What am I missing?? I just found out I have shingles. I've been in pain for a few days but the actual sores didn't appear until Tuesday night accompanied by tingling and pain on the left side of my body from behind my ear to my toes. That freaked me out and I had a gut instinct to go to hospital. I thought I was overreacting so I just stayed home, but when I was praying and rubbing my throbbing leg I thought - "Um, hello?! Gut instinct=Holy Spirit...remember sepsis?!"
So I jumped on WebMD around 12:30am and narrowed my diagnosis to cellulitis or shingles. When all my symptoms fell under "seek medical attention immediately IF..." I got dressed and headed to the ER. My suspicions were confirmed by 3 docs after about 5 hours, a CT, and the most painful blood drawing procedure EVER. I'm no wuss when it comes to this stuff but I screamed and had to catch my breath when they drove a 20 gauge needle into the center of my wrist after 2 failed attempts elsewhere. They suspected MRSA at first which totally terrified me. I told the 1st resident I saw that mentioning encephalitis didn't scare me, but MRSA made me tear up. I was rejoicing when the attending told me it was shingles (in a place he had never seen before). He brought in another doc to basically show and tell because it was so rare to them and he wanted to show this other guy to avoid mis-diagnosis in the future. It wasn't humiliating at all
. Let me just say that I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, it is absolutely AWFUL!
I've felt led to pray for my heart to be nearer to God and that I will learn in the midst of this trial. He's not dumb and knows perfectly well that I need to be healed, I just feel like the bigger priority at this point is my heart, character and spirit and less the surface/physical manifestation of disease.
Anyway, this has really put a kink in my finals plans...it is unbelievably painful and the meds that have to take make me really sleepy. Speaking of the meds - can you believe they cost $500 (?!?!) because my insurance company won't pay for them, which is so freaking typical. They want me to use a weak version of the anti-viral and won't cover this cream that works with the oral med to protect the surface of my skin from infection. Talk about shortsighted! Paul said if it spreads any further I will have to be hospitalized for IV meds. <sigh> I had a melt down, well I've had a few...but now I just sense God drawing my heart to him and sort of asking me to see the big picture. I think (maybe) that I continue to walk this road of suffering because I'm just not grabbing hold of what I'm supposed to be learning. I'm not implying God is afflicting me with sores and deadful pain (literally) - but in general and with this specifically, there is so much to be gained from the pain if I will look to Him and not my circumstance. Ya know?
I'll keep you posted on this...and if you would just pray as you feel led, that would be AWE-some!
Comments (14)
Oh goodness... you poor thing. I've heard Shingles is absolutely one of the worst, most painful sicknesses...
Oh Em~ Yuck, Ow, Ick, Eww...Is there anything I can do? That feels like a dumb question, but I'm free after tomorrow if you need some care and attention. Although I doubt that having a 2-year-old running around would ease frustration. In all seriousness though, if I can do anything to help you out Saturday through Monday, I'm totally open. I love you, punkin! I wish that there were about a million more practical ways that I could meet your needs right now.
((((hugs))))
Sigh. I speechless. When it rains it pours, right?
thanks guys...
I just picked up the $143 cream - the tube is half the size of a travel toothpaste. Holy wow!
Oh honey. I am SO SO sorry. That is so intense/ I really feel for you my mom had shingles and she said it was soo horrible- ugh.
on a good note- your profile pict is breathtaking- in a good way- holy smokes!
Prayer for you. Gosh Em!
Praying for you Emily!!!
oh wow... Emily, I am so sorry. okay.. I am all for looking for the lesson in the bad stuff... but could it be that your life is so spectacular in a way that blesses so many, that the yucky one wants to keep you down?? you know... the whole " we live in a fallen world" thing?
just throwing that out there...I am sorry! I had shingles a few years ago, too, and I know it's not fun. You know that you can get it from having a lowered immune system and with all that you've been through physically that may be why your body was easily suceptible to it. I will pray for you!
Dear Emily- I, too, am praying for you. I know shingles is very painful, and the trip to the ER was a wise decision.. and praise God it isn't MRSA. In Jesus unfailing love.. tobie
Thanks friends! I'm on day 3 with anti-virals and I've figured out a pain med combo that works and doesn't make me woozie. It's a beautiful day so I'm going to run some errands while I feel good. Much love...
Sheesh, sorry, Em! Kill that VZV. Wow, you would really be good at medicine! I like how you basically just narrowed down the differential to two. Lol, omgosh, not bad! Are you on acyclovir among others? Not sure about the topical meds. I'll be praying for you! You're doing an amazing job in hanging in there!
Interesting! Look forward to hearing the story in June! Yeah, VZV typically sticks to a dermatomal distribution...I had forgotten that it's ipsilateral too though. Thanks for the lesson, Emily. =) I will be keeping you in my prayers. Especially since they gave you oxycodone PRN that's not even affecting your pain level! And I appreciate the encouragement about the near inevitable failure that will be my attempts to cure being single indefinitely. Lol, lovely. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware that the Oath of Hippocrates (that I took about 21 months ago) incorporated an oath of celibacy. *Rolls eyes 1080 degrees. I'm not surprised that the medical staff are tickled by you. Keep me and my exams - although less life-threatening and death-defying than your personal heroics with medicine - in your prayers, please!