Spoiler!

Don't click the link below unless you've finished Half-Blood Prince.

(I'm serious. If you haven't finished, turn back now.)

(Stop. Seriously. Stop.)

I adore this, and the artist who drew it. Make sure you check out her other stuff. It's wonderful.

So much for my theories

Anyone else finished with Half-Blood Prince and want to discuss?

Psychosomatic

Besides being one of my favorite English words, "psychosomatic" describes that which I'm suffering now: shingles.

I didn't know people under 50 could even get shingles, but apparently anyone who's been under increased stress (see previous post) or with a weakened immune system that has had chicken pox is susceptible.

Stress? Nah. Not me.

We had an estate sale on the family farm this past weekend, and as it turns out, my aunt who came down to help out had a case of shingles misdiagnosed as an insect bite. We rushed her to the emergency room where they diagnosed her correctly and sent her home with medicine. They told her to avoid anyone who hadn't had chicken pox. I had, so I didn't worry.

Even though most of the medical sources I've consulted say that shingles is not contagious, I've no doubt got it myself.

It started last night with an innocent itch, which by this morning had bloomed into a nice pink splotch. I called my doctor, who squeezed me in for an appointment and confirmed my suspicion.

So now I'm on a regimen of anti-viral drugs and have a follow-up in a week. The bad news is that I have all the symptoms of an infection: headache, fatigue, mild nausea. The good news? The rash hasn't spread since I took my first antiviral pill.


Wish me luck.