Late Birthday Present- Pain in the Arm

As I mentioned in my last post I had my birthday at the end of August a quiet affair with the family to mark my final year of my first half century.I had not long got back from my holiday in Sussex so made do with a nice meal rather than going out and getting blind drunk and painting the town red (just joking many years since I have done that!)One thing I had not mentioned in my last post was that during my holiday I had been suffering pain in my arm. This was I thought the result, of the exercises I had been doing in the gym as part of a pulmonary rehab course I had joined just before I had left for my holiday.The pain lasted till well after the holiday and so I found myself attending the GP's on my Birthday for some pain medication. Because the pain was not improving this should have been a clue. My GP suggested it was a trapped nerve and prescribed  DF118 they did help but the pain was still apparent.

We went shopping at the end of the week and when I got back my mother commented that I had rash on my shoulder I put some antiseptic cream on it and thought no more of it. Over the weekend though the rash developed and got very red and tender and the pain I was having got worse then it dawned on me why. I had developed a case of Shingles (Herpes Zoster).
This condition is something that is a risk for immune suppressed transplant patients and older people are more prone to it, guilty on both counts! Then as eating a  was packet of Bombay Mix and considering my next move I felt my front tooth fall out what Joy!!! The tooth was a crown and would be able to be refitted the next day I hoped, but as the next day would involve a trip to Harefiends Hospital for treatment with anti viral drugs I was really fed up.The only positive was that my temperature, blood pressure &  lung function were not being affected. I rang the hospital and spoke to the on call doctor who advised me to attend the hospital early the next day as the condition can become very serious when the immune system is suppressed and responds best to early treatment.

The next day was rushed and stressful for both my wife and I.First thing I rang the dentist's surgery and found that the earliest appointment was for 10.30 I rushed down to town to have the crown fixed back in my jaw curing the lisping voice that had developed as a result.
Then I went back home and packed up a bag , my Bi-pap machine and  medication with a vague hope that I might not need them but I realised admission would be a high possibility.I rang an cancelled the appointment that I had to review my Bi Pap at Churchill Hospital that day and finally I rang a friend who would be visiting on the Tuesday and suggested we meet up when things were sorted out.

I got to Harefield hospital and was asked to wait in a treatment room as I could present risks to other transplant patents attending the clinic. When the doctor saw the rash, which had by then developed into a mass of blisters, he told me that admission was inevitable and by the end of the day I was back on F ward.
I have been on the ward for a couple of days and the pain has become quite bad and I am glad to be here and receiving treatment with IV drugs which will continue for at least 10 days happily I have managed to get my laptop into hospital so I will keep everyone updated during my stay

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