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 ❤
I had shingles when i was in the 9th grade. They hurt like a SOB! I am so sorry u are going thru this. Take your pain meds.
ReplyDeleteLove ya.
@Gina~
ReplyDeleteOuch. Poor you! Aren't they horrible? I think if they threatened enemies with Shingles, wars would end!
I'm glad you are well and you and I... we probably will never have to go this again.
Love You bunches~ ❤
I had shingles a couple of years ago right in the middle of planning my wedding. Thankfully I only had a small area on my shoulder blade. It was agonizingly painful. I'm so so so sorry you had to deal with that. You are such a wonderful lady and I adore you.
ReplyDeleteoh Lana! Take very good care of urself and I hope that the annoying thing goes away soon! I am sending you lots of positive energy!!!! Love u! Jela
ReplyDeletehttp://galadrijella.blogspot.com/
@Michelle:
ReplyDeleteHow awful right before your wedding no less! I bet it was stress.
Thankfully, for you it was small but I know that the pain is HUGE.
I adore you too.
Love and Hugs xo ❤
Dear Jela,
ReplyDeleteI am on the mend but thank you so much for the wonderful well wishes.
I feel your love and positive energy and it means so much to me
Love xo ❤
Hi Lana I was just watching more of your work and saw you are sick...OMG! how scary. I have known only one other person that has come down with shingles and they were in their early twenties at the time.. Lana, Hope your doing better...don't stress :)
ReplyDeleteLeslie from Bagadocious
Lana I'm so sorry you have to go through this sweetheart :(
ReplyDeleteBUT! You're getting better and soon will able to grace us with another bubbly video from your bathroom. I can't wait.
I'm happy you're on the mend!
I'd still rub myself on your blisters ;)
Chrissy xx
@ChrissyDee:
ReplyDeleteHa. I would share my shoes or handbags with you but ain't no WAY I'm sharing this disease with anyone! It HURTS.
Lot's of Love & Giant Hugs~
Lana
OMG...this sure is a verry painful thing. It burns, pains...I just hate Herpes Zoster! The worst part is it travels along the nerves...
ReplyDeleteDo take care of yourself...knowing you, I know, you will.
Love you...
Oh, if it hurts a lot, you can apply some Calamine/caladryl...It will gve this Cooling effect....just incase...
Glad you are better! That sounds so terrible! What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! Lol
ReplyDelete@Resham~
ReplyDeleteYou are a doll and thank you. It sounds as if you have had it as well? I hope no one I know or cares about EVER get it. Horrible.
Thank You for the very kind words. i am on the mend now and feel like a 1/2 million today with a loan out for the other 1/2 million tomorrow!
Love You Lot's ❤
PS. I will try the Calamine.
My aunt got shingles in 2008 and it lasted for months! She is a 2nd grade teacher and she got at the end of summer and it lasted until spring. My uncle said he had to sleep in another room because he had to work and her terrible pains and sighs would keep him up all night. My aunt was also recovering from serious skin cancer so this was really eating at them. But yeah, she showed me pictures of it at Christmas and it looked awful! And my aunt and uncle live in Elkhart :)
ReplyDeleteI meant to add a get well soon but hit post too fast lol! I hope you recover quickly Lana! We are going to miss seeing you!
ReplyDeleteEven with Shingles, You still manage to put a smile on my face =D !
ReplyDeleteLana.. u are the best.. May you have a quick recovery and May you be filled with life and good health.. we need you for many... many... many more years to come...
PS. Remind your husband that "Ice Cream" or better Yet Frozen Yogurt (mmm Pinkberry) is always the best medicine..
Love U xoxoxo Liz
Oh Lana, you poor thing! I wish you a speedy recovery. Take care and remember... You'll be shoe shopping again before you know it!
ReplyDeleteXoxo,
Christine
http://pinksofoxy.blogspot.com
Lana I had no idea you were sick. I do hope you get 110% soon. I would still like your okay to do what I had ask you in an email. Just let me have the okay ! I will keep you in my prayers. You rest and take your meds and you will be the Lana we all love. Susie (sek)
ReplyDeleteyou poor thing! it sounds horrible!
ReplyDeleteI hope your back to full health very soon! :) x
Oh no, I'm so sorry you've been sick. And with shingles--ouch! My ex had them and I remember how painful it was for him. I hope you're feeling better SOON!! <>
ReplyDeleteLana! I am so sorry! Get well soon. Im thinking of you. get lots of rest and dream about mark and loubies :) that should nurse you right back to health! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x
ReplyDeleteI had a minor case of shingles a few years ago. I was lucky that it was only a small patch on my spine and very little pain. I had to make sure I kept away from young family members. My own kids already had chicken pox so I was fine around them. Take car of yourself & I hope you're feeling better!
