I have Swedish cousins but never learned to really speak Swedish, save for the occasional swear words (usually compliments of my Favourite Uncle - to our American readers, note the RIGHT spelling of the word 'Favourite'). Okay...this is from the Mayo Clinic Website:
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in your nerves. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. Although painful, typically shingles isn't a serious condition. Sometimes, however, the rash can lead to a debilitating complication called postherpetic neuralgia. This condition causes the skin to remain painful and sensitive to touch for months or even years after the rash clears up. Early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and reduce the risk of complications.
Ferbanne Nehelvete. People have been generally sympathetic - except the mad giggling from my younger brother when I told him that I had shingles. They usually tell me how sorry they are and go on to mention how painful it is. My dad showed me a picture and my grandmother reminisced about how her sister's eyes swelled shut for two weeks. I remembered my French teacher in high school being away from work for about a month - Mme. Tomosk. The shingles diagnosis was prefaced by a blistering headache and a visit to the emergency room at the Queensway Carleton Hospital Emergency Room. If you ever have to go, ask for Dr. Zhao. He was great. Oh, yes, I also had a CT scan of my head; an odd experience, but the best 2 minutes of sleep I had in 3 days. My Favourite Uncle - who, incidentally is also a doctor - diagnosed me with shingles with the following words: 'Congratulations. You have Shingles. It can be pretty painful."
The families have been good so far, alhamdulillah. My brother-in-law asked me to infect his parents, so he could quarantine them in the basement and have the house to himself. Maybe I'll infect my younger brother.
The original Mayo Clinic Buildings:
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