Pityriasis Rosea Stages and Progress

A couple months back I started getting an itch on my lower back near the waist. It did not look irritated or anything but continued for a few days. Next, I began to notice small red marks beginning to develop on my upper body. It had some resemblance to acne, but I could tell it was something different. It started with a few marks but each day it was getting worse.

The red marks began to appear on the chest, stomach, back, arms, shoulders, and neck. I started doing research to figure out what it could be. Based on the symptoms, I was pretty sure it was a condition called Pityriasis Rosea. Not much is known about what causes it and there is not really a cure either, but it generally runs its course and heals within a couple months.

A couple weeks in, the marks kept getting worse so I decided to make a doctors appointment. The doctor was not really sure about it and just gave a general diagnosis of Psoriasis. From my research and symptoms, I could tell my own diagnosis was more accurate. He prescribed some cream and told me to see a dermatologist if it gets worse. The cream was pretty expensive and considering it was hastily prescribed, I decided not to get it and would continue to monitor the progress.

Here is a week by week recap of the stages and progress my condition. Hopefully it will help give an idea of what to expect if you have similar symptoms:

Week 1:

Started with and itchy section on lower back near waist band. Not much visible difference in skin appearance compared to normal.

Week 2:

Red spots starting to appear around torso, shoulders, arms, and neck. They are about 1 cm but can get bigger. The red spots do not hurt and do not really itch, but start to become scaly and peel. Original spot now is noticeably red and still itchy.

Week 3:

More spots appearing. This was about the peak of the condition where I had the most spots covering the upper body. The spots did not go to the legs, face, hands or feet in my case.

Week 4:

Dry skin from the marks begins to peel off. Skin starting to heel. The earliest spots are beginning to fade while the newer spots are still clearly visible. Arms start to become itchy. Some spots on the arms are spreading in size to about 1 inch in diameter.

Week 5:

Torso continues to clear up. Red marks on arms and original spot at waist are still itchy.

Week 6:

A little more peeling. Torso is now mostly clear and healed. Spots on arms are now more itchy.

Week 7:

Arms are getting a little better and less itchy. Still occasional itch from original spot at waist.

Week 8: 

Less itchiness and spots are continuing to heel and improve. Looks like it is coming to the end.

Week 9: About 95% back to normal. Skin is mostly clear and itching has gone away for the most part.

For more testimonials on this condition, check out this site here which has many comments from people who have the condition and the treatments they have tried. 

Best Songs of 2015

Like last year, in 2015 I did not follow music closely as I have in the past, but I still managed to find some good songs throughout the year. This list excludes super popular songs that everyone already knows already. Here are Connected Isolation's picks for best songs of 2015:

1. Carly Rae Jepsen - Your Type

Carly Rae Jepsen had a great year with several hit songs including the popular "I Really Like You" and "Run Away With Me" but my favorite of all of them and pick for best song of the year is "Your Type". Carly Rae has a wonderful voice for pop music and in this one, the emotion really comes through.

2. Bloodhound Gang - American Bitches

BHG has been out of the spotlight for years, but they came back this year with a new album dropping late in 2015. The lead single from the album American Bitches takes on a little bit of a touchy subject but infuses creative and amusing lyrics as we have come to expect from the Bloodhound Gang. While many of their new songs are more electronic based, this one goes back to the roots with pop rock.

3. Lifehouse - Flight

Another band that has created great songs over the years is back with an epic new song Flight. It starts out slowly with an emotional feel and builds up to a power ending.

4. Ronald Jenkees - Try the Bass

Ronald Jenkees is an interesting music producer who may not have a huge following compared to some of the other artists out there, but he is extremely talented when it comes to making music. Here is a funky new song this year where he performs live on his Youtube channel.

5. The Mowgli's - I'm Good

In the mood for a straight forward catch pop song? The Mowgli's have you covered with their song "I'm Good". It has a summer time vibe and is easy to get into right from the first listen.

6. Meghan Tonjes - Oh Father

Up and coming singer songwriter Meghan Tonjes makes the list this year with an original song that is beautiful and heart felt. This is a live version that was first performed on her Youtube channel. Hopefully it will have a studio version soon!

7. Rachel Bloom - I Give Good Parent

Rachel Bloom burst on the scene this year with a new music comedy show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Each episode contains original songs and here is rap style song she did for the first season. If you like this be sure to check out her Youtube Channel and the CW Channel for more good songs.

If you enjoyed these songs, be sure to check out the Best Songs of 2014.

