Woohoo! I can see again!

[MonkeyFunk]

Short version - shingles outbreak on my face. Had one lesion in my left eye. It was swollen shut for over a week. When I could open it, all was a big blur.

After a week of anti-viral and steroid eye drops, I was able to open it on saturday, I can actually read out of it - not perfectly well yet, but enough that I was able to finish Harry Potter over the weekend, and I've got about 30 pages more of 1000 Splendid Suns to go.

If it keeps up, in a couple days, it should be back to normal.

I even left the house this weekend - put on a do-rag, an eye patch and a floppy hat. I figured I'd look like Johnny Depp, but alas, I looked like a crazy person who'd been beat up. But nonetheless, I went down to the coffee shop for a bagel and a cuppa. It was really nice to get out of the house.

[ThomCat]

1. Awesome!

I hope there is no scaring from this. I hope you're back to normal very soon with no long term effects.
:hug:

[MonkeyFunk]

4. thank you Thom

it's coming along pretty well.

the hard part is not picking at any scabs. I'm a picker.

[Kutjara]

6. Don't pick!

The itching lasts a week or so, the scarring lasts forever. Take it from me. I wish I'd had more self-control.

[Heidi]

2. I'm glad

the shingles are improving, MonkeyFunk. Still sending you good vibes! :hug:

[MonkeyFunk]

3. thank you Heidi

much appreciated.

[libodem]

5. Glad you are better

What an ordeal.

[regularguy]

7. I hate when it turns out that I don't look like

Johnny Depp. Feel bettr.

[commander bunnypants]

8. the end of a 1000 splendid suns is gonna make you cry

congrads


CB

[MonkeyFunk]

16. you're right

it did.

I didn't much care for the sudden change of tense in the last section, but the very last scene of the book was beautiful and heartbreaking.

[malta blue]

9. That is great news MonkeyFunk!

:hi:

[asthmaticeog]

10. Good news!

Glad to hear you're on the mend, MonkeyFunk! :toast:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. glad you are better!

[Bake]

12. Good for you!

Glad to hear it's better.

Bake

[terrya]

13. I'm glad to hear that, MonkeyFunk!

Great news indeed!

:bounce:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. My dear MonkeyFunk...

Oh, what good news, sweetie!

It is grand to see (no pun intended, really!) progress towards renewed health!

I hope your healing accelerates!

:hug:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. AND THE BLIND SHALL SEE AGAIN! IT'S A MIRACLE! PRAISE JEEBUS! HALLELUJAH!

Oh, it was the medication? Bummer.

Glad to know you're better, simian. :thumbsup:

[idgiehkt]

17. glad to hear it is getting better.

:hug:

This is sig-line worthy:

"I figured I'd look like Johnny Depp, but alas, I looked like a crazy person who'd been beat up."

:rofl:

[ronnykmarshall]

18. Good to hear!

I'm glad to hear that no little children ran in fear from you this time.

[MonkeyFunk]

19. thanks Ronny

and everybody else who posted good thoughts. I appreciate it.

As to children fleeing in terror, they're only doing it in marginally larger numbers than before, so that's a good sign.

[Bombero1956]

20. please tell how it's been

I have a coworker who's husband just was diagnosed this past weekend and she's at her wits end. He's in so much pain and nobody can answer any of her questions. From what she tells me he has pain extending from his neck to the top of his head. All they've given him is prednisone and some other drug.

[MonkeyFunk]

21. I've been lucky

I haven't (yet) had the neuralgia that is often associated with shingles. I read that only about 50% of the people who have an outbreak do.

I was put on strong anti-virals immediately - and that's supposed to help reduce the risk of such pain.

The prednisone will help with any inflammation he has. Other people here have mentioned new nerve-pain drugs that helped them. She should certainly ask his doctor about them.

There's still a chance I could get the neuralgia, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Bombero1956]

24. thank you

I'll show her this thread tomorrow. I hope it'll put her mind at ease.

[SPKrazy]

22. That's great

hopefully it will keep getting better.

shingles suck, hope that it all clears up with no residual damage or pain

:hi:

[Fredda Weinberg]

23. Congrats! n/t