Can you say "shingles"?

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection of the nerve roots.

"The NERVE of that guy!" "Of all the NERVE!" "That really touched a NERVE" An outbreak of shingles has given me a new depth of meaning to those old saws.

It seems hard to believe that it has been over 3 months since my last posting. In brief, I started a new, and as it turned out evolving, role with the Chicago Province Jesuits. In addition to the responsibilities for the Piazza Project, effective July 1 I was named the "Provincial's Assistant for Pastoral Ministries." Translated from Jesuit-jargon, I am the Provincial/CEO's liaison and delegate, a Vice-President if you will, for the retreat houses, spirituality programs, parishes and the men in these and other pastoral ministries in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. As you can imagine, I will be on the road a lot starting in earnest in August. So, if there was any good time for shingles to strike, this was it.

"On a scale of zero to ten, with zero being no pain at all, and ten being the worst pain you've ever experienced, how would you rate the pain you are experiencing right now?" My primary care doctor had recommended I head to the ER after not being able to keep the pain medication, or anything at all, down that day. I don't know whether it was the poet in me, or the engineer, but that question was like being asked to compare apples and oranges.

Was this the WORST pain I've ever experienced? Was this worse that the most recent trauma which I suspect of activating herpes zostar? Three excruciating attempts to complete a root canal during the first three weeks of Juneended finally with a referral from my dentist to an endodontist with the mildly offensive comment that I "have a really low pain threshold". Really, as a former chemical engineer, better living through chemistry is my motto and the endodontist did a fine job.

Was this worse that the time I severely burned my hand on a skillet, forgetting my frittata had recently been under the broiler? Or was it worse that the virtual knife stabbed in my heart many years ago when the man I had marriend declared he didn't love me and wasn't sure he ever had? Or the headache signalling meningitis that landed me in the hospital for a month after the divorce was final? No, these shingles were not the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life, but the scale is not linear.

This outbreak of shingles appeared around my midriff on the right side. As a colleagues said, the pain is insidious, pinching and burning on the inside, itchy on the outside, but shift instantly to fiery if actually scratched. All I wanted was for the pain to stop. I'd had an adverse drug reaction to a vicodan based drug leaving me dehydrated, nauseous and in the Top-5 of painful experiences which was the best I could do to answer the rating question. I just wanted the pain to stop. After a liter of fluid, anti-nausea and pain medication, as the nurse commented, I looked and felt a lot more human.

I went home with a prescription for a medication specifically for nerve pain which has helped tremdously, and keeping me sleepy and quiet this week. Some, but not all of the welts have crusted over, a sign that the virus is running its course, but taking its time working its way through my system. But they are, and like others in my Top-5, this too shall pass. I hope/plan on being back to work on Monday.