It was my birthday last week. I hit the grand old age of 42. Unbeknown to me, my son had given me an extra birthday prezzie. He gave me Chickenpox. I thought I had flue and I felt lousy on Thursday, but after a couple of hours of extra sleep and a couple of aspirin, I did not feel too bad. Indeed, I worked all day Friday. I did suspect that I might of got the ‘pox, but discounted it on the basis of having taught a few people who had heavy colds. I was wrong. The spots which started to appear all over my scalp late on Friday should have given the game away, but I did not think that Chickenpox broke out all over your head first. Wrong again. On Saturday, there was no doubt and I felt dog tired and spent most of the day in bed, while the spots erupted all over my face and upper body, with one or two managing to invade my legs too.
At the moment, I am writing this because I cannot get to sleep. My head is itching, my back and face are itching and so is my tummy. No sleep tonight I fear. I’ve tried bathing in lukewarm water and taking a shower, but the itching just keeps on coming back and is driving me slightly mad. The menthol talc which we got for our son has virtually no effect. Apparently paracetamol can help to reduce the itching and the doc I called out confirmed this, only we have not got any in the house. I did have some, but I think it went when my briefcase went walkies the other week.
I would not wish this illness on anyone. It’s a real annoyance. Heck I hope the itching dies down soon.
Yours itchily,
Alex ‘Chickenpox from Italy’.
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Oh no!
I guess you basically answered my other question from your first chickenpox post.
Consolation: this will be the only time you feel the horror of the pox (hehe?)
Take care, Alex!
I hope things are a little better today. Back in New Zealand, we applied Calamine lotion on the spots when I was a kid and it took the heat and itch out of them.
When my daughter had them, I remember we had some new lotion to put in the bath, with that foul smell stuff in it … I can’t for the life of me remember … pineatarsal, pinetarsal … something like that, and it seemed to calm the itching down even more. It’s a product they used for ezcema which makes a lot of sense.
Good luck.
Jan – happy that I have finally managed to answer your question;) And thanks for the sympathy:)
Di – Things are a little bit better today thanks, but I was up all night, yes, you’ve guessed it – itching. Many thanks for your tip on the evil smelling bath lotion – I think I would prefer smelling foul to being all itchy!! I shall try to track the stuff down here in Italy – then I shall send someone out to get it for me. I would go myself, but I look, er, frightening and I would probably end up being arrested for some kind of terrorist offence – Malicious spreading of ‘pox with intent – the charge would read…
ATB
Alex
Di,
Help! Is ‘pinetarsal’ pine oil? Would be something like ‘olio di pino’ here in Italy, if it is. I think I know where I can get some….
Alex
Sounds right … if it smells kind of foul and sharp … how do I describe it, my daughter was about 8 and she’s 20 now
It’s green or brown and you dilute it in a bath.
I’ll try phoning her later to see if she knows the name of it. I hope I’m not too late in calling by here.
Hi Alex, I came across your blog some weeks ago via Di—and I am grateful to her for that, because I had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of a British guy who loves Italy as much as an Italian guy (me) loves Britain. We have one more thing (or better still half thing) in common: I teach Italian to Italians, you teach English to Italians. And that is why I’d like to show my solidarity with you & wish you a speedy recovery! Ciao.
rob
Luckily you didn’t get shingles instead. From what I’ve heard they are far worse then chicken pox.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for dropping in and for your kind words. It is always interesting to hear from other teachers too.
It is also intriguing to hear that an Italian guy loves Britain – its much easier for me to understand why someone should have a love affair with Italy than it is for me to comprehend why someone should be in love with my country of origin. Britain certainly has some beautiful parts, but it is nowhere near as beautiful as Italy. At least this is what I think. I shall pop over to your blog and see if I can find out why you love the land of tea and cricket.
As for the ‘pox, the spots are going, and I’m feeling much better.
All the best,
Alex
silverneurotic,
My mum had shingles. Not at all nice. However, anyone who has had chickenpox is a candidate for catching shingles, which, as I understand it, it the reawakening of the chickenpox virus, which hangs around in your body forever. I don’t think anyone really knows what provokes an attack of shingles.
All the best,
Alex
Di,
I managed to get some other stuff – an oatmeal show gel stuff which seemed to get rid of the itching, but many thanks trying to help out.
Cheers,
Alex