Well there’s no crying over spilt milk, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t berate ourselves for our stupidity, which one of us did pretty much all day as he took the boat to Gent while the other slept somewhat less than blissfully on as the virus began to let itself be known in a more well...virulent way.
We were only too aware of the availability of a vaccine for shingles and had fully intended to do something about it before we left, but in the usual running around it got pushed out of mind, thinking that we’d have plenty of time to take care of it on our return. We were aware of the risks of contracting it too, and while the probability is quite high for anyone over a certain age, perhaps we thought that the probability in our carefree, laid back world it would be somewhat reduced, and perhaps that’s what the anti-vax mob thinks too and like us, they are wrong.
Of course we have become well informed about the herpes zoster virus in the past few days, and now wait with some trepidation as it runs its course. For now, each time our alarm rings as a reminder to take the required medication, and that’s six times each day, we are reminded that all of this could have been avoided quite simply had we not chosen to be “too busy” to arrange for inoculation.
2 comments
Oh no, shingles are not nice. I had them 20 or 30 years ago. It took weeks and much pain for it to go away - I left it a bit long to go to the doctor so the meds would not work, you need to get to them within 48 hours or so. And even now when I am doing too much the spot starts tingling as a type of early warning system.
I was told when I went to the hospital for my flu jab this year that the shingles one is not scheduled until I am 70, so perhaps you can procrastinate a bit longer.
I didn’t even know there was a vaccine. It’s never mentioned here. I had the non transpiring form of shingles the year before last. The pain is there without the rash. It lasted for two months, but no one mentioned meds (other than ibuprofen and cream) or vaccines. Different strikes for different folks, it seems. Poor Jo! I hope she’s well again now. It usually starts in the upper body, I believe, so the itch on her rear surprised me.
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