I Have What?

Shingles? What is that?

It started Wednesday morning, working at the computer. My left eyebrow had a tender spot. If I pushed my glasses up until they touched my eyebrow, it hurt.

Then the headache started. I never have headaches, so this is very unusual.

Thursday, the tender spot on my eyebrow extented back across my scalp, left side only. Headache more severe. Friday everything is worse, but I had to go to the dental clinic, so I decided to tough this one out.

Saturday morning, it was tougher than me and I called my doctor. He was not in, but an RN, CNP was in and I saw her. I told her I thought a spider had bitten me on my eyebrow (during my sleep???)

I am sure she knew better, but did not say so. Instead, she arranged for a head scan in the emergency room, which proved normal.

The pain just kept getting worse, so I called the nurse again on Sunday. Again she sent me to the emergency room. The emergency room doctor, a kindly old country doctor type listened to my concern about a spider bite, then broke the news. Shingles!

He gave me prescriptions for Valtrex and the pain killer percoset and urged me to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

I picked up the prescriptions and went back to my nurse. After admitting that I had flunked in my diagnosis, I was willing to take the advice of any medical professional. She arranged for me to see the eye doctor first thing Monday morning. He gave me a prescription for some eye drops.

Well, it is Sunday again. The medicine, and a lot of rest, has worked, and I am much improved. But I am not cured.

Now I am hearing of other people who have or have had shingles. It is not a joke. Really!