Sunday, April 28, 2013

Really? I have shingles?? ...and Lag B'omer... and my coma, six years later.

Wow, I just saw some videos of people who were victims or family of victims of texting and driving. It is more prevalent than drinking and driving these days. I can't keep writing my little personal blog without acknowledging this situation. If it makes even one of you not do it, than I am glad I posted it. Go to this site to see the videos I just saw.

This has been a public service announcement.
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

The day after I wrote the last entry (with the picture of the fairly benign looking rash, compared with what was to come), I woke up many times at night with the hand pain (traveling up the forearm... not good), and saw in the morning a much more serious deterioration of the situation with that rash. So, as I had promised my father the evening before, I went to the doctor.

She looked at it, declared it not an allergic reaction. She said an allergy would not be that painful. I wouldn't even let her touch it because contact was so painful. That is why I woke up so many times at night- the covers were touching it.
The doctor then called in two other doctors, and they unanimously decided that it is a case of Shingles. Really? Shingles? WHAT? Can't I just have a *rash*?

She prescribed a course of anti-viral medicine, to top off my usual cocktail. It consists of five pills a day for five days. Whoa there.

I started the pills the same day, and made it to four pills on Friday, and by the night, I was *so nauseous*. But, since when I woke the next day it already looked better- it had dried up a bit, so I was encouraged to keep it up. The doctor also prescribed a cream to help with the immediate discomfort, and it worked, thankfully.

I cut a piece of soft cloth and covered it, being that it is (was?) contagious, and quite shocking to see: (the pics don't show the bright color is really is, and the icky pustules involved, lucky for you.)



Isn't it true, though, that it seems exactly corresponding with where the splint was for the sprained wrist? Oh, and about that- now I can't splint it, and it hurts. :( Things that seem simple with me seem to get complicated so easily.

The doctor told me that the splint probably made a irritation, or mild chaffing, and through that the virus can get in, if by chance it is on my skin already. Who knows what the splint carried and kept on my wrist skin (which was warm and often sweaty because of the heavy latex and metal of the splint). I dunno, the whole shingles thing seems not the correct diagnosis, but since the anti-viral meds are working, does that show us that the doctors are right? The cream is working, too, it calms down the pain. It is made of "fucidic acid", whatever that is. OK, here is what Wikipedia says. Interesting that it is primarily effective on Staph and Strep infections... but shingles is a virus... I am so confused.

Anyway, I pray that it is on it's way out. Then I guess I should start some sort of physical therapy for the wrist. Isn't having these crazy thigh problems enough? I want to ignore the wrist problem. I hate doing PT. But, these sort of things don't let you forget them- they hang around and cause you grief until you take care of them.
Not a happy camper.

BUT, the good things are that I got to shul today, had we had a wonderful time with the guests we had over (Robert did *all* the cooking- for 12).

...Oh, and yeah, BTW?

Today is the holiday of Lag B'omer.
The day I am simultaneously filled with tears,
and thankfulness.
But mostly tears.
This day, six years ago, I woke out of my coma.

I am sure I will write more about that tomorrow. That is the annual bonfire and barbeque celebration of Lag B'omer in our shul. I usually cry, privately, with one of my dear friends (MG, I heart you). Like I feel that lump in my throat now.

Can you believe it has been six years?

Can you believe any of this?

1 comment :

  1. refua shlaima . I have been writting comments but alot of times it does not go thru. amazing you had company! see how much strenghth you and your family have! we should hear good news very soon. rochel.

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