That Just Happened!

At first we thought it was spider bites.  He was biking on the trails, after all.  Then we thought it was a bacterial infection, but a trip to the doctors confirmed it was a bug bite.  Then his face started to swell and more welts started to appear.  A second trip to the doctor’s was needed.

1.2-3.4% of every 1000 individuals under the age of 65 get it each year.  This statistic goes up to 3.9–11.8 per year per 1,000 individuals if you are over 65.  Called Herpes Zoster it can cause severe nerve damage and even blindness if it is on your ocular area, but that is really rare.  It is usually brought on by stress and is contagious in children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

Still don’t know what I’m talking about?

MPW has shingles.  Yep.  Shingles.  Near his eye.  On his face.  Which is really rare (see above).  When he broke the news to me I asked “What are you that stressed over?”  Then I shut my mouth because I think this makes me look bad.  I’m blaming it on work stress. 

Oh, and because he can’t shave he has tried to groom his beard. 

This has made me break out into impromptu boy-band songs. 

  Enh, enh *elbow nudge*

Yeah, yeah, I hear ya.   ”Jenn, that probably stresses him out and this is how it started.  That doesn’t make you look good,”…I’m still blaming work.  Oh, and the doctor had prescribed a topical cream as well as pills to ease the pain.  The pharmacist spent 5 minutes explaining how to rub it onto his *ahem* genital area, because this med…is also used to treat genital herpes.  Of course, this is awkward for anyone, so she wasn’t making eye-contact.  When she finally looked up she was even more embarrassed because it is obviously for his face.  She then told him to “just put it on your face”.  I’m just glad she caught it because I probably would have been concerned if I found out MPW was using it that way. 

Yeah, That Just Happened!