Shelley Messer鈥檚 children may have grown up, moved out and had kids of their own, but the 62-year-old, proud grandmother鈥檚 caring instincts haven鈥檛 gone anywhere. 鈥淔or fun, I watch a little girl down the street, just to have something to do. She鈥檚 16 months old now,鈥 Shelley says with a big smile. 鈥淢y grandchildren live in North Carolina, so I needed a child fix.鈥
Of course, that little one is starting to move around 鈥 quickly. And while Shelley is keeping up with the tyke these days, it wasn鈥檛 long ago that moving was a painful struggle. Since she was a child, herself, Shelley has had severe psoriasis.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 walk on the heels of my feet. They would crack open. My feet were bleeding, and I was just miserable,鈥 Shelley says. 鈥淚t felt like I was walking on sharp little knives all the time because my skin was so sensitive and so callous and coated with psoriasis that any little step was just miserable.鈥
Psoriasis below the surface
Many people have heard of psoriasis and understand that it is a skin condition. 鈥淭he classic form of psoriasis involves red, scaly, circular lesions, what we call plaques, that commonly affect the elbows, the knees, the scalp, but can also affect the nails and sometimes other parts of the body,鈥 says , chief of dermatology at RUSH.
But the effects of psoriasis can reach more than just the skin. Shelley, for example, also developed psoriatic arthritis, a condition that causes joint pain and made movement even more difficult for her. It appears in about a third of psoriasis patients, according to Reid.
Psoriasis can also be associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, not to mention the toll it can take on a person鈥檚 self-esteem and mental health, worsening conditions like depression and anxiety.
Shelley learned from an early age how the troubles that come with psoriasis go beyond skin irritation. 鈥淲hen kids were running around in shorts or short-sleeved shirts, I always covered up as much as I could because I didn鈥檛 want people to laugh at me or see what my body looked like. And children are very cruel. And even some adults are,鈥 Shelley says.
A lifetime without relief
Shelley was only 10 years old when she first began treating her psoriasis. 鈥淏ack then, it was the good ol鈥 pine tar remedy, you know. They would coat your head, and you would sit and not touch anything,鈥 she says.
Her dermatologist couldn鈥檛 help much either. 鈥淎ll they did was give me an injection of cortisone in the hip and say, 鈥楥ome back and see me when you have a flare-up.鈥 So, I was getting injections all the time.鈥
For almost her whole life, Shelley found little relief from her symptoms. As years went by and her condition worsened, she still held hope that modern treatments would catch up to her psoriasis.
鈥淚 had seen three dermatologists in a period of five years, and they all got to the point where they told me that there was nothing further they could do for me. That I just had to learn to live with it,鈥 Shelley says. 鈥淎nd I just kept thinking to myself, it鈥檚 modern medicine. There has to be something out there I can do.鈥
A modern approach
Shelley didn鈥檛 give up, despite the discouraging words from dermatologists who treated her in the past. She eventually came to RUSH for care, and that鈥檚 when she met Reid.
鈥淒r. Reid has been wonderful,鈥 Shelley says. 鈥淗e gave me options. He sat with me, we discussed things, he came up with a treatment plan that we both agreed upon, and he was just phenomenal. A doctor listened for the first time.鈥
Reid paid attention to Shelley鈥檚 medical history, examining what treatments she had tried in the past. He also partnered with Shelley鈥檚 rheumatologist to monitor her psoriatic arthritis and collaborate on her care.
Since Shelley had tried many traditional medications, creams and lotions that couldn鈥檛 control her condition, Reid started her on a new type of therapy. He prescribed her medication, and within a month, Shelley saw a dramatic difference.
鈥業 have my future back鈥
Successfully treating psoriasis, in many cases, doesn鈥檛 just mean clear skin for patients. It changes nearly all aspects of their lives. 鈥淧atients who have the ability to have skin clearance, even if psoriasis only affects a small part of their body, still feel a meaningful impact on their quality of life,鈥 Reid says. 鈥淭heir ability to go out into the world, form relationships, work in jobs and feel self-confidence is really transformative.鈥
For Shelley, clearing up her psoriasis also helped alleviate her joint pain from psoriatic arthritis. That meant that she could comfortably walk again 鈥 and get back to child care. 鈥淲e bought our own stroller for the baby we take care of,鈥 Shelley says. 鈥淲e actually go for walks with her.鈥
Her treatment benefited other aspects of her physical health, as well. 鈥淚鈥檝e lost 34 pounds just being able to move around. So, my goal this summer is to get another 30 off,鈥 Shelley says.
It鈥檚 also had a profound effect on her mental health. 鈥淚 have goals now,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 never felt like I could have a goal before, as far as my health went, because I wasn鈥檛 able to get up and move around like I should have been. I have my hope. I have my future back. I鈥檓 not going to be this old lady sitting in a rocking chair watching life go past.鈥
Don鈥檛 give up
Reid continues to provide the latest therapies to Shelley and monitors her condition with follow-up visits twice a year. Most recently, he prescribed a new, steroid-free cream that she only has to apply once a day. 鈥淭here's a tremendous amount of hope right now for people with psoriasis, especially in 2023 with the incredible armamentarium of therapies we have available,鈥 he says.
Shelley hopes that her story may encourage others who live with psoriasis to not give up on seeking treatment.
鈥淵ou have to find the right doctor,鈥 she says. 鈥淒on鈥檛 settle. If somebody tells you that there鈥檚 nothing else they can do for you, there鈥檚 always something. There has to be somebody out there for you. And for me, it was Dr. Reid.鈥
If you need treatment for psoriasis, call RUSH at (888) 352-7874 to schedule a visit.
