Summer Not So Fun =(

For the past several days I have been having some pain in back. It started out with just a mild discomfort on my left shoulder blade muscle. Then it started getting worse. Soon after, a rash started to appear below my collar bone and I started feeling very sharp prickly pains. Everything was on my left side. Of course I started worrying that it was the C word back to take over my life again. When I e-mailed my nurse and doctor about all of my symptoms, my nurse Seda immediately knew what was going on with me. Can anyone guess what I had and will still have for the next few weeks? SHINGLES! They are like adult chicken pox. I didn't know much about shingles but I do now. This is the most painful disease I've ever felt. Fortunately it is treatable!! The pain from shingles is definitely up there with getting my portacath in my leg put in and taken out. When I got to the hospital yesterday for my appointment with Seda to determine for sure that I had shingles, I had to be in a wheelchair because of the pain and even sitting down in it was painful! Sometimes it would be so bad that my body would tremble and tears would well up in my eyes. Now I can understand what someone with shingles is going through. NOT FUN, I TELL YOU! NOT FUN!!! If anyone has been around me at all over the past few days, be aware of any unexplained pain or rashes on your skin. I will be contagious for two more weeks. Adults usually won't catch this unless they are really stressed or they are sick and their immune system is low. Kids can catch the chicken pox if they haven't already had them so I cannot be around them until I am no longer contagious. My dad has a gift of healing and he became overwhelmed with the feeling that I would feel better soon when he prayed for me and blessed me. This was before we found out it was shingles and not cancer. I am feeling better and better every day! I am always reminded when I am in pain that Jesus knows exactly how I feel and that He went through so much more pain than all the pain I will ever feel in my entire lifetime. That is pretty unfathomable to think about.

Anyway, I hope you are all doing well. If you haven't heard about the book my mom spent hours and hours putting together, here is some info. about it. It has a bald picture of me on the cover and a picture with me wearing a wig after finding out I am cancer-free! It is a very professional book with about 160 pages. Fifty or so of those are colored pictures of me and family or friends throughout the cancer journey and a few of Eric and me on our wedding day. The rest of the book has messages from people who signed the guest book on the shelsisentinel website, blog updates and thoughts from me, and more!! It is only $18 if you would like a copy! The profit will go to Eric & I which we will give to families in need. Anyway, thanks for all of your love and support! Love you all!