Chapter 3: A Rash That Refuses to Fade

Two hours pass, after I don almost clear the line, the couple come back for check.

The time reach, na so dem waka come back. Both of them dey look better, but small tension still dey.

“Rash don better?” I ask, as I open computer to check blood test result, but nothing don show yet. Na Naija lab, network fit misbehave.

“Most of am don go, small one remain,” the girlfriend answer quick. “But truth be say, rash dey worry am since last week—e just no wan clear finish.”

That one come surprise me small. Allergy rash dey come and go fast, dem dey flare up, then disappear. E rare for some to just dey linger.

From habit, I wear latex glove, lift him shirt again, begin check the rashes well.

The patient talk say e dey get allergy since small pikin. Food dey trigger rash sometimes, and e dey wonder if the anti-allergy medicine don stop to work for am.

I see say the big raised rash for him belle don fade, but some small red spots still dey.

I ask, “This small small spot dey itch?”

“The raised ones dey itch die, but this one wey remain since last week no dey really itch,” the man answer.

That one surprise me. Allergy rash no dey get some wey dey itch, some wey no dey itch. I dey watch am closely.

“Doctor, my boyfriend get this rash for back too, but he no fit see am. I tell am make he see doctor, but he no gree,” the girlfriend add.

I quickly check him back.

I shock. I no be skin doctor, but I sabi say this rash pass ordinary allergy—some even get small pus.

Normally, for skin wahala, na dermatologist go handle am. But no dermatologist dey for ER that night, so to send them go see skin doctor next day for clinic for easy for me.

As I dey think wetin to do, the girlfriend talk again. She look me, hope for my eye. E be like say she dey beg me with her look to solve the riddle sharp-sharp.

“Doctor, my boyfriend fit get psoriasis?” she ask with fear. “My cousin get am before—e just dey come back, e no dey ever clear.”

Her worry clear for face, and the man eyes show say fear dey catch am too.

I look the rash: e round, edge clear, surface get silver-like scale. To be honest, e really resemble psoriasis. And I remember say some type dey get pus join.

But I no wan jump to conclusion. I no be skin doctor, and mistake fit spoil their relationship or even marriage. That one na big wahala.

You see, psoriasis—dem dey call am “silver scale disease”—dey run for family, and chance to pass am to pikin dey high.

“Anybody for your family—mama, papa, brother, sister—get psoriasis before?” I ask, dey check if e dey run for blood.

“No, our family dey healthy. Nobody get skin wahala,” the man reply loud, relief show for him face after he talk am.

“You dey stress or overwork lately? Sometimes dem dey trigger psoriasis.”

“No, just normal work.”

“Doctor, my boyfriend dey get bad dream these days. E fit cause am?”

The girlfriend ask, "Doctor, e dey get bad dream, e fit cause am?" For Naija, dream dey mean plenty thing; some people fit go see pastor if dream too bad.

“Hmmm, e fit contribute small,” I reply. With the kind guilt wey dey worry am, no wonder nightmare dey disturb am.

As I dey answer, I see the man eye—fear and hope dey drag space inside, and I know say this night never finish.