Day 5 - Visit from Infectious Diseases - September 11 2011

Since I have shingles breaking through yet again, the doctor and her student from Infectious Disease wanted to get my entire varicella (chickenpox - shingles) history before they decided on any long term treatment. For those of you who have not had the shingles - count your lucky stars each and EVERY day. Shingles are quite painful and for me, can be controlled with Percocet to some degree. Amie Meditz, MD, from the UCH Division of Infectious Diseases and her student, Fellow Marci worked several hours on my issues this afternoon.

Dr. Amie Meditz and Fellow Marci

They had me detail all of the steroids I had received since my multiple myeloma diagnosis and all the calendars that I've kept really helped in that history taking department. I also showed the photos of my first shingles breakout August 9 2009 (before my multiple myeloma diagnosis).

Dr. Meditz thinks my really upset stomach from the melphalan has inhibited my body's ability to absorb the oral acyclovir and/or Valtrex I had been receiving. Hence, she wants to treat me with IV Acyclovir for at least week. She feels like the shingle lesions I have on my left thorax below my breast will quickly dry up. Once that happens, I won't have to be in isolation with the yellow gown rule for visitors and staff and confined to my hospital room only.