Frigo Cheese Heads Wisconsin String Cheese Review

I have tried several brands and different types of string cheeses over the years. Some are better than others but recently I tried a new variety from the Cheese Heads Brand with the Wisconsin Cheddar with Parmesan Notes. It comes in a black packaging which stands out from most of the lighter colors which are more common.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised at the flavor and texture of the cheese. It has a very firm texture which gives it a high quality feel like you are eating a fancy gourmet cheese. The taste is strong and more flavorful from most other cheeses I have tried. 

Since I enjoyed the Cheddar, I decided to try out another one that was available from the Wisconsin series, the Colby Jack. I was hoping it would have the same firmness like the Cheddar, but unfortunately this one was much softer. The flavor was still good, but it tasted like most other colby jack cheeses from other brands.

I would not rush back to get the Colby Jack, but I do highly recommend the Wisconsin Cheddar with Parmesan Notes if you are looking for a convenient string cheese which a higher quality texture and taste from what you may expect from strings cheeses.

Internet Replacing Doctors - No Need For Doctors Anymore?

Back in the day, when you had a medical issue, most likely you would have to go to the doctor to get a diagnosis on what was wrong and how to treat it. You might have also been able to get some information from medical books, but this could be difficult and the books could be outdated. Nowadays with the internet, whenever you have any issues or questions, you can do a quick search and have the answers you are looking for within seconds.

There are lots of good medical websites on the internet right now with comprehensive information on symptoms, treatment, and more. There are also lots of other people who may have the same issues and are sharing their experience or what treatment has worked for them. So with all this information out there, is there a need to go to the doctor anymore?

The answer is yes, for things like prescription medicine, lab tests, and surgeries, but for diagnosing minor issues, it is pretty easy to do this now with the internet without having to make a doctors appointment.

Recently I had noticed some red marks on my skin so I went to the internet to do some research on skin conditions. I was able to go over all the options and narrow it down to what seemed to be the best match based on the symptoms and testimonials. Just to be sure, I decided to make an appointment with the doctor just to get a 2nd opinion.

So I talked to the doctor and explained the condition and had him examine the marks. He did not really know for sure what it was, but generalized it and quickly prescribed some generic cream to treat it. I could tell his diagnosis was not as accurate as my own and he did not really seem to have much interest or care about the issue. He said if it does not get better on its own, to see a dermatologist.

Which brings me to another issue. Health insurance often requires you to see a general doctor first before making an appointment with a specialist. In a case like this, it would have been better and more efficient to just go right to a dermatologist who would be more experienced and qualified. Not sure why they require the general appointment first, but it seems like a waste of time and money.

I also noticed doctors offices tend to perform a lot of unnecessary procedures. For example, when you first go in, no matter what it is for, there will be a nurse who takes your temperature, blood pressure, weight, pulse etc. I can understand if it is a general check up that these vital signs should be measured, but for a specific issue, I think they are unnecessary. It seems like just another way they are trying to show they have a purpose, but in fact it seems to be having the opposite effect.

Back to the original point, there is still a need for doctors and nurses, but the internet is definitely cutting down on the need to make appointments for diagnosis. The internet has more information than doctors can know and an individual has more time to search and study the information out there compared to a doctor who is presented with the information and has only a few minutes to make a diagnosis. It will be interesting to see how this effects the health care system in the future if not already.

Best TV Shows of 2015

It's time once again to wrap up this year's best tv shows of year. This year we are focusing on prime time tv shows, most of which are available on the major network channels. It also focuses on reality/documentary style vs written or drama based programming. 2015 had many great new shows as well as returning favorites. Here is a recap of the best shows of 2015:

1. Nathan For You
The best show of the year is one that is in its 3rd season now on Comedy Central. Each week Nathan Fielder goes around to struggling businesses and presents them with creative ways to improve their business. His ideas are usually out of the box and very outlandish but usually prove to be somewhat effective despite how impractical they may seem. In this clip, he helps a local tv store compete with the big box retailers.


2. Home Free
Home Free is a new competition show that debuted this year where each week, couples work together to restore homes for deserving families. At the end of each show, one is eliminated and the winning couple gets to win their dream house. The one big supersize they don't realize is that each week, the eliminated couple actually gets to win the house they have been working on. It makes for a very happy and emotional ending for every episode.


3. I'll Have What Phil's Having
In this new food/travel/documentary style show on PBS, Phil Rosenthal, best known for being the creator of the show Everybody Loves Raymond, goes around to different countries and tries out the best foods they have to offer. It is a fun way to get to see the different countries and learn about the most delicious foods out there.


