Shingles

Well, not actually this kind of shingle.

This afternoon, I went down to get mom for lunch. I told her she had to take that turtleneck off, it was driving me crazy. So I picked out a pretty little polo number (short sleeves) as she pulled the turtleneck off. When I turned around, I noticed some redness on her chest. Then as I got closer, it was a major rash, like in blisters. Ew. (I could never be a nurse, mind you.) Of course, it freaked me out and I called her doctor right away and left word with his nurse about the blisters. I went ahead and made an appointment with him on Monday and then took her right over to the walk-in clinic (wic) around the corner. Shingles. Yep. That kind of shingles. (I will spare you pictures of this type. You can thank me later.)

Has she been in pain? Nope, not that she has told us. The wic doctor (not witch) said shingles usually has pain associated with it. Well, mom has never been a complainer. It's not in her DNA. She says she's been sleeping fine, no problems. So, I'll take it at that.

{WARNING: Rant ON--as Mr. English would say} The wic doctor called in a prescription for her. When I went to pick it up, the lady said "two fifty eight, please." Wha? As in TWO dollars and fifty eight cents? Good deal. Nope, this prescription cost $258. Oh, and that is with Medicare taking care of over $50 of it (thank you US government). Uh, I don't think so, chica. I put that on hold, let me tell you. I called the wic doctor and told them what had just transpired. They had never heard of such high prescriptions (yea right). They then called in a generic. Guess how much that one was? Thirty two. Uh huh, as in $32. Now, what is up with that? Have these pharmaceutical companies lost their cotton-pickin' minds? How are folks (especially the elderly who are the ones who get shingles in the first place!) supposed to be able to afford this?? I think it's a sin, a downright sin. Now, I don't always trust generic meds. I am on synthroid for one and have been told by my physician to only get synthroid, no generic for that prescription. But, when there is a $300 difference between the two, uh, well, you do the math. {Rant OFF}

Ok, deep breath. Poor thing. She has to take this stuff five times a day! Lord, I'll be running up and down those stairs all day long, hehe. The fun part is, I don't know if I ever had chicken pox before. I know I had mumps, but mom never could remember chicken pox. Which means, I could get them from her shingles and I could be carrying around the virus now that I have touched (ew) the blisters. Loverly. Just smack me now.

In other news, the floors have all been sanded, stained and have the first coat of polyurethane on them. They look gorgeous (peeking from behind the plastic barrier). But with that beauty comes the wonderful smell. I have a headache that could stop a truck. I think I may even have a buzz going. Who knows at this point. I think I may just go upstairs and pass out. I think that may be a good idea. Yep. Buzz buzzz buzzzzzzzzz.

PS Still hot here. The kid and I noted 130º on my car thermometer. That was while we were waiting for mom's prescription at the drive through. Now, that may take into effect some engine heat; but still, it's pretty darn hot!