A trip to the Emergency department and a flipped eyelid to see if anything was lodged on the eyelid or in the eye (not fun), resulted in a prescription for antibiotics.

When you have any sort of prosthetic device it is crucial to treat an infection quickly. If a microorganism enters the body, the immune system kicks in to help defend the body against the invader. Since the prosthetic does not have its own blood supply, microorganisms can attach to the implant and rage warfare on the surrounding tissue.  An untreated primary infection could lead to osteomyelitis (bone infection), which may necessitate removal of the prosthetic.

Thanks to my ongoing stress undressing, I live my life without the fear of infection playing a starring role. This is actually the first infection I've had since my surgeries, so I was cognizant of the need to treat this in a timely manner. The last time it was thought that I had an infection, but it turned out to be a broken bone in my ankle!

As my condition wasn't improving, I was given a stronger prescription. Then my doctor surmised that I had a mild case of shingles, so I walked out with another prescription for an anti-viral. The spots which began to show up weren't oozing; they looked more like what you see on Slide 12, without the whitish part.

I thought that since I didn't have some of the symptoms common to shingles (oozing rash, extreme pain, headache, fever, chills, upset stomach), that those marks around my eye and on my scalp were insect bites. They were tender and itchy, which could also describe shingles. I wonder if that itchy, irritated swollen eye was actually the beginning of shingles and not an infection after all.

In the meantime, while at my chiropractor, the naturopath was called in - he suggested a vitamin and mineral regimen to support healing.

But since I'm on antibiotics, it's a good time to get that chipped tooth repaired! Whenever I have dental work done, I need to take a prophylactic dose of antibiotics.

Suffice to say I'm extremely grateful that this is a mild case, and that I'm almost back to looking more like myself, apart from looking like I've been caught mid-wink - my right eye is still a bit droopy. I can even go out without  having to wear sunglasses - dinner plate sized ones, at that!

My energy levels are also returning. It's amazing how the body demands sleep to help heal. I know the value of listening to my body, so I made sure to get enough sleep and rest.

This was my first experience with shingles and I hope it's my last one! If it does recur, I'll know what the symptoms are. Have you ever had shingles?

Have you entered the giveaway for a free copy of an e-book - Your Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis, courtesy of Lene Andersen? When I suggested that she do an audio or video as part of her blog tour with me, she went for it. Not an easy task if you've never done that before. Lene gets full points for courage! Please visit: #443 - A Virtual Visit and an E-Book Giveaway.