Shingles

well, it's official. Cully has shingles. What are shingles, you ask? well, if you have had chicken pox, then you also have the ability to have shingles. Here is a concise description of this lovely condition: http://www.shinglesinfo.com/what-is-shingles.html?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=SH03Y.

Now, why it is called shingles I do not know. It doesn't look like shingles to me. However, my definition of shingles comes from my father who was in the Airforce. There is a lovely snack called SOS or "s***-on-a-shingle" that they served in the airforce, that we actually ate growing up and which I quite liked. It is creamed, chipped beef on a piece of whole wheat toast. The whole wheat toast being the "shingle". Anyhoo, what Cully has looks nothing like that. Here is the fun part. Saturday is when Cully first started complaining about this rash. I had my brother-in-law take a look at it and he said "hmmm, exzema." so I didn't do anything. However, by Sunday the rash was developing blisters. Monday was a holiday and a perfect day for re-painting kitchens, which is what I did, so it wasn't until Tuesday that I actually looked up on the internet, while at work, and realized "whoa! Cully could have an infectious disease!" So I called my husband and told him he needed to take Cully to the dermatologist. Then I called the High School. Here's an intereseting snippet: the High School nurse is only there once a week! That is not very useful when you have a son that might be harboring an infectious disease.
I kindly told the secretary that I believed my son might have an infectious rash and could she please send him home. I'm not exactly sure how that played out but I imagine it went something like this:
Secretary: (using the school intercom system) "Cully Seifert report to the office immediately. Do not touch anyone or anything, do not pass GO, do not collect $200."

I have no explanation for why I don't think through things sometimes but this was one of those times.

Anyway, after Cully was diagnosed with Shingles and given some medicine to take (this only eleviates the symptoms, there is no cure), the doctor told him to go back to school! Yes, you read correctly. Even though Shingles is contagious to anyone that has not yet had the chicken pox. You can imagine my astonishment. Here is the best part though. Cully had an orthodontist appointment yesterday, that same day, right after school got out. Imagine the Secretary's pleasure when I called her later that day and asked her to send a note to my son that he needed to hurry home right after school for a doctor's appointment. Here is how that conversation played out:

Secretary: "Isn't that the son that you said has an infectious rash?
Me: "yes"
Secretary: "the one you took out of school this morning?"
Me: "yes, but he went back to school. Can you please send him the message?"
Secretary" (pregnant pause) "So what is it that you think he has?"
Me: "Shingles. Thank you for your help. Remember, tell him he needs to RUSH home as his appointment is at 2:30"
Secretary: "UH-HUH, OK"

Cully later told me that he was embarassed in class. Apparently, as soon as his teacher got the noter from the office, he asked Cully to sit separately, away from the rest of the class until the bell rang.

Good Times.

Thanks to his Mom.