Shingles - More to 'em than meets the eye

Where to begin with this?  Got back from Kansas Tuesday April 5th at midnight.  I had spent two full weeks with my mom, cooking, taking care of her and watching all the programming fox network provides its minions.  Got a HORRIBLE cold the 2nd week there in Kansas.  Couldn't tell at first, what with a combination of the good ol’ Midwest hay fever resurrected in my sinuses and the constant smoky haze of Marlboro 100 lights (that's light, as in - hey this will kill perhaps just a teensy bit slower than the regulars).  Geezus frick-a-monda what misery.

I noticed a rash on my face the night before my flight back to Seattle.  Tuesday flying all day I checked it during trips to the flying can and at layovers.  I was becoming disfigured.  By the end of the day my face was swollen on the left side and I looked like I had just lost a prize fight, gone out into the alley, got mugged, and then shot in the face with a shotgun.  I think this is why folks were giving me lots of extra room at the airport.  Next day I went to the doctor.  He said I had the Shingles.  And, yes, it's as bad as it's advertised to be.  In my case the virus had awakened from its slumber and found the jail cell door wide open, as all my antibody cops were fighting the cold and no one was in the jail to keep guard.  These malevolent little virus bastards, now fully awake, found themselves on 'John's face nerve Ave.' and decided to make up for the lost time since they had participated in my Chicken Pox so long ago.

My teeth felt like I was having constant dental surgery with NO NOVACAINE.   This lasted for 3 days, even with the Vicadin.  My eye was swollen shut.  My mouth and chin were swollen so I couldn't eat except through a straw.  Then I got sick on my meds.  Come to find out the pharmacy mis-typed the instructions and I was taking 6 times the normal amount.  Medicine vomit is a curious experience.  There’s no real substance, no volume.  Nothing floating to survey as to what it might have been before partially digested. 

I'm better today - just mild pain - and the wounds are healing on my face.  I’ve gone past the ‘frightening little kids’ stage of facial disfigurement.  It’s been nearly a month and I still can’t sleep comfortably.  I have this ‘St. Elmo’s fire’ thing wafting over my face all day and my eyes still hurt.  I’m hoping I don’t have the ‘long term’ version of this which I’m told can last forever. 

If you have had the Chicken Pox and are getting’ on to 60 then I’d suggest getting the Shingles Vaccine.  (I kept seeing the advertising for this and for the longest time wondered why one would need to be vaccinated against being single.) 

It’s always something..

here's some good information...

http://www.shinglesinfo.com/index.html