SHINGLES!!!!!!!!!

So, I talked to my mom last night, and she's got an alternative hypothesis for the bite marks: they're not bite marks at all, they're shingles. What's shingles, you ask? (or perhaps you don't, but if so, then too bad)

Ok, to start, we're going to have to talk about chickenpox. Chickenpox is caused by a virus called the varicella zoster virus (sometimes abbreviated VZV). Varicella is a herpesvirus, like the viruses responsible for cold sores, infectious mononucleosis, and other not so fun things. As viruses go, herpesviruses are fairly weird, but they've got one pretty major trick: they take refuge in nerve roots where the immune system can't get at them. So they break out and make havoc for a while, then the body catches up and puts them back down again, but can't get rid of them completely. This is why, for example, chickenpox and HSV-1 (the cold sore version) are basically universal infections (though there is apparently now a vaccine for varicella, though that is very recent).

Ok, so, you've had chicken pox, and that sucked, aside from the staying home from school for two weeks part (it was second grade for me, so that was great. not so fun for my brother and sister, who had less school to miss). You did the chamomile lotion thing, the trying-not-to-scratch-even-though-they-itch-so-damned-much thing, and all that. You're good, right? You've adapted to the virus, and your body can put it down if it ever shows again.

Well, no. Or, rather, maybe. Problem is, 1) the virus is still there, and 2) your immune system might not stay the way it is forever. In fact, if you plan on living to 85 or longer, your odds are about 50-50 of keeping the beast down. (according to a different set of numbers, the lifetime risk is more like 1 in 10.)

So, you're going along, minding your own business, and something happens. We (the collective "we", the medical/science establishment [and i get to include myself in that because i index their books for them]) don't know what exactly, but definitely something. Suddenly, that little (actually, as viruses go, rather large) virus isn't such a pushover anymore, and it's got a bone to pick with you. Well, actually, a nerve. The virus breaks out from it's refuge, runs it's way up a nerve channel (often just one or two, actually), and blows it's way out and starts doing the mayhem thing again. And it hurts. Like hell. And then the chicken pox show up again. They're not quite the same as last time. This time, they're probably more of a rash, which gets blistery after a few days, and it's usually one one side of the body along a band. It might, for example, follow the course of a rib. It can show up in other places in other patterns, too, but I'm going with what I know right now.

After a few days, it's still hurting as bad or worse, and you're getting sick of not being able to do anything for the pain. Any touch or pressure at all on the affected area hurts. So you try taking a painkiller, say, an aspirin. It sort of works, but not really, because the pain is still there. Ok, let's try a different one: we've still got those horse-pill Motrins from the dentist (wisdom teeth pulled). They're about as strong as 8 regular-strength ones, severe overkill. Hmm. Let's try half of one.

Oh, good, that worked. That's reassuring. The Vicodin (still unused, still unopened) can stay in the closet. (Come to think of it, I should probably get rid of that, since I'm not planning to do anything with it.)

Anyways, back to. It's really weird that I'm getting something which appears to be shingles. It shows up most often in people over 60. While it *can* happen to anyone who's had chickenpox, it's pretty rare. It seems like periodic exposure to the virus can remind the immune system to keep up to date in being able to fight it, and a lack of exposure can increase the chance of developing shingles, which is apparently more properly called "herpes zoster". But that's another story.

So, why did I get it? Why did my sister get it a year to two ago? I dunno. There's theories that stress can activate it (like it does with cold sores), or immune suppression (it's common in immunocompromised individuals), but, really, it kind of just happens sometimes. Which is all i can say, in the end, really. It happened because it could. As it does.