Wherein I Contract an Ancient Disease

[wolfie]

Now that you remind me, I literally cannot remember the last time I got sick and puked... (snip) I know I've done it since, but can't remember when or where....

Considering there are single sources which can contribute to both puking and not being able to remember when or where, that's understandable.

[Argabarga]

Yeah, except there's one little problem with that, I don't drink...... so, somehow, my memory is failing me WITHOUT a go-to excuse..... this wont' end well....

[csquared]

They say your memory is the second thing to go.


I forgot what was the first...

[Monterey Jack]

Now that you remind me, I literally cannot remember the last time I got sick and puked...

The last time I vomited was probably around...1987? '88? Even almost thirty years later, I remember how vile the sensation was, and have an absolute phobia of repeating it, which is probably a big part of the reason why I don't drink (well, that and I hate the taste of alcohol).

[manybellsdown]

I am absolutely terrified of getting shingles.

Yes, I did have chicken pox.

OK, it was a chicken pock.

Yes, one. One measly thing, when my nieces and nephews had it a billion years ago.

*sigh*

Not that this is going to make you feel better but ... I have an anomalous reaction to the virus where I don't get a rash. So for 35 years of my life, I just thought I was naturally immune to chicken pox. I taught preschoolers that got it, my brother got it, I (apparently) never did.

And then I got shingles at 35. ALSO without getting a rash. And in my eye. Fun!

[Becks]

And then I got shingles at 35. ALSO without getting a rash. And in my eye. Fun!

*comforting pats* there, there™

[DGoddessChardonnay]

While I don't recall actually having chicken pox as a kid (it just got jumbled in with other illnesses), I do recall going to what, in retrospect, was a blatant "chicken pox party" in our neighborhood.

IIRC, those started becoming "in vogue" back in the 1990's. I had chicken pox back in 1980 (right after my 11th birthday) and missed almost 2 weeks of school due to it. Never heard of parties for that back then.

My brother, who was 5 1/2 then caught it at the same time I did (Grandma was babysitting for a friend of Mom's and it turned out the friend's little boy had just come in contact w/it a day or two before but had no symptoms when he stayed with us) My brother had it mild (to our Mom's relief, b/c anything that happens to a special needs kid is TEN times worse than for a quote, unquote "normal" kid) while I had the worst of it.

Not only did we buy up all the calamine lotion we could find (which really didn't help much), but Aveeno bath treatment was something that saved me from clawing my skin off (my Dad keeps that stuff around to this day due to being deathly allergic to poison oak). I enjoyed even then a long, warm bath but with that stuff, I'd spend all day in the tub soaking. And if we'd had room in the bathroom to have a small tv in there, I would have.

So yeah, no vaccine but so far haven't had it since. I haven't had Shingles either, but after seeing both my Mom and aunt have it, I know I don't want that.

And I can't get the vaccine until I'm 60 - according to my family Doctor. I asked last fall when I went for my annual physical b/c I'd wrote down on the sheet I wanted more info on both the shingles and pneumonia vaccines.

So now I have to wait until I'm 60 for shingle shot and 65 for pneumonia.

[EricKei]

Would have been circa 1980 for me (by cracky!), and having the pox parties was considered normal/unworthy of commentary at the time. I'm sure I got the pox as a result, I just don't recall it. Then again, I don't recall me or my brother getting Viral Meningitis simultaneously at around the same age, either -- apparently, they had to put IV's into our feet to keep us from getting dehydrated o_O Don't ask me about the logic on that one; all I can presume was that the oral method wasn't working.

[Cia]

I am absolutely terrified of getting shingles.

Yes, I did have chicken pox.

OK, it was a chicken pock.

Yes, one. One measly thing, when my nieces and nephews had it a billion years ago.

*sigh*

You might be able to contract chicken pox again. With such a light case you might not have built up an immunity.

My daughter contracted the chicken pox three times. First time was five small spots, second time was three large spots, third time was all over. This was over the course of about four months.

[vikingchyk]

So yeah, no vaccine but so far haven't had it since. I haven't had Shingles either, but after seeing both my Mom and aunt have it, I know I don't want that.

And I can't get the vaccine until I'm 60 - according to my family Doctor. I asked last fall when I went for my annual physical b/c I'd wrote down on the sheet I wanted more info on both the shingles and pneumonia vaccines.

So now I have to wait until I'm 60 for shingle shot and 65 for pneumonia.

That is such BS - if you want the shingles shot, and are willing to pay for it, and there isn't anything else going on health-wise that advises against it, they should give it to you! Younger people can get shingles, especially due to stress, or if they don't get a "booster" by being around kids who have it (so having a vaccine for kids now may be what is dooming more middle age/older people to get shingles - that's my theory, anyway ) I think I was 43 when I got shingles

And you can get a shot that covers some strains of pnuemonia - I had one a few years ago, and last fall got the Prevnar one, which is meant for people over 50.

[Bardmaiden]

Aside: I saw on the news last night there are now mumps outbreaks at several universities, like Harvard They think it is due to ineffective vaccine.

Mumps is the one my partner is worried about, he never had it as a kid and the innoculation wasn't available then.

I've had mumps, chicken pox and whooping cough but not measles (but have been vaccinated against it)

[laborcat]

So now I have to wait until I'm 60 for shingle shot and 65 for pneumonia.

I got a pneumonia shot several years ago. I'm 43 now, so I'm confused as to why you have to wait. I got a shingles rash about the same time so I'm sure that shot isn't necessary.

[Ironclad Alibi]

They say your memory is the second thing to go.

I forgot what was the first...

The first thing to go is why your memory is the second. You really don't want to know what the first thing to go was. Neither do I.

[Gilhelmi]

When I joined, we were all lined up and sent down a hallway with nurses stationed on each side with needle guns... That was fun. All vaxxed now! And then, 6 at a time, by gender, we leaned over a gurney, pulled down our pants to expose a hip/buttock and got our first " peanut butter" shot. I think I'm good for a while, lol

When I joined the Army, I was able to dodge half of the rounds fired by using the power of DOCUMENTATION!!!

My mother is a devote Christian woman who believe the Lord our God sent Doctors and scientist to help improve peoples lives. Also, she worked for the Hospital and got a discount on vaccines for our family. So before college, I had a half-dozen different vaccines.

Even today, I still keep my tetanus vaccine up-to-date (Tdap specifically). I work in a machine shop, I cut myself on metal all the time.

[laborcat]

So, Gaki, how are you feeling?