Speed Bump

I guess when things go well for so long you have to expect to hit a set back ... and I have hit a small one. A few days ago I was feeling really tired and generally just not good ... and I noticed what I thought were a couple of insect bites on my lower back, which soon turned into a larger patch of bumps. Today I was diagnosed with shingles. Apparently it's common for cancer/chemo patients to experience this as our immune systems are weakened by the treatment.  All of us who had chicken pox as a child continue to carry the virus our entire lives ... and it only emerges at a time in your life where your immune system is weakened. Perfect match for chemo patients.

I've heard and read it can be fairly painful, but so far have only experienced a slight tenderness in the rash area and it's very itchy. Last night I was running a fever, so the medical oncologist today decided to call off next Tuesday's treatment, which delays my overall chemo regimine by one week. Hopefully it will just be a one week delay and we'll move forward again on June 19 to get the next 12-week round in with just a week's delay.

I'll take a week's worth of an anti-viral medication that is given to lessen the symptoms and length of time you're affected. Fingers crossed!