Another Learning Opportunity

My only post-surgery complication (knock on wood) has been an outbreak of shingles, an ugly skin rash extending from the middle of my back around the right side of my upper body. It was intensely itchy for a couple of days, but a prescription and good old calomine lotion did help. It stopped spreading and is starting to heal up.

I've learned that shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. If you had that as a child, as I did, the virus stays in your body and can recur as shingles, usually not til you're over 50. They think it can be triggered by things like a weakened immune system, cancer treatments, stress or physical trauma (surgery!?) An old name for it was devil's whip, because of the way the rash curves around the body. The rash normally clears up in a few weeks, but in some cases becomes something more long lasting. Hopefully I'll avoid that part of the experience.

Wendy