Shingles!

Well, I did it. I got a Shingles Shot today at the Health Department. It was a little expensive, and insurance will not cover it, but it is well worth the expense to avoid that very painful disease called Shingles.

I decided to get the shot when I learned that a good friend of mine had been suffering the pain of Shingles for a couple of months. She has become reclusive, not able to go out because of the pain. She can't get to sleep without taking a strong pain medication. And, this pain could last for the rest of her life.

Everyone who ever had Chicken Pox in their life is susceptible to the Shingles. Apparently the virus stays in your body and waits until your immune system is compromised because of illness or old age, and then, breaks you out in excruciating pain. Of course, some people never will get the Shingles, but why take a chance that you are one of them.

Hospital personnel ask you to describe your pain to them by means of a 10-level score. When I had wounds on my legs that would not heal, the pain level was almost a constant 10, except when I used pain-deadening ointment and prescription pain-killers. So, I do not want to go through that again because of Shingles.

As a child, I lived with my grandfather and watched as he writhed in pain because of Shingles. It was on his stomach and he believed that when the rash met around his body, he would die. However, some times the pain was so bad that he wished he would die. About 5 inches before the rash met around him, the pain stopped. He was very happy to get his life back.

So, my message to you is, when you go for a flu shot (and I hope you d0 that) ask them about getting a Shingles shot. Don't ever think that such a disgusting disease with such a disgusting name could never grab you.. because it can.