Anybody Need to Shingle a House?

Hey, Y'all,
I haven't blogged in about a week because there was not much different going on around here....cold weather...temperature outside in the single digits at night and early morning..same old, same old. I have been having some pain in my right shoulder and in my scalp behind my ear, and a slight ear ache. I thought it was (a) too much computer use causing the shoulder ache, (b) scratching at a slight case of dandruff causing the sore place in my scalp, (c) cleaning my ear with a q-tip causing the slight pain in my ear.

Well, Shazam! None of the above...this morning I noticed some rash on my shoulder and behind my ear, and on my neck. I called for a doctor's appointment, and can't get in until Monday morning. So, from there, down to the pharmacist at CVS on the corner down the street and she said, "Looks like Shingles to me, you need to see a doctor before they spread any more." So, home I went and looked up a CareNow clinic, found out where it was, and called them. They said, "we are in the same parking lot as Hobby Lobby." Well, now, I know where Hobby Lobby is, but when I got there (it is a huge parking area, with maybe 25 businesses in it) I had to drive around looking for it. Finally, I asked a lady who was leaving Hobby Lobby if she knew where it was. She didn't, but her eyes are better than mine, and she looked around and spotted it for me.

I went over and parked, and sashayed in. They asked for my insurance cards and then said, "Oh, we can't treat you, because you are on Medicare." They sent me to an Urgent Care clinic which was some distance (maybe fifteen minutes away), and I called the Urgent Care clinic to find out exactly where they were. They gave me directions, but the sun was in my eyes, and when I got close there were a lot of buildings for individual businesses. I stopped at a bank to inquire, and saw that the address number was very close to the one I was looking for. I went in and asked if they knew where the Urgent Care clinic is located. The girl looked at me like I had two heads, and said, 'Oh, I don't live around here". (I thought, "no, but you work here") and then I asked if the address numbers went up or down when you go to the right down the road. She didn't know that either. I said, "Is there someone else here who can help me?" She replied, "We're short handed today". So I just said, "no friends here, " and left.

Fortunately, the place I wanted was in the next area just past the one where the bank was, and I found it. When they took my blood pressure it was up slightly. Hmmm. Wonder why? Anyway, the doctor saw me and pronounced what I already suspected. He wrote me a prescription for an antiviral medication and wanted to write a pain medication like oxycodone, and I said, No thanks. I will just take some Tylenol for the pain, if I have much. The doctor told me how Shingles follow the path of a nerve, so apparently they chose to follow the nerve from my ear into my neck and shoulders.

I will be staying home over the next seven days, so I won't expose anyone who has a lowered immune system. I am hoping I won't have any problems with reactions to the medication. I was told by the pharmacist who filled it that it can cause dizziness and sleepiness. Ha. I can do the sleepiness with out any medication.

Speaking of the weather again, it is supposed to be 61 tomorrow and in the seventies beginning Sunday. Yahooo! How nice! I plan to clean out my garage a little better next week. I may bring in another one of my tables and put it in my workroom to cut cloth for Teresa's quilt.

Carol is sweetly bringing me a "Freddy's Steakburger and fries" for supper. Yum! Well, folks, that is about it for today. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. More later. Bye for now.