My Sad Story

Sorry it has been a few days since I posted. Last Tuesday I started have excruciatingly stabbing pains in the side of my head/face. I have never before felt such pain. But it would come and go. I thought maybe I was getting a sinus infection so I took some decongestants but that didn't help. So then I thought well maybe it is an ear infection so I started putting heat to my face and this would help for a little while but then it would be back. Finally on Friday I decided to call my neurologist to see if the CPAP could be causing this. He said he didn't think so but to stop using it throughout the weekend and call back on Monday and let him know what is going on. So as the pain was getting to the unbearable point I called my PHP and he was out of the office but the doctor on call told me to go to the Emergency Room. By this time I was at the screaming stage and my son insisted that I go to the ER also. So he took me in and I was immediately diagnosed with Shingles. For those that do not know what shingles are....It is the same virus as chicken pox which has laid dormant for many many years and has suddenly become active again--usually due to stress or some other immune deficiency. It then attaches itself directly on to the nerves and causes extreme pain. It cannot be cured but it can be treated and made to go dormant again. Mine were affecting the left side of my face, ear, eyelid, and scalp. So he put me on an anti-viral medication and pain meds. And told me to follow up with my PHP on Monday.

I did as I was told and yesterday I went to my doctor and he gave me an additional anti-viral med and insisted I go back to the opthamalogist to check my eyes as shingles can cause blindness if it gets into the eyes. So this morning I went back to my eye doc and he told me that so far my eyes are okay. He says I am not out of the woods yet but since I am on both anti-virals that he feels optimistic that it will be okay. So I am really praying that it will be. I do not know what I would do if I lost my eyesight. Stitching is my only form of release now and I cannot imagine my life without it. But I believe God will take care of me. I am feeling better although I am still in some pain when the meds wear off. I haven't been able to get much stitching done but hopefully that will change soon.

So now you know the whole sad saga of The Mad Stitcher! And you are asking yourself...What else can happen to her? Please don't say it out loud! Fate might have to show you and I'm not sure I can survive it!

Till next time...Happy Stitching!