LilySlim Weight loss tickers

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Great, just GREAT!!

I just spent a delightful afternoon in the emergency room.

Let me start from the beginning, since you know how much I like to bore you.

Monday night, as I was getting undressed, I realized I had an itch that felt like a bug bite, right under to band of my bra. I felt around, and sure enough, there was a little bump.

Tuesday, it was itchier than the day before. I asked CSJ to take a look, since now the bump felt like it was "spreading." He said, "Oh, yeah, there's something there alright. It's some kind of rash, I think. The center looks kinda like a pimple, that's coming to a head." Lovely, I know. I still thought it was a bite of some kind, possibly a spider bite. Another thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it.

You may remember that Tuesday was also the day I pulled a bunch of weeds and dead junk from my yard. That night, the pain in my back started. It was in the same area as the bite, but I didn't think they were at all related.

Wednesday, the migraine woke me up, the back pain was WAY worse, and the rash was spreading. You basically know how the rest of the week went. Friday night, as I was trying to distract myself from the agonizing pain by watching TV, a commercial came on for the very ailment that crossed my mind Tuesday night.

So, I Googled it. Sure enough, I was fairly convinced that I had the right self-diagnoses. I couldn't exactly compare the rash to the photos, since I couldn't see mine. However, everything else seemed to be a match, including the mind-numbing pain, and the headache. I was a little scared, ok, terrified, when I read that sometimes the pain can last up to two months. I knew there was NO way I could deal with that.

This morning, the pain was absolutely unbearable. I decided I needed to go see a doctor. I sobbed through my shower, as well as the whole process of getting dressed. I drove to the nearest immediate care center, only to be told they don't accept my insurance. I was trying to decide if should try and find one associated with my insurance, but I just couldn't take the pain. I went straight to the emergency room. Luckily, they recently instituted a "fast track" system, so I was taken back to a room pretty quickly.

After a while, I sent CSJ a text to let him know where I was. He chastised me for going by myself, but I told him to just finish working, and I'd see him at home later. Instead, he left work and rushed to meet me. The big lug. When he got there, the first thing he did was check the rash. When he opened my gown, he couldn't contain his gasp. "Holy shit! It's WAY bigger now!" Gee, thanks, honey!

Ok, let me fast forward a bit. The doctor finally came in, and did his examination. Well, I was right on with my self-diagnoses. Freakin' SHINGLES!!! Holy crap. He gave me a prescription for a pain medication, and another prescription for an anti-viral medication. He also gave me a note saying that I couldn't go to work next week. Ok, that was kinda sweet.

Unfortunately, that also means I'll be sitting home alone tomorrow for Easter. There's NO way I'm going to take a chance of exposing Monkey to the virus. Plus, my brother is still susceptible to chicken pox. He had such a mild case when he was a child (he literally had THREE pox!) that the doctor told my mother he would probably get them again since his body didn't build up an immunity to the virus.

So, there you go. I just pray that it clears up as quickly as the doctor said (a couple weeks) because I don't know how much more I can take. The pain has started to spread around to the front of my body, and I feel like someone kicked me in my ribs. The doctor said the area looked red, so the rash may be spreading. I hope the medication keeps that from happening.

Speaking of medication, CSJ just walked in the door from picking it up for me, so I guess I'll take it and go lie down. Good night!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Feel better..soon you will be itch and rash free.

Funny in My Mind said...

As soon as you said a bug bite/pimple thing that itched I thought of shingles.
Mine started that exact same way except I waited 2 weeks and by then it had spread to my front (yeah) and started sending burning pains through my boobs (yeah)
I called my mom (who had had shingles on her face years earlier) and she being a nurse told me what it was. I went to the doctor (a young cute guy) and told him what it was and he said i was nuts, only old people get shingles but he ran tests and sure enough....
I had to go to our small town Walgreens where I know everyone and get a medication used for herpes.
My husband and older son never had chicken pox but they ended up not catching anything from me and I got them the chicken pox vaccine and me the shingles vaccine. Yes, you can get it twice, even more.
I don't get the headache part but it affects your nerves so maybe it triggered a migraine?
I have no lasting effects except a scar where the big, deep scab came off at my bra line on my back.
Feel better soon (and did you know stress can cause shingles? that is where mine came from)

Maria said...

My co-worker had shingles in November. She said she had never felt such intense pain. Lasted about two weeks...and hasn't returned.

Fingers crossed for you!

Ricochet said...

Get well soon, sweetie!!

Like Funny in my mind said, get your brother to get the chicken pox vaccine (I think Monkey can get it when she is one - that's when one of mine got it. Mine were part of a study done at a local university for this 20 years ago and neither [knock wood] has ever gotten it.)

When you are well, get the shingles vaccine to not get it again.

joe said...

Sorry 'bout the shingles CTG. Please get better soon. Um, and happy Easter...

Pissedoffteacher said...

Sorry about the shingles but at least now you know and can treat it. Hope you feel better soon.

Sorry about missing holiday. Try to enjoy your rest.

C said...

AWWWWWWW me little cheech! I feel for you! Yep, stress is the killer on this one... WHAT could you possibly be STRESSED about, hmmm? I'd make you a nice hoe-made soup if I lived near you. Try to relax, it'll take at least 24 hours for the antiviral to kickin, you've been given (although very painful) a nice lil vaycay. try to use the time to regroup and relax if you can. i'm so sorry, my friend..

Jim said...

Aww! Sorry to hear this! My brother in law contracted this last week! And he said the pain was a real PAIN! He is on meds too. But you know what also will help with the pain if you can get there? Acupuncture! It can help.
Hope you are feeling better soon!
Take care.

M said...

Oh my friend I feel for you! Sending cyber hugs and love from CA!
XXOO

Francene Stanley said...

Your description of the pain really explains how it feels. I hope you get over the shingles soon.

jwg said...

Poor Baby! Take your meds and don't overdo. And thanks for the reminder to ask my doctor about the shingles vaccine.

Sonya Ann said...

You poor thing! I have heard that the pain is TERRIBLE! My hub's aunt thought she was having a heart attack the pain was so bad.
Hang in there!

Unknown said...

Feel better soon...one of my family member's has this right now and she just had a baby! I love the bluntness of your blog posts.

From Chitown too!

Robyn

http://quietforgiveness.blogspot.com/

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh my gosh....you poor baby! Did the shingles come from working in the yard?? Or was that a coincidence?
I hope this medication works quickly and you feel better really soon.
I had the chicken pox on my 29th birthday and I thought I would die....if this is anything like that, you've got all my sympathy.
rest up sweetness.
xoxo