Oh leaane, when it rains it pours!
But things do have to change,like the seasons, in your favor, if you can just hang on in there awhile longer.

You have taken on too much which I m sure you already know.
I really hope this sister and daughter team are there to help you.
If not, well kick their asses in to line! (If they are lovely caring supportive people I take it all back!)

Getting shingles is the worst. Where are they? Neck, face or waist?
Your immune system must be shot. Shingles always seem to hit when you are very low, or near a child that has them.

You have to rest now, and take very good care of yourself till they pass. They are hard to kick, not the marks on your skin but along the nerve route.
Lyrica is a great help with the pain and aid in recovery. A few friends of mine have been thru this so I can recommend them.

As for cutting your finger, you would think, its not such a big deal, until it happens to you.
My sister cut her finger very badly ( had to have microsurgery) and she fell apart. And! she is a nurse.She even had a high fever for a few days due to the upset.
This can effect you, in your head, and lay you low. I just wanted to let you know this is possible and give you the heads up on it.

You need so much TLC right now. With it, I think you will begin to feel like yourself in a week or two. Be gentle , with your self. You deserve to rest and be spoiled.
Things will look much better in the next few weeks. Hang in there! Cath

My sister also has chicken pox. So which came first? The chicken or the egg? her daughter is a 6 month old baby. We are both staying very very clean. Constantly washing our hands and sanitizing. We can not afford for the baby to catch chicken pox. I have been reading on this and I don't like what I have been reading. Doctor did not give anything for pain unfortunately. But I am taking 4000Mg of an antiviral medication daily for a week. It is on my back. Very painful. And of course it is under my bra straps! So I keep that of as much as possible. My finger is healing well. Just to get rid of this horrid rash!!!! Yes when it rains it pours!

Ah, you cant be serious?! No pain meds? That's crazy.
Go back to him and demand some Lyrica! You have enough on your plate with out having pain you don't have to put with.

Don't worry too much if the baby gets chicken pox. Its not ideal but it happens. My niece, 5 months old had them a few weeks ago. Besides being cranky she was ok. My sister use bread soda on the pox's to stop the itch.

One good thing, its the best place to get them, on your back, if there is such a thing as good shingles. They generally heal better and quicker and have less potential to damage

And thank goodness your finger is healing.I still want you to rest tho. You need a lot more time to allow your body to heal and catch up,ok? Cath

I went back to the emergency room last night when I got off work. There was a different doctor and she wasn't as nice. I was literally screaming out in pain Android she had the nerve.to tell me that was enough to calm down!. Well I gave her a piece of my mind. She prescibed me Elavil instead of Lyrica. Also she has put me on predisone and percoset for pain. I have noticed that Aveeno hydrocortisone cream significantly relieves discomfort. Only for.a short period.of.time but it helps so much! I have a very laid back job that requires little effort and I do rest as much as possible when at home.

Oh Leanne, I am so sorry to hear about the shingles. My daughter who has IH just got over them. The anti viral med seemed to help somehwhat, but I know the pain was horrible. There have been several folks on here so I think IH sufferers are more prone to it? I always thought of it as an older folks ailment, my mom had it years ago when she was 65, but my daughter is only 25.

I will keep you in my prayers. As the good Lord says, this too will come to pass.

Thank you. I know shingles comes with high levels of stress and low immune systems. There is. A lot of stress in my life, like I'm sure there is in everyones. But I am a fighter and what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. IH. pain I've gotten used to. This is a whole new breed!

When I was taking steroids, the one thing the dr told me to stay a million miles away from was, shingles. Or any child who had chicken pox.
There must be a hole some where in out immune system that allows this virus such access to us, IIHers. Cath

Hopefully you're getting all the bad in 2012 out in one shot and the rest of the year will be much much better.

One would hope!! I am feeling much better. I'm still having pains but the blisters are begining to scab over. So that's great news. I can't wait till its all over!