Suffering with Shingles - Week Two

Day Eight: The sharp abdominal pain that feels like cramps continue. It's like someone with two strong hands is grabbing my belly and twisting.  I am now taking Tylenol every six hours for mild relief that lasts for a few hours at a time.  I rarely take medication but I'll take any relief at this point.  An observation since the large rash appeared: showering does not cause any pain.  It just feels pretty darn weird soaping over the bumpy area.

Day Nine: I woke up at 2:15 AM to take Tylenol to ease the terrible pain. Five hours later, The relief dissipated and the sharp pain returned.  With one hour short of the six hours prescribed on the bottle, I am counting down the minutes while wincing in pain so I can take my next pills.  What a way to live.  I can see how and why some people are addicted to pain killers. 

Day Ten: The sharp pain is unbearable at times.  It's hard to describe but it just sucks the life out of you. I have little enjoyment these days and by all accounts, this can continue for another week or two. I take my last anti-viral pills today and can hope I started them early enough to minimize longer term effects.  With Tylenol seemingly mildly effective for just several hours, I'll try Motrin instead.

Day Eleven:  Motrin seems to have provided better relief and I've started applying Caladryl for the developing itchiness.  The good news is the rash looks past its peak based on color and density.  Also, the pain which was a "ten" just a day or two ago is now an "eight".  Still wince-worthy but better.  Could we go on our planned road trip starting in two days?

Day 12:  I was determined to join friends for a scheduled Mets game to celebrate my daughter's birthday, so I took two Motrin and hoped for the best.  I'm happy to report that this was my best day since the debilitating pain began over a week ago.  The episodes of pain were less frequent and milder.  Two more Motrin got me through dinner.  I think the worst is over.  Thankfully.

Day 13:  We made the decision last night to give our road trip a try.  We can always turn back.  I took two Motrin and hit the road with fingers crossed.  I made to the Crayola Experience and our hotel in Donegal, PA with improving results.  When I felt pain, the level was a "five" or "six".  Still uncomfortable when it happens but much more tolerable  The Motrin has helped and I am cautiously optimistic that the days of excruciating pain is over.

Day 14:  Sitting through the Pittsburgh Pirates game was even more comfortable than the Mets game just a few days earlier.  The pain has lessened in severity, frequency and duration.  I'm still not 100% physically as I have to move slower (like walking, bending, getting out of bed, standing up from a seated position) as I feel mild pain with such motion.  I think I will cut back on the Motrin and see how that goes.  Happier days are around the corner!

Suffering with Shingles - Week One

Day One: Uh oh!  As I'm getting dressed for tennis team practice, I lifted my T-shirt to discover a large rash on my left abdomen and extending to my back. Immediately, I guessed shingles and ironically, we had just talked about it the night before when I shared that my seafood guy at ShopRite had just recovered from shingles.  Before I could process my new discovery, my brother-in-law called to share that my sister is in the hospital for testing due to weakness and abdominal pains. So, immediately my own concerns were washed away. I also had to pick up my daughter from school before rushing to tennis team practice.  In this flurry of activity, I managed to text pictures of my rash to my wife. 

I went straight from tennis practice to CityMD urgent care where the check in process was incredibly efficient using technology at a handy kiosk.  15 minutes later, I was diagnosed with shingles and given a prescription for Valtrex, an antiviral medication to minimize the symptoms. I took my first pill an hour later.  I felt fine as I went to bed.

Day Two: The forecasted snow storm canceled school. The rash area filled in and I felt some sensation in the area but no pain or discomfort,  I rested comfortably all day in my PJs hoping that I caught it early. I watched Chinese sword fighting movies (my favorite genre as a young boy) to pass the time.  I was a bit more tired than usual and went to bed early taking extra precaution to avoid contact with my wife.  

Day Three:  A second snow day canceled school.  I felt kind of guilty laying on the sofa while Matthew and Allison shoveled the 10 inches of snow that fell overnight. I was wiped out and napped for two hours starting at 9:30am. The sensation and some brief moments of minor pain started setting in.  The rash area intensified in color and density.  With worsening conditions and that tomorrow will be a Friday after two snow days, I made the decision to take a sick day -  my first of the school year. I had hoped to go through a whole school year without taking a sick day. I know that's silly and ambitious especially since I teach 500 young students.

Day Four: Sensation and minor pain continued to grow. The area looked gross (but I still took pictures to share with my brothers who both had shingles.)  It felt weird to be home on a school day. I was bored and tired.  I watched Brad's Status, The Bad News Bears remake, and eight episodes of Fast Food Mania (although I fell in and out of sleep).

Day Five: The sensation had turned into pain that came and went.  It flared and lasted for 30 seconds regardless of whether I'm sitting, standing, or laying down.  We enjoyed a marvelous high school production of Mary Poppins however I had bouts of sharp pain throughout the show and, at times, could not bring myself to applaud the performances. I had to leave immediately after the curtain fell as my pain was more frequent and I wanted to avoid the rush of the crowd out the door.  I was exhausted that night.

Day Six: I was uncomfortable all day but the evening was worse. After sharing news of my shingles on Facebook, I was still unsure if I would work the next day. However, the pain from the shingles would give me a clear answer. That night, I had bouts of excruciating, cramp-like abdominal pain that would come and go no matter what I was doing (or not doing). They would last upwards of a minute causing me to wince and writhe in pain.  Despite wanting to be with my students, I made the right decision after a few friends cautioned me to avoid getting more germs while I recover from shingles. Staying home was the smart choice. I put in for a sick day.

Day Seven: I finally gave in and took Tylenol at 4 AM because the sharp pain kept me awake. I try to avoid any medication. I know it sounds silly to some but I prefer to let my body work out problems on its own. But, this pain needed something.  .I had to take Tylenol again at 2 PM when I just couldn't relax and rest without sharp pain. That evening, we attended the Junior Honor Society induction ceremony at my sons's school but I was again in such pain that it was uncomfortable to sit through it.  At the conclusion, I cautiously made my way through the large crowd and waited outside for my family.  For those who know how social I like to be, this will tell you how much pain I was in. Is this the peak of pain?  Gosh, I sure hope so.

Thank goodness for a loving family and caring friends. Also, thankful for Amazon Prime, Netflix, Sony PSP, and a new oldies station (101.5 The Breeze),to pass the time.  Lastly, stress balls to squeeze hard during the sharp pain.