The Ugly
Most days aren’t really that bad. Then again there are some that are down right miserable. I have been through so many illnesses over the years that most people probably can’t even imagine. A couple of years ago I experienced a pretty rotten case of Shingles. I think the only other time I have ever been in that much pain was when I threw my back out, and that wasn’t pleasant either. Shingles pain is different though. It’s almost as if you are burned so badly that you can’t concentrate on anything but the pain.
Shingles, witch is also referred to as Herpes Zoster, usually occurs in people with low immune systems, particularly the elderly. Most kids these days haven’t gone through chicken pox, but basically anyone who has ever had chicken pox can get Shingles. Back when I was a kid it was common place for a chicken pox outbreak, so of course I’ve had it, still have the scars to prove it too.
For about a week before the shingles started to appear I had these shooting pains in my upper right leg that went from about my knee to my lower abdomen area. I fortunately had been to the doctor that week, but unfortunately because those particular symptoms could have meant anything it was assumed that I may have possibly pulled a muscle. The doctor told me to take a warm bath to soak my upper leg, and hopefully in a few days the pain would go away. No such luck.
I was able to work the rest of the week, but by Friday the pain became almost unbearable. I kept looking around the areas of the pain and saw nothing so I kept getting in and out of the hot bath hoping the pain would subside at least for a little while. Surprisingly for me it did, however the doctor said it should have made the pain worse. The pain started shooting into my back and I remember at one point I was in so much pain I was in tears. There were no visible signs of anything, so it was difficult to pin point what the problem was.
I somehow made it through Friday, figuring at least I had the weekend to recuperate from whatever it was that was going on. I’m not sure if it was because of the pain, but I managed to sleep throughout the night without much trouble, but boy when I woke up in the morning things just had not gotten any better. This time though I started to see small welts on my midsection. They were red, and almost looked like burns. First it was one, then two, and then on and on until just about my whole midsection from right to left was covered. It was horrible to wear clothes because of the pain and being that it was Saturday, there wasn’t much I could do besides go the emergency room, witch I couldn’t afford to do, so I painfully sat in this very chair and looked on the internet for what could possibly be going on. I kind of suspected what it was because about six months earlier about the same thing happened (the shooting pain and inability to wear clothing because of the pain) only I never broke out in the blisters as I was this time.
I honestly don’t know how I made it through the whole weekend enduring the pain, to be quite frank, after learning what it was I was suffering from I can’t remember much else other than calling in sick to work on Sunday, and calling the doctor so I could go in first thing Monday morning. I went to the Doctor that morning, it was confirmed that I did in fact have Shingles, was given pain medicine, antibiotics and something to help make the Shingles go away. I was also told I wouldn’t be able to work for probably 3 weeks and that the blisters would get bigger and worse, start to seep, crust over, and then slowly go away, after witch time I would have scars. Sounds lovely doesn’t it? It pretty much went exactly the way the doctor said it would. There would have been no possible way I could have worked in that much pain and it did last for pretty much the entire 3 weeks. I think the last 3 days I felt okay enough to work but was so exhausted I took the doctor’s advice and stayed at home. Oddly enough the scarring wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be. I only have two, and go figure they were the first blister that showed up, and the last one to show up. The first one was much worse than the latter one for sure though. For some reason that bugger just did not want to go away, even after all the others had gone.
I have to say the pain medication was awesome. Lol. It was good old reliable Lara tab. The medication they gave me to help get rid of the Shingles though made me sick, and I mean I couldn’t even keep water down it was so bad. I think I took it for a week and stopped because obviously I had to eat or things were going to get ugly and I probably would have ended up in the hospital.
I guess most people would be happy if their doctor told them to take a 3 week vacation, without pay, but I have to tell you it was not fun and games. I couldn’t do much because of the pain, and talk about being bored!!! I was so ready to get back to work I didn’t know what to do and that is saying a lot for someone who would rather not work at all if I had the choice.
Obviously things aren’t always this bad. I do have to say it wasn’t the most thrilling thing to happen in my life for sure. I can honestly say I would much rather have a cold, and I’m one of “those” people who isn’t too pleasant when she has a cold. I’m sure you know the type, grouchy, irritable, whinny.
I am thankful that I have an employer who is so lenient with me and my illnesses. They have never given me a hard time about calling out sick, and I know that it put them in a bind my being out for 3 weeks. My boss called once a week to see if I could come back to work, but I think he was just really calling to check on me. ;)
I don’t want anyone to think that having HIV is so horrible. Generally, just like everyone else there are times when I feel lousy, and times when I feel great. Unfortunately sometimes the lousy days are more often than the great ones and you just have to plow on through them just like you would anything else.
