The new week began with bright sunshine, and after lunch, before we started our games, I wanted to go for a walk. But a jacket was definitely needed. I made it halfway around the park, and then, as usual, I sat down on a bench and played Scrabble. Just before 3, I got up to go back when I saw a large blue package in the distance. As I got closer, I saw that the package contained Solange, who had apparently fallen not so long ago. I "ran" as fast as I could to help her and alert the nurses, because I couldn't and wasn't allowed to help her myself, as you never know if she had internal injuries. Luckily, Solange is small and very agile and was actually fine. Despite her 97 years, she could stand and even walk. The shock came later, but it wasn't too bad.
Because of the spring weather, I realized that I only had two pairs of shoes, but none that were comfortable for walking around in the park, so I quickly went to my shoe store and bought a pair of light sport shoes. That went pretty quickly because I had looked on their website beforehand and found what I wanted.
On Wednesday morning looking in the mirror, I looked like Frankenstein's daughter ! My right eye was swollen and I had 2 big red spots on my forehead. At first I thought it was a rash, but then I thought of shingles because of the large red spots. I'd heard they can be very painful, so I thought I'd call my doctor. She was at a funeral, but sent a friend, a nice young female doctor. She looked at me and confirmed my suspicion; I did indeed have shingles!
She told me that there was nothing special to do, no creme, only a special medication for shingles. 5 pills per day ! I started immediately. In my bed it started to hurt a bit, so I took a painkiller and slept well. Rosie maybe felt that something was wrong with me, because she didn't wake me up during the night only at 7 am her breakfast hour.
The next day my eyes and forehead still looked the same, but unfortunately it also started to hurt. I took a painkiller and could participate without any problem in our game about St. Patrick's day. That was not a good idea, as nobody of this generation knew St. Patrick. I was the only one, thanks to blogging. Today of course it's celebrated here too but not that much. She is a new animator, a girl who has no feeling for the oldies and asks things which most of them are unable to do. When your hands shake you can't do a puzzle, or if you can't hear you can't play a telephone game where you have to listen to a whispered question !
I hope my Frankenstein's daughter face will disappear in the next days !
You didn't have the shingles vaccine? Shingles can be terribly serious, but it sounds like your treatment is good, and hopefully effective.
ReplyDeleteNow you're making me think I SHOULD get the shingles vaccine. I had it at age 42 ( a small spot on my side and got the anti viral med right away so it only lasted a few days) and then I got it again when I was in my early 50s. Doc says it's rare to get it more than twice which is why I haven't been vaccinated. But now i'm wondering if I should. Heal quickly!
ReplyDeleteWOW thankful you found your friend SOlange. Hope she's ok now!
HAPPY almost SPRING
I hope your shingles remains mainly trouble-free. It's not nice.
ReplyDeleteDear Ingrid, I had my two Shingles vaccines, 6 months apart of each, a few years ago! I am 69! Yes, it is very painful, my ex-husband was admitted to hospital after he got Shingles. He never got the vaccine! This was about 4 years ago. I think he has had his vaccines now!
ReplyDeleteI hope you heal quickly. Sending you much love and warm hugs.
I had a nasty case of shingles several years ago. I'm glad you caught yours quickly and had the medications you needed.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were able to get help for Solange quickly. And I'm glad she is fine.
Keep walking in those new shoes.
Sorry to hear you have shingles. Hopefully getting the medication quickly has stopped it getting to bad. And good that you spotted Solange and could get her help. It's not the weather to be lying out it. I had a shingles jab last year. Well it was in two parts. The first one left my arm feeling very sore and painful for days but the second dose wasn't so bad. But hopefully it will prevent me getting it - my hubby had it across his face back in 2005 and he found it very painful. Hope you're feeling better now.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you have shingles, I have heard it is incredibly painful. I had a vaccine for it a couple of years ago but don't know if I should have one every year. I will ask next time I go to the chemist/pharmacist. So glad you spotted Solange and hope she doesn't be falling over again.
ReplyDeleteOh no shingles is very painful. Hope the medication works well.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear! Shingles is no joke, ever. Hope you don't suffer a lot of pain, and that you heal up quickly with no leftover issues. Get well!
ReplyDeleteHopefully the new activity lady can learn about what is/isn't appropriate for seniors...maybe some of the others who work there can mentor her.
It was a good thing that you were able to get help for Solange quickly.
I am so glad Solange was ok and you were able to get her help quickly. I'm sorry you have shingles. I hear it is quite painful. I hope it goes away soon. I wasn't interested in getting the vaccine for it until a friend of mine had it on her face very close to her eye. She had trouble with her eyesight in that eye for weeks. So I got the vaccine soon after that. Hopefully the animator can learn from you all what works and what doesn't. It's frustrating when they get the job without knowing that. But hopefully she's willing to learn and adapt.
ReplyDeleteI think the youngsters need to understand old age before they start trying to exercise you all. Hopefully she is taken aside and or catches on soon!
ReplyDeleteERin
I'm so sorry to hear you came down with shingles. Hopefully you are through it quickly with no lingering effects. So glad you were there to get help for your friend. That is scary. We have a vaccine here for it that one can get once you turn 55 but health care doesn't cover it so unless one has benefits you pay out of pocket for it and it's expensive. But this is now twice in one week I've heard of someone getting shingles so I think I'll just bite the bullet and get it.
ReplyDelete