You Shoulda Seen the Other Guy. [UPDATED AGAIN]
J is beating shingles. You’d never know it to look at him.
Imagine before there was acyclovir!
As for me, I’m getting the vaccine.
UPDATE: This is his good side, but even his bad side is looking better day by day.
He had a rough day, with more fever and somnolence, but it was probably our fault for giving him ice cream, which is particularly easy to aspirate because it’s a solid that turns into a liquid in your mouth. Tonight he seemed to be mending again.
The mask and gown are hospital protocol. Pregnant women and chickenpox virgins are at risk, and those of us who have had chickenpox could in theory deliver it to them.
UPDATE 2: So this is progress. At least he’s got two eyes, now. And he’s home.
Ambiance 
Donna B. said,
October 4, 2010 at 12:20 am
I hope he feels better than he looks, because it looks very very painful.
amba12 said,
October 4, 2010 at 12:25 am
AMAZINGLY, he says he is not in much pain. Either there is a short circuit somewhere, or (and) he is one lucky guy. Let’s hope his luck holds.
He’s exhausted and debilitated, though. The virus was “disseminated,” i.e. throughout his system, as witness the fact that he ALSO had “chickenpox” here and there on his body. It caused fever and, obviously, inflammation.
On top of that, he’s going to get more debilitated just from lying around in the hospital. I’m going to try to convince them to get him up, at least sitting up on the side of the bed, or better yet, I’ll bring in his wheelchair if they have a lift.
amba12 said,
October 4, 2010 at 12:28 am
It’s very hard to rehabilitate a disabled dementia patient. They are not able to do much, and are motivated to do even less. At home, J does halfhearted “sitting karate” with me and goes to a strength training gym once a week. He also has a grab bar in the apartment that he can use to pull himself to semi-standing for a few moments, necessary for going to the swimming pool because the lifeguards have to swap the water wheelchair under him while I pull up on his waistband and he pulls himself up by a grab bar beside the pool. Now that the weather is changing, and he will be so weak, I doubt we’ll make it again to the pool before next spring. If ever.
Melinda said,
October 4, 2010 at 8:14 am
Yuck! Glad to hear he’s feeling not much pain. My dad had shingles a few years ago and he recovered completely except for some minor nerve damage in one leg, not bad for 86.
wj said,
October 4, 2010 at 9:01 am
It is really hard to remember that, just because someone had chicken pox as a child (or, if they are a little older, perhaps got vaccinated), they don’t have lifetime immunity.
amba (Annie Gottlieb) said,
October 4, 2010 at 9:16 am
The doctor called to say he’s feverish and out of it again this morning. I have an accountant appointment to deal with back taxes, then I’ll be over there for the rest of the day.
realpc said,
October 4, 2010 at 9:26 am
My mother had shingles a few years ago and it was terribly painful, for about a year. She doesn’t have it anymore now. It’s lucky J is not feeling the pain. Painkillers don’t work for shingles and they give nerve drugs, for it which are bad.
Peter Hoh said,
October 5, 2010 at 9:13 am
Here’s hoping things are looking better today.