The other day, while I was cooking, I suddenly thought,
“Being able to use my hands sure is convenient.”
When my pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) was at its worst, the eczema, inflammation, and joint pain made it difficult to use my hands the way I wanted to.
I was always wearing gloves to protect them.
This is what my hands looked like at the time. ↓
Even the strongest steroid medication couldn’t keep the symptoms under control.
It was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water.
With my skin in this condition from head to toe, I felt like I had turned into a zombie.
I was so itchy that I couldn’t sleep at night.
And yet, I still had to keep living.
Living isn’t easy.
But once things had gotten that bad, I had no choice but to surrender.
Strangely enough, when I finally stopped fighting it and accepted the situation, I felt a little lighter.
I became just a tiny bit more positive.
The first thing I did was simplify my daily life as much as humanly possible.
At the time, I was living alone, so I still had to take care of the basic things myself.
I was also dealing with bronchitis, which meant that dust was a big problem for me.
So I started getting rid of things in the first place, so there would be less dust to accumulate.
Some of the things I owned had a lot of sentimental value, but I had to prioritize my health.
I gradually let go of everything that wasn’t necessary for me to live in that moment.
And then something unexpected happened.
Cleaning became so much easier, and my bronchitis gradually settled down.
Looking at my newly uncluttered home felt really good.
As I let go of physical possessions, I naturally began letting go of my attachment to things, too, and my mind gradually felt lighter.
I also gained the energy to completely rethink the way I approached what I ate, what I wore, and the environment I lived in.
I read books, searched the internet, and tried everything people recommended to me—one thing after another.
And so began a long period of trial and error.
More than ten years have passed since then.
And now, I’ve almost forgotten how difficult those days were.
I simply go about my everyday life, using my hands without giving it much thought.
I am truly grateful.
I want to use these hands wholeheartedly—to enjoy life, express joy, show love to the people who matter to me, and bring happiness to others.
That’s what I believe these hands are for.
That’s why I feel that this experience is something I want to continue sharing with others.
Thank you so much for reading. 😊