Sunday, December 26, 2010

Not the best Christmas carol!

"Dashing through the snow, On our way to urgent care, Worst headache in the world, And itching everywhere! Oh, Shingle bells, Shingle bells, Shingles all the way, oh how miserable it is, To be sick on Christmas Day!"

Yep, I got shingles! After waking up last Tuesday with a horrible headache, fever, chills, and nausea, I knew something was up. Went to my primary doctor on Thursday who suspected shingles at first, then changed their minds. Gave me a shot of antibiotic and sent me home with steroid cream for the rash and oral antibiotic for the fever. Friday night began throwing up and kept on until Christmas morning. Went to the ER on Sunday and finally diagnosed with shingles. My head was still killing me and my neck and shoulder were aching too where the rash was. But the ER docs introduced me to my new best friend . . . Dilaudid, ahhhhh! It's a very lovely narcotic painkiller that totally put me in a new dimension. As I lie there in the triage room with the lights dimmed and a nice warm blanket, I relished in the drug-induced daze of feeling no pain, finally.

They also gave me some anti-nausea and anti-viral meds, along with more painkillers, and let me go home. So far, I have felt great! They said it shouldn't last more than 2 weeks. But I'm supposed to have the Cyberknife treatments on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I'm not sure how shingles complicates things . . . I'll just have to wait and talk to Dr. M tomorrow.

So, we did have a wonderful Christmas despite my misery. The girls finally got a Wii, which has been hysterical to watch them play. Rachel Rose doing the boxing game makes me smile more than anything. Her trash-talking her opponent is truly impressive. "You sorry loser! You're going down! I'm just getting started with you!" But it does make me rethink our idea of starting her in martial arts anytime soon!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! And no Shingle Bells!!

3 comments:

W. Patrick Queen said...

Dear Melinda:

I feel your pain girl! I have had shingles on too many occasions to count and cold weather only seems to make them worse...so I'm praying for warmer days real soon. So glad to hear you are winning the battle and the war will soon be over. Please give my best to John and the girls. We loved the picture of them as your Christmas card.
Merry Days Arriving Soon,

W. Patrick Queen

Haley D. said...

Oh dear! I hear that they can be very, very painful. How are you holding up? What has happened with the Cyberknife procedure? Continuing to pray, especially for a speedy Shingle Bells recovery.

Julie W. said...

Andy had that medication in the ER for kidney stones. He was rather impressed as well. Apparently, the 'trick' is for the nurse to slowly push it through your IV, that gives you the greatest pain relief--and experience! :) Happy to hear you are feeling better!!