Day 5

January 29, 2009 - Today is officially the 5th day of the virus attack. I still am maintaining the meds prescribed by the doctor except for TYLENOL as my fever has already subsided and is maintained at 36 degrees. I have also started taking Myra 300E and Centrum as food supplements since I am not been eating really well because of my sore throat. I also asked Uncle Don to buy me some oranges, kiwis, cabbage and broccoli to facilitate fast healing of the wounds as they are all rich in Vitamin C.

I felt a tinge of self pity while looking at my face in the mirror. And while talking to Kevin I told him I feel so alone and ugly. But the sweet tongue that he is he told me I am not what I felt and that he would love me and would be there for me in sickness and in health. That made me feel a little better and it quelled my drama episode.

Anyway, I do have a few more breakouts but only little ones. I hope they all stop appearing tomorrow.

I think I am on my way to fast recovery. Thanks to my doctor, Dr. Sergei Ledesma and to the nurses who acted so quick when I was rushed to the hospital.

Day 4

January 28, 2009 - I woke up early today with a very sore throat that swallowing anything solid proved to be so painful. I ate beef noodle soup for breakfast and then took my meds and had a quick shower. Ah! Showers are so blissful. When I got out of the bathroom, I was told by my mom and a few friends that I should not be showering so the blisters would heal faster. Well, I don't think I can survive a day without taking a bath. Anyway, I still feel a lil itch on my back and my tummy because of the blisters and I think I have accidentally popped the ones on my back. And yes, I don't wear any bra at all anymore while at home so I won't disturb the little "itch harbingers" and risk getting numerous pock marks.

The blisters have doubled on my face doubled in number already but good thing not in size. I am thankful for that and yes I don't look as ugly as I expected yet. Hahaha! And I haven't combed my hair for the 3rd day today as it hurts when the comb grazes the scalp. Such a pain! So, I have my hair on in a bun almost always. I had homemade beef soup with a little rice for lunch. I had to force myself to eat so I can take the nasty meds. I have stopped taking TYLENOL already.

After lunch, I sprayed Lysol all over my room, every nook and cranny. I am a little paranoid now and I vowed that I will clean my room all over this weekend. I will not leave any corner undisturbed. I have been also thinking that I might have developed a fear for crowded places already and may even reach to a point when I could have a bottle of Lysol in my purse just to make sure I am not acquiring any bad bacteria/virus anymore. I shall call this weekend plan OPERATION: Spritz and Wipe.

I was also able to plant the new lily tubers I bought last Monday. If I delay, they might end up rotten so I had to get up and do something productive for the garden I am growing.

Day 3

January 27, 2009 - My temperature has been swinging up and down and I have been in bed almost all day except for when I go shower and eat. I took a bath four times and it's the best thing I could ever do. The blisters are wee little and not as bad as I expected. I also hve little blisters in my face already. I feel miserable. This is not a good feeling. Sigh!

Chicken Pox: Primer

Source: http://doh.gov.ph ; http://healthscout.com

Cause: “varicella” virus

Varicella, otherwise known as chicken pox, is a generalized infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. It is an extremely contagious disease that is characterized by a blistery rash. The incubation period (time between exposure to the illness and the appearance of symptoms) of chicken pox is 10 to 21 days. It is contagious for about six to eight days after the rash appears or until all of the blisters have dried out.

Mode of transmission

• person to person by direct contact, droplet or air borne spread of fluid or secretions from persons with chickenpox

• contagious 5 days before and 5 days after the appearance of blisters

Signs and symptoms

• appearance of reddish skin lesions which later become blisters on the 3rd - 4th day of fever

•weakness

• muscle and joint pains

• sudden onset of fever

Immediate treatment

• chickenpox rashes will disappear in 1-2 weeks time even without treatment

• frequent baths are sometimes helpful to relieve itching. Adding finely-ground (colloidal) oatmeal such as Aveeno can help improve itching. Oatmeal baths can be prepared at home also by grinding or blending dry oatmeal into a fine powder and adding about 2 cups to the bath water. One-half to one cup of baking soda may also be added to bath water to reduce itching.

• the most common lotion used for chicken pox is Calamine lotion. This or any similar over-the-counter preparation can be applied to the blisters to help dry them out and soothe the skin.

Prevention and control

• Avoid crowded areas during epidemics

• Isolate known cases

• Vaccine is available as precautionary measure and as per doctor’s advise.

Prevention of Varicella (Chicken Pox)Chicken pox can be prevented through vaccination (now recommended by almost all major national health and public health groups). Recommendations are:

Children and Adolescents:

Healthy children can be vaccinated, optimally at age 12 to 18 months or anytime up until the age of 13, if they have no history of chicken pox. Adolescents 13 years and older who have no history of chicken pox, should receive two doses of vaccine four to eight weeks apart. Duration of immunity after vaccination is not completely known. Re-vaccination with a booster dose may be required to sustain immunity through adulthood.

Adults: Two doses of varicella vaccine four to eight weeks apart are recommended for healthy adults with no history of chicken pox or previous vaccination. Health care workers, daycare workers, employees of colleges or residential facilities, family members of immunocompromised individuals, and others who live or work in environments in which transmission may be easy are particularly encouraged to receive vaccination.

Those who had the disease before are already immune and will not have the disease again.

MUST BUY: Aveeno Oatmeal Bath

Day 2

January 26, 2009 - I woke up feeling a little better than yesterday but still didn't have the appetite to eat. I also observed some little red bumps on my shoulders and the back of my ear. As I didn't know what those blisters were, I rubbed some bath salt over them. (Big mistake!) My head is still itchy and I think I have pricked the bumps. Arrrrgh! I know I shouldn't have done it but blimey I have long nails. I went to the bank with my sister and then shopped again after. I was able to eat lunch at almost 3PM already. After lunch, I started feeling nauseaus again and I didn't want to hear loud music or didn't want to see many people. So, I asked my sister to stop shopping for now and decided to go home. When we reached home, I lounged in my bed wearing just my undergarment for about 2 hours and rested and I observed that the rashes started to multiply. I then went to the shower and washed myself up only to find more red bumps from knee up. We initially suspected it could be measles. I then decided that I need to be checked by a physician and so we went to Makati Medical Center. I was diagnosed by the attending physician in the ER to have chicken pox caused by the varicella zoster virus. I then thought of the possible reason why I had it and it dawned on me that one of the managers at work had chicken pox a few weeks back.

So I guess this is it. After 26 years believing that I could never get infected and that I am superbly healthy, here I am with maybe at least 50 blisters all over my body. I was advised to take ACYCLOVIR 800mg 5x a day to alleviate the effects of the virus, EBASTINE 10mg once a day to lessen the itchiness and TYLENOL 650mg every 4 hours for the fever. I currently have 37.8C temperature. I was also advised by the doctor to avoid getting near someone pregnant.

Yes, I do have the virus now. Who knows who could have I infected already. But one good thing about this happening now is I would not run the risk of acquiring it when I am pregnant myself. Thank heavens! I hope and pray that I will feel better and that I won't have multiple scars. And oh, the nails are short now...

Day 1

January 25, 2009 - I have been feeling really ill a little after lunch. I had a slight fever I know but didn't bother to check and just headed to the shower again to hopefully chase the uncomfortable feeling away. My joints were a little sore and I knew I was very cranky. My scalp was a little itchy too and I felt little bumps to the touch. I was also feeling very nauseaus and had failed attempts to vomit. I went to MOA with my sister so we can shop for some stuff she could bring home on Wednesday. We had dinner but I only ended up eating half a soft corn tortilla with roasted chicken filling. We went home and before I went to bed I took a Paracetamol tablet.