Shingles, witch is also referred to as Herpes Zoster, usually occurs in people with low immune systems, particularly the elderly. Most kids these days haven’t gone through chicken pox, but basically anyone who has ever had chicken pox can get Shingles. Back when I was a kid it was common place for a chicken pox outbreak, so of course I’ve had it, still have the scars to prove it too.
For about a week before the shingles started to appear I had these shooting pains in my upper right leg that went from about my knee to my lower abdomen area. I fortunately had been to the doctor that week, but unfortunately because those particular symptoms could have meant anything it was assumed that I may have possibly pulled a muscle. The doctor told me to take a warm bath to soak my upper leg, and hopefully in a few days the pain would go away. No such luck.
I was able to work the rest of the week, but by Friday the pain became almost unbearable. I kept looking around the areas of the pain and saw nothing so I kept getting in and out of the hot bath hoping the pain would subside at least for a little while. Surprisingly for me it did, however the doctor said it should have made the pain worse. The pain started shooting into my back and I remember at one point I was in so much pain I was in tears. There were no visible signs of anything, so it was difficult to pin point what the problem was.
I somehow made it through Friday, figuring at least I had the weekend to recuperate from whatever it was that was going on. I’m not sure if it was because of the pain, but I managed to sleep throughout the night without much trouble, but boy when I woke up in the morning things just had not gotten any better. This time though I started to see small welts on my midsection. They were red, and almost looked like burns. First it was one, then two, and then on and on until just about my whole midsection from right to left was covered. It was horrible to wear clothes because of the pain and being that it was Saturday, there wasn’t much I could do besides go the emergency room, witch I couldn’t afford to do, so I painfully sat in this very chair and looked on the internet for what could possibly be going on. I kind of suspected what it was because about six months earlier about the same thing happened (the shooting pain and inability to wear clothing because of the pain) only I never broke out in the blisters as I was this time.
I honestly don’t know how I made it through the whole weekend enduring the pain, to be quite frank, after learning what it was I was suffering from I can’t remember much else other than calling in sick to work on Sunday, and calling the doctor so I could go in first thing Monday morning. I went to the Doctor that morning, it was confirmed that I did in fact have Shingles, was given pain medicine, antibiotics and something to help make the Shingles go away. I was also told I wouldn’t be able to work for probably 3 weeks and that the blisters would get bigger and worse, start to seep, crust over, and then slowly go away, after witch time I would have scars. Sounds lovely doesn’t it? It pretty much went exactly the way the doctor said it would. There would have been no possible way I could have worked in that much pain and it did last for pretty much the entire 3 weeks. I think the last 3 days I felt okay enough to work but was so exhausted I took the doctor’s advice and stayed at home. Oddly enough the scarring wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be. I only have two, and go figure they were the first blister that showed up, and the last one to show up. The first one was much worse than the latter one for sure though. For some reason that bugger just did not want to go away, even after all the others had gone.
I have to say the pain medication was awesome. Lol. It was good old reliable Lara tab. The medication they gave me to help get rid of the Shingles though made me sick, and I mean I couldn’t even keep water down it was so bad. I think I took it for a week and stopped because obviously I had to eat or things were going to get ugly and I probably would have ended up in the hospital.
I guess most people would be happy if their doctor told them to take a 3 week vacation, without pay, but I have to tell you it was not fun and games. I couldn’t do much because of the pain, and talk about being bored!!! I was so ready to get back to work I didn’t know what to do and that is saying a lot for someone who would rather not work at all if I had the choice.
Obviously things aren’t always this bad. I do have to say it wasn’t the most thrilling thing to happen in my life for sure. I can honestly say I would much rather have a cold, and I’m one of “those” people who isn’t too pleasant when she has a cold. I’m sure you know the type, grouchy, irritable, whinny.
I am thankful that I have an employer who is so lenient with me and my illnesses. They have never given me a hard time about calling out sick, and I know that it put them in a bind my being out for 3 weeks. My boss called once a week to see if I could come back to work, but I think he was just really calling to check on me. ;)
I don’t want anyone to think that having HIV is so horrible. Generally, just like everyone else there are times when I feel lousy, and times when I feel great. Unfortunately sometimes the lousy days are more often than the great ones and you just have to plow on through them just like you would anything else.
posted by Mrs. T at 6:22 PM
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