Thanks mishaisacat for your quick response.  I went ahead and went to
the doctor (boyfriend said he'd pay for it, thus removing the last
barrier; but also because the itching was subsiding and the more
recent spots were beginning to scab over and I felt that I might not
get any new ones...I had been waiting all along to get some
blistery/moist ones).

Based on my description, the clinician didn't think it was herpes.
Upon seeing the sores, she said it didn't look like herpes.  She did a
scraping to culture  for herpes (I'll know more this coming Friday, at
the earliest).  She also did a scraping of something she called the
Herald Spot, which was a lesion 2 or 3 times bigger than the others
and much farther away (on my calf).  She and I both looked at the
scrapings under a dual microscope for signs of yeast.  She panned up
and down, pointing out this thing as a synthetic fiber, this thing as
a air bubble, this thing as a natural fiber, etc.  No signs of yeast.
Based on what she saw, and the tests she was able to make, she
diagnosed Pityriasis Rosea and wrote me a prescription for a
corticol-steroid (topical) to help the sores heal a little faster.

We looked at some pictures of Pityriasis Rosea and I would have to
agree with her, that the spots could be that.  Mostly, when you see
Pityriasis Rosea, a large area of the person is covered with these
spots, whereas I had less than a dozen.  Also, I had had Pityriasis
Rosea when I was a teen-ager, and from what I remember, it took off
like wildfire, covering my trunk, then migrating up onto my chest and
neck.  I stayed home from school for weeks, as I remember.  But,
nonetheless, the way the Pityriasis sores looked in the pictures
resembled mine, especially in the way they are sort of strawberry in
the beginning and redder later, and then also because of the way they
get these thin white papery scabs in the center, and of course, the
appearance of Herald Spot...all very characteristic looking.  The
Herald Spot, by the way, comes on much earlier than the outbreak.

I was disappointed she didn't suggest an ELISA (I know I wouldn't have
enough antibodies yet if I was only recently exposed, but I have had
the same HSV-2 positive boyfriend for over a year), so I asked for
one.  She complied, and drew some blood, and then marked the sample to
be tested for all STDs.

The whole visit, including the tests and exam, came to just over $100.
Not bad for peace of mind.  I know technically I'm not out of the
woods, but my relief is profound.  I learned something about myself
during this whole episode, what it would mean to have herpes, and I
discovered the worst part (after the waiting/wondering) was how it
killed sexual desire (or, in other words, how much I perceive my
sexual attractiveness to be based on everything looking all nice down
there).  I would assume that would pass with time, especially as
recurrent episodes would produce less lesions, probably, and I would
have long gaps in between.  But, I felt as though, if I didn't end up
having it, I would most likely break up with my boyfriend.  It
wouldn't be the primary reason, of course, because we have been
talking break-up for awhile, but, as you know, wake-up calls can be
very powerful forces for change.

I stopped taking the Valtrex after my doctor's visit.  I didn't fill
the prescription for cortisone cream.  The sores are going away.  My
boyfriend and I had lots and lots of celebratory sex over the weekend.

Thanks for having such a nice, supportive list.  It is really hard to
have shockingly colorful and itchy things on the sex organs.  I wish
you all the best and I'll report back when my ELISA and culture
results come in.

GS