ReplyDeleteOh Lana! I know it hurts! I remember back when, I was 20 yrs. old and in college. I came down with a miserable case of Shingles. I was scared and embarassed because I didn't know what it was.
ReplyDeleteOh Lana, I had shingles last year in the spring. it is so horrible... glad you are on the mend... I live in Indiana too... and just a bit older than you... I love hearing about your life... you are so fun... get well soon we miss your Utube videos.... Shirley
ReplyDeleteps I have no idea how to answer whatever in that box below.. really didnt want to be Anonymous??
OUCH.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear you have shingles. My Mom had them and she said it was VERY painful.
I just found your blog. :) I'm following,
Susie
Oh no! That is just awful for you Lana! They have a vaccine for shingles now, which I got. I sure hope it works. The blisters and nerve pain sound dreadful. Hope you recover quickly!
ReplyDeleteOMG! Came here lookin' for shopping links thinking you might have others like bostonproper.com I hope you get well soon! Lana, my family tried and tried to get me to have chicken pox but I never caught it as a child. Later, at age 30 I caught them and Dr. thinks that and stress caused me to get low thyroid-made my hair shed alot more than normal, eyebrows thinned and uggh, eyelashes fell out along with a bunch of weird symptoms making me feel cold all the time, puffy eyes in the morning etc. before getting treatment-simple really, a half microgram pill taken daily and within a few months all the eyebrows and lashes came back.
ReplyDeleteWhen I caught the chicken pox I used sunburn spray each time there was the urge to scratch, took as many as 4 to 6 showers each day of the outbreak-maybe doing this will make it bearable if it's both itchy and painful. I know Shingles is painful and I'm usually healthy and now wondering about that shingles vaccine.
Get well soon!
db at dbstube
Hi Lana, I posted something on your You Tube "Izzy's bed" post. I told you that when I was 60-62 my doctor insisted on giving me a shingles vaccine. I also live in Indianapolis.
ReplyDeleteI was not too keen on that since I think it was very new then. However, I just want to be sure you know one exists in case you could ever get this thing again. I dont know if having shingles once gives you immunity, but somehow I seem to remember that does not.
I certainly hope you are feeling better. One of my friends actually got shingles in her eyes and I am so glad you did not get it there.
One of my two cats I call my "Nurse Kitty" because she sticks to me like glue when I am sick. I hope one of your doggies does that for you when no one else is at home.
Kaye
Lana:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. My father had this when he was in his 60's. Fortunately, the internet existed and I'm a research guru. Eventually, I advised him to get on white vinegar applied with a white cotton ball to relieve the itching, etc. (Look it up). I had a great aunt who had it in her head (very, very rare!!) but suffered for years. When its that long, sometimes anti-depressants are prescribed.
In the long run...I'm glad you have brought this out especially for us that had chicken pox as children. If you had it, you are always a candidate. I'm glad to hear you are doing well.
Thank you for this PSA (public service announcement) ;)
HI Lana,
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon, this really scares me! Get well soon!
I'm sending positive thoughts and energy your way
<3 U
16sweetpea
Hi Lana,
ReplyDeleteI hope you have now fully recovered and feeling fabulous again! I just wanted to thank you for helping to raise awareness of this honorific illness. My grandmother who is now 79 has had shingles for 4 years now and is in more pain now than when she first got it. We live in the UK (England) and despite what people think our healthcare is very poor and when she went to see the doctor the morning the rash appeared the doctor misdiagnosed it so she didn't receive the right medication for another week and tragically by tragically then it was far too late. She is now in excruciating pain every day & it has aged her terribly and I fear it will have inevitably shortened her life expectancy. I doubt we will get the vaccine here for many year either so I'm praying no one else in the family get it.
Thanks for sharing your story
lots of love & hug
steph xx
@Steph_x
ReplyDeleteOh your poor grandmother! I know how horrible it must be for her. Bless her heart. Give her soft gentle hugs and I know that will at least help heal her heart. I ended up in the hospital and the best medicine of all was the smiles from my grand kids and their sweet faces.
You are an angel to love and care for her so much and she knows how blessed she is.
Love and Hugs~
Lana
Wow, thanks for the info. I didn't know about this.
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