Thursday, November 11, 2010

Shingles Belong On A Roof

Ever since I was diagnosed I've taken medication (acyclovir) to prevent shingles. Shingles arises from the same virus that causes chicken pox and shares many of its same awful features, including the blistery itchy rash. You only get shingles if you've had chicken pox. The virus then goes dormant in your nerve roots. It can "wake up" in older and immune suppressed people and the virus shows itself as shingles. I've been on automatic refill for this drug at my Target pharmacy. Well, they didn't fill it last month and I didn't notice that I was out, given my 12 or so drugs I take daily. Three weeks of no protection and the opportunistic virus rears its head and bites me in the ass. Unfortunately I have the rash and the significant nerve pain in the most inconvenient of places--my left buttocks! Are you kidding me? I want to scream, "what next" but I'm afraid of what could be next. I'm constantly reminded of John Lennon screaming, "I've got blisters on my fingers," on the Abbey Road albumn. My refrain: I've got blisters on my ass.

Although this can be a very painful, extended infection I have responded well to the high doses of valacyclovir I've been taking since Monday. Keeping the fingers crossed.

Mike has completed his first visit to MD Anderson in preparation for the donor leukocyte infusion in January. Since he is the first one on this protocol he claims he spent one of the days "getting them organized." He says that after his next visit he will have them in shape to handle my visit. He is a Type AAA personality and now I have his blood running in me.

Dan

7 comments:

sigun said...

Dear Dan,

I had the same reaction you did: 'what next?' But glad the new medication is working. Bises, Sigun.

Steven L. Ritter said...

Bummer dude....

Mom said...

I am so sorry. What more can I say? Love,Mom

Sandy said...

Couldn't agree more about the roof application... hope by the tie you read this post the miracle of modern medicine is having a positive effect on you!

Nick said...

I feel your pain -- shingles is miserable. I missed only three days and I got hit with it. Needless to say, I don't miss Acyclovir any more!!

Glad you are responding to the meds. Feel better soon!

tim's wife said...

Oh drat! Hope your arse is ship-shape real soon. Unfortunately, I
have "met" several people on-line
who got shingles because their doctors put them on Velcade without
giving them Acyclovir. Sometimes there is just no "margin for error"
to fall back on. Feel better!

sailor said...

Good grief, Dan! Happy Healing to ya'.

Love,

Sailor