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.
