[cassioo]

here I am talking to myself. I felt like yuck yesterday so laid around most of the day. I skipped a picnic/potluck I'd been planning on going to. The phone rang at 6:15. It was work and I'd forgotten I was on-call. Someone had called in for 7-11 (not a new problem why she's still working there I don't know) but they were going to do a c-secction ASAP on a pt with HELLP as soon as they could get platelets in to get the count over 50. I got there aby 6:45 and at 7:20 PLT's were 52 so went to OR did the section, then recovery got home just after midnight. Now up feeling better. Have to take the 6 yr old to swim lessons in an hour then bring him home for lunch and will take him back to swim this afternoon and I'll bask in the sun and read a book...and create a new headache

[Aaron C.]

I get it every year. YES, every freaking year. I usually get it at the very beginning of the summer, when I first get out in the sun. First time was 3rd grade.

The good news is it's never been larger than a half dollar.
It started at the bottom of my hairline on the back right side of my neck. Every year, it comes back a little lower, evidently traveling along a nerve. This year it is right in the middle of the back of my neck, and worse than I've had it in a VERY long time.

I don't know of any other cases in young people that are recurring like mine.

When I first got it, they didn't know what it was. When it came back, they said it couldn't be shingles. Well, that was about 20 years ago...

Let me tell you how bad that sucks! It hurts!

[cassioo]

one of the LPN's I work with was just saying today she thinks that's what she just broke out with again and was going to get medication for it.

[Old_School]

OUCH shortbus . . . thank goodness for antivirals. Hope you're feeling better.

O_S

[Aaron C.]

I got in to see the doctor at 8am this morning. They called me in some acyclovir yesterday but wanted to see me anyway...

They gave me a shot of Depo, a medrol dose pack, and 30 Lortab. I told the Nurse I didn't need 30 Lortab and she looked at me like I was crazy. We both said, "I/you can save 'em" at the same time.

I hate to have that many though because I know I'll take them for every little thing. I'm not a druggie or anything, but I'm definately a hypochondriac.

Anyway, hopefully the steroids will keep me from having too much of a reaction to the Acyclovir. I was hoping to get some Zovirax cream to put on the blisters but oh well.

So now I'm eating horse pills five times a day for a week and taking that dang dose pack. Man, that stuff tastes so horrible. It basically starts to dissolve right when it hits your mouth so it's like chewing tylenol or something. Just NASTY!

[Old_School]

After the prodromal period, is it still that painful?

[nursinghumor]

Depends on how far it gets. Once you've got vesicles/nerve involvement, the post-herpetic neuralgia can last for years. Tends to be especially severe in seniors who get it.

Luckily Aaron's got age on his side in that respect.

The Mayo Clinic describes it here:

"During an initial infection of chickenpox, some of the chickenpox virus can remain in your system, lying dormant inside nerve cells. Years later, factors such as age, illness, stress or medications can reactivate the virus. They can also reactivate for no apparent reason.

Once reactivated, the virus travels along nerve fibers, causing pain. When the virus reaches the skin, it produces a rash and blisters, known as shingles (herpes zoster). A case of shingles usually heals within a month. But some people continue to feel pain long after the rash and blisters heal. This pain is known as postherpetic neuralgia."
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00277

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinga2z.com

[cassioo]

I got an e-mail yesterday that another local hospital had my resume so I went on an interview today and got another perdiem job. The pay isn't any more then my full-time job and they don't have any real rules about have to work so many shifts per month. My full time job had started using this staffing grid and our census had been low so if you wanted paid you had to take PDO and I'm down to 60 (and I like to take a vacation for vacation) so now I can save the PDO when I get called off and replace the $$$ someplace else. I'll go to orientation in Aug after I get back from my next vacation (Jensen Island for a week starting July 8th plus I"ll be someplace else hanging out for the 5 days after that week just haven't come up with where yet) Oh then clinicals start Sept 7 and I'll probably do a couple of lectures also since they haven't replaced the full-time staff that resigned.

[cassioo]

I'm talking to myself again and now I"m going to answer. Does anyone else work today? I'm getting ready to go in. I know it's quiet now but it will probably get stupid July 4th usually does. Had a woman come in already last night after a ATV wreck....24 weeks pregnant should NOT ride ATV's. Most of ours will be pregnant women who went out on the river got dehydrated, overheated, lighted fireworks for their kids, ate too much now they think they are in labor they ate so much and of course the ones riding with or hit by drunk drivers if not drinking themself.

[Old_School]

Yeah, I'm here at work. Cass you sound like you work at Redneck Memorial Regional Medical Center and Tractor Supply. <j/k>


O_S