Progress not Perfection

badmemory

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but whilst you normally only get chicken pox once & Mr SA has most probably already had it if he has had shingles, you can get shingles many times & it seems the older you are the worse it gets.  I had it years ago (in my 50s) but I have now had the jab.  I believe they have extended the ages you can have it at now.

Cherryfudge

I've never had chicken pox but I had shingles as a baby. The doctor thought Mum must have been in contact with chicken pox while pregnant. I've nursed my three through chicken pox and recently looked after two grandchildren with it and so far it's not got me. I was of the impression (fact check this in case I'm wrong) that the virus lays dormant and can give rise to shingles if perhaps you are run down. I'm not sure that it can be caught again - but that may be wrong.

Sun_Addict

I believe there’s some connection between the chicken pox/shingles/cold sore virus and the type of Lymphoma Mr SA had. Herpes Zoster? Mr SA had shingles when he was only 19 after his appendix burst so was obviously run down. DS was only a few months old and not allowed to visit him in hospital. Yes Mr SA was a very young father. 

weenancyinAmerica

My mother got shingles and the doctor said it was because she had chickenpox and it was still in her body. I got the shingles vaccine as soon as I could. My best friend got the shingles and she had problems for 5 months. 

PollyWollyDoodle

Just delurking to clarify - they are both caused by the same virus, but shingles is an auto-immune response to the virus already being in your body. 

If you’ve had chickenpox, you have the virus, and it could be triggered by stress, or another illness or just by being run down. 
You can’t catch shingles, it’s not contagious but you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles.  So if your grandchildren haven’t had it, they could catch it. 

Apparently the shingles vaccine works even if you’ve had shingles before.  It’s not guaranteed to prevent future attacks (ask me how I know) but it can reduce the severity.  

I thought you’d said pneumonia vaccine, SA. I’d definitely take that if it’s offered, I paid privately a few years back and it was over £70.  I did this after a friend, only in her forties, developed pneumonia and was terribly unwell, it’s just one less risk and as Mr SA’s carer you need to be well. 

I love your diary and am in awe of how much you manage to achieve in difficult circumstances while also maintaining your sense of humour.  

Makingabobor2

Yes, you can definitely get shingles more than once & it does lay dormant in your system once you've had chicken pox & can strike at any time. Not a nice thing to get as you get older. 

Take the pneumonia jab, its got nothing to do with how often you get colds. I had pneumonia aboou 13 years ago & felt worse than when I had covid the other year. They said it was bacterial pneumonia, as opposed to viral & we worked out I may have got it after going to London & going on the Tube.  I was so ill for about 6 weeks, could hardly walk upstairs, let alone go out. 

foxgloves

I would defo take a pneumonia vaccine if offered. My sister had pneumonia a few years ago, which developed after a fairly standard 'bad cold'-type of lergy, which went down on her chest & wouldn't shift. She was really poorly & it has left her with permanent lung damage. 

Sun_Addict

Thank you all and hello @PollyWollyDoodle 🙂 I will take up the pneumonia vaccine, they just took me by surprise calling out of the blue. I’ll pop in the surgery and book it in when I pass it on Monday on the way home from work. I’m surprised Mr SA hasn’t been offered it given his compromised immune system and the fact he was in hospital with it last year. I’m not quite old enough for the shingles vaccine yet. 

Mr SA just isn’t ‘with it’ today, not that he’s ever fully ‘with it’ but he’s worse than normal today. He’s been awake all night with headache apparently. He’s just had his lunch and gone back to bed. 

We’ve been to the big Mr T this morning. They currently have 25% off all clothing and I got Mr SA a warm top and a jumper for me both already reduced to 50% off in the sale then another 25% off. They’re also doing 6 bottles of wine 25% off again looks like the offer finishes tomorrow though. Is there any need to buy wine full price 😆

While we were there I dropped off the soft plastics, batteries and make up recycling. 

The dog also got a good walk out of it so it was quite a productive trip. 

Today’s exercise has been day 24 of the yoga challenge, walking to/from Mr T (almost 10,000 steps for the round trip) and another dog walk when Mr SA emerges from his pit. 

Tonight’s dinner is beetroot burger with wedges and salad. Rosé Prosecco chilling in the fridge for tonight 🥂

kayannie

Sun_Addict said:

Re the Lid! boxes I’ve sent feedback. They used to be at the checkout before you went through. Where they keep them now anyone could just walk off with one without paying in my opinion. There’s no one keeping an eye on them. 

I quite enjoyed my different Friday. I got a fair few work jobs ticked off the list while it was quiet this afternoon and still managed to fit in the Zumba class. I’ll do this again when possible. Bonus is I only used 30 minutes of my flexi. 

Out of the blue I got a call from the doctors saying I’m eligible for a pneumonia vaccine. Not wishing to tempt fate I said I rarely get a cold never mind anything worse so they’ve left me to think about it. 

At work reported cases of Chicken Pox and Shingles are on the increase. The areas have been deep cleaned and they say there’s no risk 😬 I’ve had chicken pox and Mr SA has had shingles so hopefully we’ll be ok. 

I had shingles when I was in my mid teens & again when I was in my early 70's. I was very ill second time around. I have the shingles vaccine now as GP says the virus stays in your system & can reoccur anytime.

Regarding lid! boxes, in my local store they have always been on display after the tills. They are visible from outside, so if there are any, I walk in & past the tills to see if they are worth the £2. If so, I buy one & take it back to the car before re-entering the store to do my shopping. If I haven't got the car, as when doing a small shop, I pick the box I want & put it by a till with cashier (not self service) to reserve it while I finish shopping & pay all together.
KA

doingitanyway

A nice pink meal 

Our L boxes are behind the till too but near self service so overlooked.

Could you make a case for being a carer at your surgery and therefore having the shingles jab might be a good idea?