Shingles....

...and I don't mean the kind on the roof, took me by surprise the first part of June. I guess the stress of preparing for girl's camp and Sariah's wedding activities must have taken it's toll (although I didn't realize I was any more stressed than usual). Maybe it was due to the fact that I'd just had a birthday and am now closer to 60? Whatever the reason, I woke up one day with pain and tingling in my left arm that wouldn't go away no matter what I tried to do. After two fitful nights of sleep, I decided that I needed to get some help and went to the urgent care center. The doctor told me that I probably had shingles but since there were no signs of a rash at that point sent me home with a prescription for pain pills to take at night and directions to call the doctor if the symptoms continued to worsen in the next couple of days. That was Sunday. A rash appeared on my palm on Tuesday. Close inspection turned up rashes on my forearm and back. A trip to my doctor confirmed my fears--shingles. He gave me two prescriptions which he assured me would stop the disease in it's tracks and ease the symptoms. Over the next few days the pain gradually lessened and only one more rash developed. Only a few blisters in my palm erupted. A week and a half later all pain had disappeared. In two weeks after the doctor's visit, all signs that I had ever had shingles had disappeared. What a blessing! I've heard horror stories of people suffering for months and years because of the disease. I'm so thankful for modern medication and a doctor who seemed to give me just what I needed.