It’s been a while.
Well, only 5 days since my last post, but it feels like forever. I had to take a big step back from blogging this week (and probably will continue until I’m done with school) because I got overwhelmed. I looked at my homework list, realized I almost missed completely an assignment and realized I was in over my head. It didn’t take long for me to figure out what had to go first: blogging. And by stepping back, I was able to regroup, make out long to-do lists, and get stuff done. This semester isn’t too heavy on homework and projects and tests, but it’s all those little things that I’m trying to do now so I’m not overwhelmed with everything in April. But it’s better now. I know I have to keep school and work and exercise and downtime at the forefront of my mind and leave blogging to when I can get around to it.
I don’t think I can stress enough how much I am loving my classes this semester. My creative writing and literature classes are everything I have ever hoped for. I am totally in love with all the work I’m doing for those classes, especially those long reading assignments. My past five semesters as a journalism grad have been filled with interviews, research, and paper writing – nothing that excited me or fueled my passions. I am now realizing I want nothing to do with the journalism world. It’s not where my passions – or my talents – lie. Some days, I flirt with the idea of getting my teacher certification and teaching middle school. Some days, I think about missionary work or getting involved in a ministry. On other days, I just want to keep inside my bubble and do something that comes easily to me. But the best part about this time in my life is that my future is so wide-open. It’s a little scary but mostly thrilling to realize how much life I have yet to experience and how many milestones I have yet to achieve. And I can’t wait to take this little blog along for the ride.
But enough about school, let’s talk about shingles!
Shingles? Yes, shingles. (AKA, adult chicken pox.) Guess who was diagnosed with shingles last night? Yours truly. Quite a fun way to spend a Friday night, if you ask me!
It all started on Wednesday when I started feeling pain on the left side of my body, close to my hip. It felt like I had bruised my side or pulled a muscle and noticed two red marks that looked like insect bites around the area where it was hurting. For the most part, I shrugged it off, thinking it wasn’t something major. I would ice it tonight and try to stretch out my hip flexors. No big deal.
Oh, but Thursday, I realized something was up. Still experiencing pain and little red marks began forming on my skin all around my side. They began to make a trail toward my belly button and down my upper thigh. At this point, I started to worry. I was in pain but nothing excruciating. The marks didn’t itch or hurt, but they were there. I asked about it on Twitter, where Stephanie mentioned shingles. I didn’t want to believe that, so I shrugged it off again. (Plus, hi, I have no insurance. I don’t make visits to the doctor unless it is absolutely necessary. At this point, I didn’t think it was.) At first, my mom and I thought it was a bad reaction to an insect bite. I am slightly allergic to insect bites where some can make me swell up and develop lots of redness around the bite. But I’ve never had a reaction like this…and I’ve never been in pain. (Just itchy/uncomfortable pain.) Then, after my mom looked at them again, she thought they looked like hives. Hives? Oh, I can do hives! Hives are nothing! Yay, hives! I figured the stress I was putting on myself to complete this half-marathon was the reason behind my hives. I kept pouring Benedryl lotion on the marks and taking baths to hopefully heal them.
Then, on Friday, after still experiencing a lot of pain in my side (and now my back), we went to see my grandma. She has a nursing background, took one look at them, and said, “Oh, that’s shingles!” No. No, no, no, no, no. I cannot have shingles! Shingles are something old people get. I’m 23 and fairly healthy (ish). Heck, I’m training for a half-marathon. People training for half-marathons don’t get shingles! She advised me to get to a doctor ASAP, so my mom and I found an urgent care clinic a few blocks away. It took me about an hour to see a doctor, and I worried it was some strange disease that would give me 3 days to live. (My mind, you guys. MY MIND!) Less than 10 minutes after seeing the doctor, he diagnosed me with shingles. I have adult chicken pox. Awesome. (Oh, and did you know anyone who has had chickenpox still technically has it? It just lies dormant in your body. For some people, it stays dormant. For others, it rears up its ugly head in the form of shingles. Interesting!) Basically, there’s no real reason why a person gets shingles, but it has been linked to a low immune system. I know I have a low immune system thanks to those lovely kiddos who like to sneeze and cough all over me. I get sick every 2-3 months. (Meanwhile, I can’t remember the last time my mom had a cold! Not in the past 10 years, at least!) It’s also linked to stress which causes a low immune system.
Basically, they put me on an antibiotic and told me to take Advil for any pain. (Although, I haven’t yet filled the antibiotic because it rang up at $282! There is another kind that rings up for just $30 so I’m waiting on the phone call to see if the doctor will approve that one.) The pain isn’t too bad. I can do all of my normal activities, although I’m laying off exercise until this clears up. At its worse, the pain is at a 3 or 4. But, most of the time, it doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just ugly to look at.
And that’s about it. There’s nothing much I can do about it, although I’m taking about two oatmeal baths a day. (LOVE!) I’m just trying to relax and let it run its course. It’s been a stressful few days, but I’m glad I have an answer and a solution. (Plus, I think this gets me out of housework for at least the next week, right?)
Well i'm glad you're okay 🙂 Shingles is no fun! Photos would have been totally awesomeee, just sayin 😉
Ugh Steph, that's awful! I hope you feel better soon. And I know how you feel about no insurance… I'd have to be dying to go to a doctor.
Oh no! that is awful! I know you are almost done w/ college, but isn't there health insurnace through school that you could get? I remember there being an inexpensive option when I was in school…
I seems like shingles is def linked to stress, too, so take it easy and do what you can to reduce the stress you are feeling! Hang in there!!
