parts of my arms and thighs. At first I thought it would eventually heal, so I wasnft too concerned about it. Then, at the beginning of June, the red round eczema spread rapidly, climbing up my chest, over my shoulders, and even down towards my back. I couldnft help but scratch as the itchiness intensified, which made the eczema spread further. From the beginning of mid-July the irritation got even worse. The discrete red spots of eczema began to join with each other, forming into red swelling blanketing large portions of skin. The itchiness kept me from sleeping. Drowsiness eluded me all through the night, until about six ofclock in the morning. Then, as my body temperature rose, I scratched my skin unconsciously in my light slumber. And then the pain and itchiness would awaken again. On some mornings, my hands and clothes were covered in blood and pus. It was in absolute pain. When I consulted the neighborhood dermatologist, he informed me that I had initially suffered a nummular eczema, but that the condition had deteriorated into auto-sensitization dermatitis. I had a history of atopic dermatitis as a child, but it recovered by the time I entered junior high school. According to the doctor, atopy disseminated from a root that already existed within my body. The bacteria responsible for the nummular eczema had spread to this root, triggering a severe state of dermatitis all over my body. The dermatologist added that he didnft know how long it would take to cure. The next day, I discussed the matter with the Shinreikyo Center and decided to throw myself on the mercy of Kyososamafs Divine Power. By the end of July, my illness had deteriorated still further. My arms were hugely swollen and the surface of my skin was rough and jagged. Even the slightest exposure to air induced itchiness and pain. When I wrapped my skin with bandages, the heat aggravated the itchiness. The eczema on my chest, back, and waist was a deep red, swelling into huge patches of what looked like scar tissue. It hurt so intensely that I couldnft even put on my clothes. When I took off the bandage or gauze, lots of yellow pus and blood came out. The Shinreikyo Center informed me that,gThis illness will take a while to heal, but it will heal completely.h This prognosis was a great reassurance and relief. Then, in around mid-August, after returning from a memorial service for the departed souls of my ancestors, I noticed that the itchiness had healed. When I examined myself, I found that the red from the swelling had all turned black. I came to feel that this had symbolic meaning: it signified that the bad karma inherited from my ancestors had been purified. A few days later, the eczema swelled into red patches again. But this time, when the strong itchiness resurged, the swelling went down and turned into black scabs. This process repeated, but each time the eczema became smaller and lighter. At first I felt insecure, thinking, gWhen will it cure?h But as I continued to pray daily at a Shinreikyo Center, my worries about it spreading gradually disappeared. At last I began to think, gIf itfs recovered this far, it will surely cure.h And as my optimism mounted, my anxiety disappeared. By October, I had recovered to the point where I could sleep through the night. By December, the condition had subsided to nothing more than tiny scars on the skin. And as the itchiness decreased, I went back to living an ordinary lifestyle. My peers told me that my skin, especially my face, had gotten clearer than before. When the New Year arrived, I was able to live my days without having to wrap my skin with bandages. As the temperature rose with the changing season, I began to worry that my skin could deteriorate again. But by spring, the skin disease had completely cured. I am truly thankful for the purification of my body. |