4. The Island
Another great new show this year was the survivalist style show The Island on NBC. It takes a group of strangers and puts them on an island with minimal supplies. They must then work together to try to find food and water, make a shelter, and survive against the elements or any other obstacles they may encounter in their time on the Island. 


5. American Ninja Warrior
A returning best show this year is American Ninja Warrior, the skills competition show which competitors compete against each other with the goal of conquering several challenging courses. They come from all walks of life with the goal of making it to the end the fastest. This year was the best so far and had competitors going further than any season before!

Best Youtube Channels Under 1 Million Subscribers 2015

This year for the best Youtube channels of the year, we are featuring channels which have under 1 million subscribers. There are a few reasons for this. One, it can be repetitive to have the same popular channels featured each year. Two, if a channel has more than 1 million subscribers already, chances are you have already heard about it, and three, this gives a chance for some of the best lesser known channels to get a little exposure so people can find out about them. Here are our top picks for the best Youtube channels under 1,000,000 subscribers for 2015:

1. Kyde and Eric (Travel / Vlog)
Kyde and Eric are an American couple living in Japan and this is their channel where they vlog about all the interesting things they find living in a new place. They travel to different locations and try new foods and attend fun events. They both have great personalities which make the videos very enjoyable and puts them at the number 1 recommended Youtube channel this year! In this video, they attend a baseball game in Tokyo.


2. Melissa Villasenor (Funny / Sketches)
Melissa Villasenor is a comedian and impressionist who makes a variety of videos from characters, to original sketches, to stand up comedy. Here is one in collaboration with the Mas Mejor channel where she does her J Lo impression.


3. Blake Grigsby - (Funny / Hidden Camera)
Blake Grigsby makes good spirited hidden camera style videos that make people smile. In this video, he sets up a mysterious door with a surprise behind it in a public venue to see what would happen.


4. Joe Goes (Interviews / Travel / Funny)
Joe from the Joe Goes channel is a funny guy who goes around to different conventions, events, and countries to interview people. His interviews always have humorous or awkward questions which make for great videos. In this one he goes to Blizzcon video game convention to interview the guests and fans.


5. Robbie Sherrard (Off Beat / Comedy)
Robbie Sherrard makes comedic style videos where he talks about his life and things that happen to him or whatever is on his mind that he wants to share with the viewers. In this video he discusses the difference between the words men and women use.


6. Brad Hall ( Parody / Shoe Reviews)
Brad Hall has taken is love for shoes and made a channel where he reviews new sneakers in a parody style. In this video he reviews a new pair of shoes while wearing a "cool pair of shades and a sweet leather jacket" and of course his signature khakis.


7. Jono and Ben (Funny / Variety) 
Jono and Ben have a comedy show from New Zealand where they perform pranks, sketches, interviews and more. This channel features videos from their show. In this clip, they play a joke on their boss making him think his office has to be fumigated for pests.


8. Flula (Funny / Variety / Music)
Flula is a creative and funny guy from Germany who makes all kinds of funny videos from commentary on language, to popular song covers, and even an original talk show like this clip here. 


If you liked these videos, be sure to check out the Best Youtube Channels of 2014.

Sweet Earth Foods Review

I recently tried out a new brand of frozen food items from the company Sweet Earth Natural Foods. They are available at Target as well as many other national supermarkets. Sweet Earth is a healthy brand that uses natural plant based ingredients. So far I have tried 3 different items: the Peruvian Burrito as well as the Protein Lovers and Get Focused Breakfast Burritos.

The Peruvian Burrito features black beans, red quinoa, sweet potato, goat cheese, roasted corn, and seitan. Preparation was very easy, just a couple minutes in the microwave an it is good to go. Overall it was very good tasting and I would buy it again! I also plan on trying some of the other burritos from this line. I was able to get it on sale for $2.50, but regular price is a bit higher.

Next I got the multi packs of the Protein Lovers and Get Focused breakfast burritos. These were also good tasting and just as easy to heat up. I did like the Protein one better so I would probably buy that one again. I was able to get 2 of the multi packs together on sale for $10.

Sweet Earth has many other different products such as seitan, veggie burgers, and sesame squares which I have not seen yet, but I will keep an eye out for them as I would be interested in trying these as well. If you like healthy foods that taste good and can be made quickly by microwave, I highly recommend checking out the Sweet Earth collection at your local store.