Good luck with the rest of the semester! When I think of oatmeal bath, I picture a bathtub filled to the brim with oatmeal…am I right? Get well soon!
So glad you're ok. I had several friends in college who got shingles as a result of stress. Not fun! But it sounds like you're taking care of yourself, so hopefully it'll clear up quickly.
Ugh…. what a bummer! Sorry to hear it! Take it easy and you'll be back in no time! 😀
Yikes! That sounds horrible 🙁 I also had NO idea about that little factoid you shared r.e. chicken pox being dormant. Interesting!!
Hope you are on the mend asap!
Yuck! Shingles are no fun. The $282 prescription sucks—I hope your doc approves the cheaper meds soon.
But, yay for oatmeal baths?
Poor thing! I too am a high stress, Type-A, worry-wart person and yes life is busy and there are lots of things on those to-do lists but if you are this stressed at 23 imagine how you'll be in 10 years or 20yrs? Work on stress management as part of your regular routine be it yoga, meditation, reading a book, taking walks or maybe even incorporating oatmeal baths into a once a week routine even when the shingles clears up? Oh and take a multi-vitamin every day. Lets get that immune system up and running strong again eh? Cheers, T.
Is shingles chickenpox????
I never knew that.
I got chickenpox at 13 – wayy older than most people. I can't believe you got it at 23! Feel better soon.
Every so often I have nightmares that I completely forgot to hand in an assignment. It's always the same one. And it's one that I never actually had, in all my years of schooling. Bizarre. Hang in there…
Damn. That sucks, Steph! Having shingles seems kinda random, especially since you've been training for a marathon! Either way, I love how you're still maintaining a positive attitude and worrying about what you can control :). Hope you get well ASAP!
You know, I don't remember much about my childhood but having the chicken pox, I remember that one! I don't think I could handle going through that again. It's also so crazy how your health care system works, it's very confusing for me. You have to pay just to go SEE a doctor, without a prescription? Anyhow, good luck & hope you feel better soonnn!! <3
Sometimes blogging just needs to take a back seat to everything. I'm glad that you were able to step away, get things done, and prioritize. I am so sorry to hear about the shingles. I hope you are better soon and can get the cheaper RX filled.
Glad you figured out what it was and that it won't kill you in 3 days! Interesting to see from the comments that shingles in college students is not as rare as I thought when my duaghter got them last year. It sounds like you have a milder case, or maybe hers was worse because it flared up on her face/head. She was in excruciating pain and the strong pain meds she got made her nauseus, so she needed anti-nausea meds too . . . .
On the prescprition, I think you need an "anti-viral" drug, not an antibiotic, since shingles is caused by a virus. I'm sure that what you meant, but if you are going to spend $282, you want to make sure it's effective!
My mom had shingles once…said it was the most painful thing she'd ever experienced. Hope it's as quick and painless as possible.
Sending you lots of good wishes for a speedy recovery. Since it's totally not something you need to be dealing with on top of everything else, I really hope it doesn't last much longer!! I take oatmeal baths when my eczema acts up – they are wonderfully soothing!
Shingles! Noooo. I'm so sorry. That sounds painful 🙁
Watch lots of movies! I hear that's the best cure…
I'm so glad you're okay – I was stalking your updates on Twitter like there was no tomorrow! And I'm SO glad you're enjoying your literature classes – if you ever want to geek out about books I'm your girl!
Oh my gosh, that's awful!! I hope you feel better ASAP and that you can get the cheaper antibiotics… will be keeping you in my prayers <3
Oh, wow. I can't believe you have to deal with shingles. I'm sorry, Stephany. But, I saw your tweet that you got the cheaper drug approved, so that's good at least. Take care!
Oh joy–shingles. I'm sorry you're dealing with this right now, but I'm glad the pain is manageable. Get lots of rest, and I'll be sending happy thoughts your way!
It's been fun playing Words with Friends with you even though we've both been so busy!! That thing is a distraction for sure, haha.
I'm glad it's just shingles and not a strange disease. Trust me, I would've thought the same thing about having a strange disease too. Hope the meds help!
Sorry to hear about your shingles. How awful 🙁 And I hear you there about the insurance. I have basic insurance that doesn't cover anything. "Flo" had come to visit and stayed for 6 weeks. I thought I would die! I finally made an appointment, only to arrive at the clinic deny service to me because my insurance wouldn't cover it. So my option, bleed to death. I was sure I would. Due to Factor Five (a blood clotting disorder, that almost took my life) I can take nothing that would affect my hormones. So in order to stop "Flo" the doctors would have to do something, right? Wrong! They wouldn't, because of my insurance. And I couldn't slit my throat going to the E.R. so "Flo" continued to stay with me, until she was tried of all the prayers from me, and my church family. Thank You Jesus! Why didn't I pray sooner! Duh!
As for not blogging as often, I understand! I am a full time student, and a mom and wife. So blogging is on the back burner and only lit when I can find time, normally late at night!
Good Luck with the shingles, I hope they go away soon! 🙂
ouch! hope it clears up soon! Good luck with school!
i'm just now catching up with all things internet and i may be late, but OH MY GOSH! That's horrible. I hope you feel better soon.
Oh goodness! I hope you feel better soon. I know how you feel about brushing things off – I always ignore an illness until it's reasonably bad, hoping it's just allergies or something mild.