Friday, January 25, 2008

L'chaim

Drink to your health!

It all started with a bad case of indigestion that awakened me one night. I was having shooting pains and Scissors made me some secret special tea that his Mom picks from the wilds of Queens (don't laugh - the stuff is miraculous). I even considered for a brief moment a trip to the ER. I'll spare you all the details that lead me from TUMS to toilet, but suffice to say - I called my doctor and made an appointment for a checkup.

For the past month, I've had sonograms/various "oscopies" and to cover everything, a mole checking. No not the kind in the ground - on my body. I am now wrapping up Health Caucus 08 with tomorrow's mammogram/sonogram. At the end of the day, I blame the horrific heartburn on a bad batch of undercooked homemade french fries and the bad news is - I have shingles. Oy.

The good news (I am so very much hoping) is that it was caught early so I'm taking anti-viral meds to hopefully stave off the severity and length of the attack because as it stands - not feeling so good. Basically it appears as a welt of sorts on my scalp, actually several of them and they hurt. And I take Tylenol and so far it calms it down. What I've noticed over these couple of days now is that as the day progresses, it gets worse and I start to feel a bit fluish by nightfall with my head and neck really hurting and feeling numb at the same time.

I think this may account for some of my more than cranky feelings of late and I'd say that it's time to hunker down and take good care. Tali was already pitching in after school, getting Julian to hang up his coat and they were rearranging their shoes in the closet which lead to Julian "sleeping" on one of the shelves in the closet and pillows all over the floor. It's good to see they can rise to the occasion.

Alright then, I guess I'd better listen to my body and get to bed early. I feel badly as I'm not getting around to my circle of buddies as I'd like to, but you are all in my thoughts and I hope that life is treating you well.

PS: By the way, as I took out my web MD diploma and started checking around about shingles, I came across this helpful advice for the caregivers:

"Do something you enjoy; read a book, listen to your favorite music, watch TV, go for a walk, indulge in a bubble bath or participate in a hobby."

Will the caregiver have time to care for the person? In this case - me. I see where this is going - Scissors and Co. with the music blaring, doing hobbies in a bubble bath fresh from their long walks, whilst I sit ringing my bell for a cup of tea or sympathy.

Please check on me.

20 comments:

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

Oh my god... I am so sorry you have shingles. You poor thing! I'll be praying that you don't get the full-blown painful version I've heard about.

Take care, relax and take it easy.

Nessa said...

I had shingles and caught it early and the medicine help real fast.

Take it easy. They are not to be messed with at all.

Claire said...

"...picked from the wilds of Queens" Who knew there were any wild places in Queens?? not me.
Shingles suck, I hope the antivirals kick in and you can get rid of it relatively fast. :(

Kyahgirl said...

aw, I'm sorry to hear you're sick G. Shingles suck.

I was going to tell you a roofing joke but ...maybe not.

take care ♥

Tom & Icy said...

Bubble bath? Ah, there's nothing like good old dog slobber! And the sleeping in the closet isn't a bad idea.

Doug The Una said...

Hey! Still there?

Sympathies on the shingles.

Anonymous said...

Oh no. I'm so sorry. Hope you caught it early enough

The doctor's rounds are never fun....try to relax :)

I know wild places in Queens--and I'm not talking Bell Boulevard. Or Queens Boulevard--for some wild street crossing--Bell is just wild. I'm from Douglaston where they have marshes--a little but--and streets you can get lost in

tsduff said...

So, how many times have you had the chicken pox? Well heck, I don't know too much about shingles, but I do know it is something to avoid if at all possible. You've been dealing with this already for a month? Wow you poor thing. On the one hand, I'm very happy it is shingles and not something more sinister. But on the other hand, pain is miserable. (pssst - need any good drugs? I'll call up my old mafia buddy from Hell's Kitchen and have em sent right over)

Shelves are for sleeping - tell Julian I approve. And Tali - it's a tough job being "Mom-like" but someone's got to do it!

Feel better - here is a cup of hot Genmai Cha.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to wish you luck today--felt so bad I almost got out of bed--but we didn't have heat and.....

Ariel the Thief said...

Awww, I'm so sorry to hear! It must be somehting can drive someone crazy. + all the others enjoying bubble bath! Shame on them! Hope the medicals are going to help fast.

Your children are totally sweet. Hope the house will still be intact when you're back from the misery! :-)

*hugs*

Anonymous said...

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! and here i was feeling sorry for myself because i'm a little tired after being forced to schlep my son around town for the past week.

dearest and most beloved NBFF -- you have ALL my numbers... you call me if there's ANYTHING i can do.

(i'm upset by your news... can ya tell?) xoxoxoxo

Anonymous said...

oh g you poor poor thing... my mother caught it from playing with a little boy on a stopover flight and then he got the chickenpox and she came home from south africa with the shingles... not pleasant

I wish you better real quickly and hope you did catch it sooner rather than later and you make sure that lot take good care of you

healing thoughts are being sent your way

lotsa luv ann xxxxx

Mother Theresa said...

Oh, sorry to hear you're sick, that sucks. I hope the meds work quick and that you'll be back to normal soon. Make sure your family pampers you because you deserve it. :)

Hobbes said...

Blech! I'm sorry, and I do not agree with Franc that it is a judgment on you for wanting Mall Diva to autograph one of his creations.
Get well soon.

the frogster said...

I had a digestive thing that went on for about 18 months and required four surgeries. The pain was a real drag but the worst part was the emotional toll it took on me. Write about it, read funny blogs, whatever you have to do to keep yourself as mentally stable as you can while the doctors take care of making you physically stable again.

Heather said...

I hope you feel better soon. Shingles suck, I've had em, they suck donkey butt.
Eat lots of Vit.C, that's what finally helped me get rid of them.
Sending you love.

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry that I am late to wish you good recovery.
The shingles are bad news...Heineken and his Mother had it at the same time...years ago...I was running between them trying to give each one my attention...when finally they told me to leave them alone.
I hope that you are better now...shingles are bad news and I know what you are going through...L'chaim.

tsduff said...

drfsmc
Just a note
To make you smile
And feel some better
For a while

Hope your shingles
Went away
And won't come back
Another day

Take care.

Kyahgirl said...

checking on you buddy! Hope you are recovering.

G said...

Well my dears, I am happy to report that I don't have shingles. The next post explains (in as much detail as I can muster and as little as you all can stand) the roundabout bloodwork and discovery that I don't have shingles, I'm only a little "fachada."

Maybe it was all your get well messages that willed them away...or maybe it was back to some secondary infection that mimicked shingles in many of the symptoms - except thankfully - the painful itchy blisters. Thank G-d.

Anyway, it's not to say that I've been feeling great, I haven't. But whatever it was, seems to have lifted and I am back in life as we know it in these here parts.

Is it so wrong that I haven't told my family yet? I mean a person could get used to be waited on so :)