Ok, so I've been sick. I would normally Tweet about it as I tend to send fun little snippets of my life to my friends and family via Twitter when time allows.
This time I was almost scared to...
Ashamed?
Possibly.
Embarrassed?
Definitely.
It all started on Wednesday evening. I had been so busy. Grueling work schedule, busy with friends, family etc.... You know~ Life.
I got home and felt as tho I was having a heart attack. Horrible pains in my chest and tingling sensations down my arm. Was this what it was going to be? My little ticker was going to stop ticking?
Heart disease in woman is the #1 killer and this was going to be my demise?
Fun, Fabulous me?
Great.... I had so much to do! Family, Traveling, Shopping, So many things!
I took an aspirin and went to bed.
Woke up Thursday with the ugly painful rash all over my back and it hurt like a MoFo!
I had a fever, achy, blisters spreading like wildfire and I felt like I was dying. Just the touch of my clothes on my skin hurt.
I curled up in the fetal position and cried myself to sleep.
The next day, my husband insisted I go to the doctor which I did.
Prognosis...
Shingles.
WHAT?
Shingles are for old people on walkers and little old ladies with blue hair.
Not me!
David Letterman just got over a case of Shingles so I guess I wasn't the only old/young person to get them.
What a pain and a PAIN these things are!
Ouch and double Ouch.
Here's the deal... Anyone that had Chicken Pox as a child can get Shingles. I had no idea!
The virus sits dormant in your body at the base of your spinal cord (Be Gone~ I hate you)
Stress or a compromised immunity system can cause it to come out of it's dormant state and viola'~ You are a shingles patient.
I immediately called my son and his wife. I had been hugging and kissing my Grandkids all afternoon the previous day! My beautiful grandkids with this blistery pain on their perfect skin? Oh No!
I was assured that the only thing I could be contagious of was if they had come in contact with the blisters and they hadn't. Even then, they would wind up with a case of Chicken Pox. I remember having Chicken Pox as a kid. Scratching was about it in my memory anyway. So, ok... They would be fine.
Me on the other hand, I was feverish, chills, achy, blistery, and well... Not very pretty to look at. I was given a prescription for Valtrex (Yeah, Herpes meds) and Vicodin.
Luckily, it stayed on my back and didn't spread to my face or my eyes.
Be sure to RUN to the doctor if that happens. It can be very damaging to your eyes.
I was also fortunate to have gotten to the doctor in the first 72 hours. Well, I was close but missed by a few hours. Failure to do so can result in really life-long pain that attacks your nerve endings and can last months even years! OUCH.
I am 5 days into this crappy disease and feel much better. I am on the mend and chances are I won't get this again. To be honest, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
Osama Bin Laden... C'mere. Let me rub my blisters on you....Eh, he's probably had Chicken Pox and one Shingles patient can't affect anyone else with it. Drats!
I hope this educates a few of you in case you ever get these symptoms. A tingly feeling on your skin, chest pains and all over crappy feeling. (Ok, I have felt these symptoms when my Credit Card bills come in the mail) but you will know it when the rash appears and get to the doctor as fast as you can. Early treatment = Quicker healing time.
And... Just because you are in your 20's, 30's, and 40's it can happen at any age if you have had Chicken pox. Who Knew?
All of you be safe, happy, & healthy..
I Love You All
Lana ❤
