ADULT
CHICKEN POX
Diary of
an Adult Chicken Pox
Sufferer
DAY
6
WARNING
Some
pictures may make your
skin crawl!!
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Really
Grumpy |
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| Early Monday
Morning 0100 hrs |
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| I have set up a
small bed downstairs in the
living room. Have tried so hard
to catch even a few minutes sleep
but is proving next to
impossible. Trying to lay down on
front, back or side just causes
irritation. This is going to be a
long hard night. I am trying at
least to convince myself that
this is the worst night and after
this it is all uphill. I am
holding onto the fact that at
0830 I can be on the phone to the
local GP for some sleeping pills
and that today I should be able
to sleep. |
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| As far as my skin
is concerned, I can continually
feel the skin errupt, itch and
tingle. I am covering myself with
camamine solution which hardly
touches the sides. This really
upsets me. I have read numerous
pages on the internet about
solutions to 'eleviate
discomfort' or to 'reduce
itching'. The reality is just not
like that, its a very
uncomfortable virus and a bit of
cream is just not going to help.
I shall take some photos in the
morning, and you can tell me then
if you think some cream will make
it all better. - |
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| Monday Morning-
0400 hrs |
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| Have tried every
sleeping position in the book.
Even tried sleeping on my hands
and knees but this just isnt
possible. Every hour is a bonus
and there is a light at the end
of the tunnel. Will pace and
watch more night time t.v. I
really thought that last night
was bad but this is much worse.
Have got to keep a positive
mental focus to get through each
hour. |
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| Day 6 - 0930 hrs |
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| No sleep. Have
phoned the surgery and spoke to
the nurse. Doctor will call back
later. I am feeling more positve
having got through the night.
That was a major win. Nurse asked
me if I had used calamine lotion
etc. I said yes, almost the whole
bottle. I need sleeping pills. If
I could sleep, I would feel that
I could fight this invasion of
spotty aliens. Doctor is going to
give me a ring after morning
surgery. |
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Took some photos
of myself this morning (See also
top of page)-  |
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| Top Tip -
Cotton is great against
the skin, it is cool and
naturally soothing. Avoid
like the plague anything
acrylic. Find a cotton
T-shirt, cut where the
neck hole is to open it
up around the neck area
otherwise it rubs. This
is great to wear. Find a
cotton bed cover and use
it like a Roman toga.
Believe me, you will be
getting naked at this
time, forget trousers,
underwear, or anything
else that sits against
the skin. You need to let
the air near the skin to
keep it cool. |
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| 10.00 am- Phoned in sick
to work, colleagues had a good
laugh, wasn't sure what was funny
but perhaps I am having a sense
of humor failure. Took a bath
this morning, this is very
soothing and aslo great because
by floating, you take all the
pressure off the spots. I put
half a tin of bicarbonate of Soda
in the bath. Not sure if this
really helped. Just made the bath
very slippy so be careful. On a body
examination, I have more spots
appearing on arms legs, back -
see above, yes genitals (And no,
I am not taking a photograph of
my bits).
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| 12.30 pm- Doctor phoned
back, has signed me off work for
7 days, suggested that I am
likely to need 2 weeks. He was
very supportive and I am
grateful. Recommended that I take
anti-histamine tablets which will
take the edge of it and make me
drowsey. Wife went straigh around
thge pharmicist and got some
sleeping pills for the evening
and anti-histamine tablets for
now (not to be mixed). I have
just taken them. This could be a
great turning point for me if I
can get some sleep. Will let you
know. Feeling alot more
optimistic. Had more phone calls
from colleagues at work taking
the p*ss. This was actually great
and I did manage a few laughs. |
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| 21.30 pm - My god, those
anti-histamine tablets were
great. Definately worked a
wonder. Although it did not get
rid of the itching, they did
dampen the discomfort, also made
me very drowsey so that for the
first time since Friday night, I
have actually slept. I got about
6 hours. This is great and my
moral is sky high. I feel that I
now have control over these
criters and I have a weapon to
fight them. This means that the
worst is over and last night must
have been my worst night. |
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| I have not eaten
anything today as my apetitie has
completely gone. The thought of
food makes me feel sick I am not
sure if this is the medication or
the virus. |
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| I have not taken
any anti-histamine tablets for 6
hrs as I want to now go for the
sleeping pill and go to bed. The
thought of not waking up until
the morning is great. |
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| Top Tip - At the
first sign of chickenpox get some
anti-histamine tablets - I waited
until the 6th day which was a bad
mistake. These would have saved
me much grief if I had taken them
earlier. Of course seek advice
from Doctor and or pharmasist
about what to take. |
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