It all started on a regular day when Vicki Lawrence, while out walking her dogs, noticed an uncomfortable itching sensation on her stomach. By the time she returned home, the discomfort had spread to her back, buttocks, and thighs. “I looked like a giant, human-sized hive,” Vicki recalls to Closer, describing the alarming red welts that covered her body.
For six long weeks, the beloved performer, best known for her iconic roles on Mama’s Family and The Carol Burnett Show, endured a series of allergy tests in search of answers. Desperate for relief, Vicki took icy showers and slathered herself in menthol and camphor lotions, doing everything she could to soothe the relentless itching. “It was incredibly frustrating,” she admits. “Dealing with hives can be such an isolating condition because most people just don’t understand. They think you can slap on some lotion and move on, but it’s not that simple.”
A Strong Support System Makes All the Difference
Vicki, now 71, acknowledges that enduring this ordeal would have been far more difficult without the unwavering support of her husband, Al Schultz, 78. Al, a makeup artist whom Vicki met on the set of The Carol Burnett Show, has been her rock throughout their 46-year marriage. Together, they’ve raised two children, Courtney, 45, and Garrett, 43. “Al has been such a strong support system,” Vicki shares. “When you marry your very best friend, you always have someone to lean on and laugh with, no matter what life throws your way.”
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Finding Answers and Managing Symptoms
After weeks of testing, doctors couldn’t pinpoint any external cause for Vicki’s condition. Eventually, she was diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), a condition characterized by persistent hives with no identifiable trigger. While there’s no cure for CIU, it can be managed with the right approach. “I haven’t seen a hive in years now,” Vicki happily reports. She’s since become an advocate, working with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to spread awareness about CIU and offer hope to the 1.6 million Americans living with chronic hives.
Spreading Awareness and Offering Hope
“It’s crucial to find a knowledgeable allergist familiar with CIU and work together to manage the symptoms,” Vicki advises. Events like World Urticaria Day, celebrated annually on October 1st, have played a significant role in reducing the stigma surrounding chronic skin conditions. “CIUandyou.com is an excellent resource,” Vicki says. “It’s packed with valuable information for anyone dealing with CIU.”
— Reporting by Katie Bruno
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