Chicken Pox Strikes Again!
When I was a senior in high school, I got chicken pox. Why I never got it as a kid, who knows? I have no idea how I picked it up - maybe at the hospital where I volunteered? I gave it to my sisters. My sisters gave it to my cousin's wife (she discovered them on New Year's Day) Well, she had been warned not to hug my sisters.
So, this past Saturday, I'd been out and about and I had wee rash on in spots on my waist - I thought it was a heat rash, nothing major - the kind of rash you get when it's hot and something was chaffing. Come Wednesday, I had a rash on my lower belly. I figured more heat rash. Mentioned it to Joyce when we were on our way to dinner. She took a quick look and said "oh no, I think it's shingles". Shingles was not my radar at all.
Called my doctor and talked to the on-call doctor. I listed my symptoms and she prescribed Valacyclovir. Then today, I called my doctor's office and Evelyn was able to get me the very last appointment of the day. (actually, I think they just squeezed me in). Yup. Shingles. Stress, getting run down, chronic illness (diabetes) all contribute to letting the dormant virus go "Oh boy, let's party!!!"
So, I'm telecommuting for the next week or so. If I don't dwell on it, I can ignore it. I'm just tired and a little itchy - though once the blisters pop, it'll probably get worse.
I was freaked because I had been at church's bazaar both days and I had made breakfast for my coworkers on Tuesday. My doctor soothed my fears. I can't give anyone shingles. Chicken pox, maybe, but I'd have to really work at it.
The Mayo Clinic website says it best:
"A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles."
So, this past Saturday, I'd been out and about and I had wee rash on in spots on my waist - I thought it was a heat rash, nothing major - the kind of rash you get when it's hot and something was chaffing. Come Wednesday, I had a rash on my lower belly. I figured more heat rash. Mentioned it to Joyce when we were on our way to dinner. She took a quick look and said "oh no, I think it's shingles". Shingles was not my radar at all.
Called my doctor and talked to the on-call doctor. I listed my symptoms and she prescribed Valacyclovir. Then today, I called my doctor's office and Evelyn was able to get me the very last appointment of the day. (actually, I think they just squeezed me in). Yup. Shingles. Stress, getting run down, chronic illness (diabetes) all contribute to letting the dormant virus go "Oh boy, let's party!!!"
So, I'm telecommuting for the next week or so. If I don't dwell on it, I can ignore it. I'm just tired and a little itchy - though once the blisters pop, it'll probably get worse.
I was freaked because I had been at church's bazaar both days and I had made breakfast for my coworkers on Tuesday. My doctor soothed my fears. I can't give anyone shingles. Chicken pox, maybe, but I'd have to really work at it.
The Mayo Clinic website says it best:
"A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles."