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Sunday 10 April 2011

Bad week

This is the first time that I have turned on the computer for a few days….

I’m going to keep it short – I’ve got shingles, but I’m sure there is something else wrong with me as well. I can hardly move, although today I forced myself out of bed and into the shower to help make me feel better and it seems to have worked, hence I’m writing here. I have shingles on the right side of my stomach from the front to the back. It is uncomfortable to sit in the chair and leaning forward is really painful. The only time I can get a bit of relief is when I’m sleeping, so I’ve been taking paracetamol and trying to sleep as much as possible.

The week started off with me having constipation, so my stomach was hurting at the start, then once the shingles started to show on Tuesday as a bit of a red mark and then by Friday it had spread from from to back; it was difficult to go to the toilet because of the pain, although I did manage it in the end. Now as I mention, I’m not sure if it is just the shingles that have been so painful or a mixture of constipation (or at least my stomach hurting afterwards) and shingles. I’ve not eaten much and moving around is painful.

It’s typical that the only good weather we have had so far this year and I’m stuck inside in pain!

Another bad thing that has happened this week is that my Grandson Brandon has been ill. All three of the Grandchildren have had chicken pox (not sure if that is where I got the shingles from as there is lots of it going around, even in the hospital someone else has had shingles, so I can’t blame them), but Brandon had a seizure at the beginning of the week and the day after he couldn’t walk properly. They have been in hospital as well trying to arrange a CT scan, but there was a problem with the Oxygen monitor if they sedated him (he’s three years old). Last I heard, the doctors aren’t too concerned, as it it quite common after chicken pox. I have to say though it might be common for a doctor, but for a concerned parent they need a little more reassurance than ‘it’s quite common’ especially when your child can’t walk the way the used too!!!

My CT scan last Monday seemed OK. No alerts or concerns have been raised over it, so I’m pretty sure it was normal.

I’ll write more when I can and not in pain. I’m going to try and get some food down me now to get my stomach working again.

7 comments:

  1. Oh why didn't you say you had shongles I hope I didn't pass them on when I poped down: ( sorry brandons 2 ha ha he's walking like john wayne to try keep his balance at the mo mri scan is thur morning

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  2. so its shingles. poor you. better than the other option you told us about, but still bad. Will the calamine cream and anti histamines help you?
    Hope your able to get some relief and quickly.

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  3. Hope your shingles don't linger too long, and you are back on your feet again soon.

    love from us all

    Ronson & danzo x x x

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  4. Oh no Sean...so very sorry to hear this. I know shingles are quite painful. EZ is on Valtrex to hopefully prevent them until he can get the vaccine at one year post transplant. We will be keeping you and your grandson in our prayers.

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  5. You can get shingles from chicken pox or chicken pox from shingles but I can never remember which way round it is. When I had shingles on my forehead and head I ended up in isolation and B would probably have liked me to have had a bag on my head too! However it wasn't painful just itchy. A friend described hers as the worse sunburn pain ever. Hope it clears up quickly and that Brandon is fine too - a little one having a seizure must have been really frightening despite the doctor's assurances.

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  6. Oh gosh, Sean.. that is grim. I hope by the time you get around to reading this you are feeling better. I know the doctor can prescribe something for the Shingles pain and you MUST ask for it... I know from friends of mine who have had it that it can make you feel quite miserable all over as it is a 'systemic' illness.

    Paula is correct that you can 'get' it from exposure to chicken pox and it shows up as Shingles when your immune system fights it off because presumably you had chicken pox as a kid yourself. I don't know of any way to prevent Shingles, but topical cremes do not seem to have any effect and what is needed is what the doctor can prescribe.

    Sending you healing energy and thoughts from far away....

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  7. Hi Sean. Now with this one, I can speak from experience. Had shingles twice in a few years and yeah as you say, its excruciatingly painful so I do feel for you. You can't get it from Chicken Pox no, it can also be caused by weak immune system, from others who've got it etc, etc. Im hoping it goes quickly for you, it must be hard to rest really, but hope you get as much as poss. :) Anna

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