November 25, 2001|

Pass the Turkey and Shingles

At first I just thought I was really sore from taking so many naps. Then I started to scratch and itchy zit on my neck. The next thing I know I have a whole row of these itchy zits going from my hand to my ear and a fever of 101. What the heck was going on? Happy Thanksgiving! Ah yes, with a little investigative work and a few family friend nurses on the prowl, we discovered my recent ailment, shingles! http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1680.50895

Like the article says, 13%-15% of Hodgkin’s patients come down with shingles, so it was only a matter of time. My streak of healthiness came to startling halt. I am definitely anti-shingle. They itch like crazy, they are painful and look horrible. I forever indebted to the inventor of the turtleneck sweater. I was able to go to my 5th year high school reunion, and not have anybody see the streak of redness protruding off my neck. The week was hard though. I slept a whole lot, the only relieve from the pain and itching. Today was the first day I didn’t take a 3-hour afternoon nap. So anyway, hopefully this week they will clear up, as the anit-viral medicine kicks in.

Back to New York

The folks, Billy and I are off to New York City early tomorrow morning. I have a PET Scan tomorrow afternoon (no eating or drinking anything for 6 hours beforehand- eek!), an appointment with my doctor and the bone marrow specialist on Tuesday, and Wednesday and Friday 5 hour Rituxin drips. In between those I hope to study for the GMAT and figure out this whole grad school thing. Stuff like this past week’s bout with shingles makes me wonder if I should wait to apply when I am good and healthy. Who knows what could happen after the bone marrow transplant? Who knows if it will work? Ah, the cancer wild card, always making the game of life that much more interesting.

More pictures and news come next week!