Back in Action

Hello!

I have been MIA for awhile. I had this issues with my back\shoulder area last week. It was itchy and stinging and just really hurt. I was going nuts because nothing was working- Aveeno Lotion, Neosporin, lots of other kinds of lotion- and nothing was fixing it, adn to top it off- there was nothing showing on my skin. It looked perfectly normal. Then some bumps appeared (like spider bites) and after a few days of it getting more painful, I finally gave in and went to the Dr to see what he had to say.

Well turns out that I had Shingles! Which I think is kinda weird. I mean I had them when I was really young (which is REALLY odd- kids normally never get them) and then to have them again before I even hit 25 is weird (IMHO).

For those who don't know what Shingles are: When you get Chicken Pox the virus lives in the base of your spine for the rest of your life, and can resurface at any time it pleases in the form of Shingles.

They are really really painful. It is one of those things that you cannot SEE, but your nerve endings are basically going nuts and it feels like you have a sunburn and someone is scratching it with needles. And it also itches (like a sunburn) but the goal is to not itch it- because even having your clothes touch it means that you are in pretty bad pain. Even a breeze that touches your skin can cause pain (because of the over sensitive nerve endings under the skin).

They are not "catchable", you cannot get them from anyone, but since it is the same virus as ChickenPox, you can give CP to someone who has not had them (like little kids). As a matter of fact- that is how my little sister got CP when she was young- she got them when I got shingles.

Shingles are normally brought on by lots of stress- and the last month has been one of the least stressful that I have had in a long time. I was missing quite a bit of sleep lately- but I have not been stressed out about it- just tired.

So the worst part is the pain, but coming in close second was the cost of the pills (which doesn't cure them- shingles just go away after a week or so- or when ever they feel like it, the pain can last for months if it feels like sticking around that long- but the Meds try to rush the process and pain to finish a bit more quickly) but the cost of meds for a 7 day rounds was $216! YIKES! and that was WITH Healthcare and going to Wal Mart to get the best price. OUCH! (sigh) It seems to be my lot in life to get odd illnesses and then have to pay a bundle to fix it.

But I will be back in the Craft room this weekend, and we will have to see what pops up. I may do some painting, but I may just clean up. No matter how much I clean in there, all it takes is about 2 hours of creating, and the whole thing is a mess again. But last weekend I did manage to go thru some of my stuff and I took a stack of things over to a friend who also loves to get crafty. She got "new" free stuff, and I was able to pass along things that I didn't think that I was going to be able to use, and I freed up some space in my paper bins :) Everyone wins that way!

I am also REALLY wanting to buy a sewing machine. Not a nice one- just the bottom of the price range from wal mart sewer (like$75). I want to use it to be able to sew on my projects, and to be able to make some things for around the house. do you know how long it takes to HAND SEW a pillowcase, or a curtain panel? I do- and it takes forever and still looks funny. Hey, I can hand sew, but I never said it was pretty. So I may get one, but we will have to see. I spend almost $300 in heathcare last weekend(not including the cost of insurance, which just went up almost 45% this month! ouch!), and I was not expecting that expense, and so my money fund for the next month is smaller than I would have expected.

Oh well- enough chit chat! I have to get some lunch and then back to work for me!

Have a great (and Shingle-less!) Day!