Anyone want to catch chicken pox?

[sraun]

Last Sunday, Irene asked me to look at some spots on her back and around to her front. I looked, I went 'hmm', and spread some hydrocortizone cream on them. Repeat Monday. Repeat Tuesday morning. Not getting better. Hmmm. {Insert data: Irene is on daily Allegra for dog allergies.} Tuesday evening I pick up Benadryl cream on my way home from work, apply that Tuesday evening, and twice on Wednesday. Wednesday evening I say 'If this isn't lots better in the morning, you should see the doctor.'

She ends up with an 8:30AM doctor appointment on Thursday. Four minutes after the doctor starts asking questions, he's taken a look and says, 'You have shingles.' She's very itchy, she's on Acyclovir (would have been better if she'd started Monday or Tuesday - ah, well, now we know if it happens again), she's got Tylenol 3 if she wants it.

She's currently very mildly contagious, and should be non-contagious by our Minn-StF Meeting a week from Saturday (the 28th).

For anyone who's interested and doesn't already know - shingles is a flare-up of the chicken pox you had lo, these many years ago as a kid. Your body kills all the virus except the little bit that hides out in nerve roots - your immune system doesn't clean up in there because there's too much chance of permanently damaging the nerve. So, when the flare-up happens, it's on one side of the body, in a line coming from your spinal column and wrapping around to the front.

Comments

[90-percent-sure.livejournal.com]

A friend on the east coast was just diagnosed with Shingles, and his doctor told him he is the 6th case this week.

Hope

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

I hope she feels better soon!

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

That's one of my nightmares. I didn't get chicken pox until about five or six years ago, and I *know* shingles is now in my future.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

"Anyone want to catch chicken pox?"

No. But thanks for asking.

B

[daedala.livejournal.com]

I hope she feels better soon.