Yesterday, my mom put hand lotion on Emily's hands to help combat the eczema she's been suffering. Her hands have been so dry and cracked that scabs have formed where the skin broke. Emily cried when the lotion started to burn her hands.
"I don't know why it's burning. There's no alcohol in this," my mother said defensively.
"Let me see that," I said.
I read the label and sure enough alcohol was listed in the ingredients. I showed the label to my mother and said, "there's alcohol in here."
My mom must not have liked the criticism or maybe she thought I was trying to prove her wrong because she seemed very angry, and went into the other room, ranting about how I told her there was no alcohol in the lotion I bought.
Of course, I wanted her to know that I never said there was no alcohol in there, because all over the counter skin and hair products contain alcohol. Period. But that wasn't the point. She was getting really mad and it was unnerving.
I thought for a second and then I asked her, "are you angry? You seem angry." She continued to rant but I persisted, "I'm sure you aren't angry but I want you to know that you come across as being angry and that makes it difficult to talk to you."
I helped Emily to rinse her hands in cold water, blot them dry with a bath towel, and put some antibacterial ointment on them. Then I put clean socks on her hands. They seemed to be better this morning. When I asked Emily how her hands felt she simply answered, "they don't itch anymore."
I have got to get her eczema medicine. I'm not even sure it was the alcohol that burned her skin. Perhaps it was the fragrance...