Chickenpox: The Nightmare
It was Monday afternoon when the blisters started to show on my skin. At first, they only looked like red spots like pimples. Without me noticing it, their numbers were multiplied in a matter of few hours. At night, I was sick again.
Three kinds of medicine were prescribed to me:
- Acyclovir – this is an anti-viral tablet. According to my doctor, chickenpox is a virus and not being caused by bacteria. Therefore, a person with this illness should not be taking antibiotic. As far as my head could recollect, illnesses caused by bacteria can be cured by antibiotics. However, for viral infections, it is our body which will fight the illness. Antivirals will only aid in preventing the virus to spread more.
There are several brands of acyclovir. The one prescribed to me was Herpex, 800 mg, P128.50 per tab at Mercury Drug. This was to be taken 4 times a day for a week. In one day, I would be consuming more than P500.00 for this medicine.
2. Antihistamine - for itchiness. To be taken once a day at bedtime for one week. P25.50 each at Mercury Drug.
3. Conzace – multivitamins. To help my body fight the disease. To be taken once a day for 30 days. P12.60 each at Mercury Drug.
Tuesday morning was the beginning of a much worse nightmare. My face and body were already filled with blisters of different sizes. They were itchy and I had to force myself not to scratch any of them to prevent future scars. My thighs, legs and arms had a few but they were noticeable still. 
How it started.
Two weeks ago, I went home to Laguna to celebrate my mom’s birthday. At that time, my 8-year old nephew was on his 3rd day of having chickenpox. Just so not to spoil mom’s birthday, we pretended no one was sick. We moved around each other in a normal way. Besides Josh was already feeling awkward about his condition. The following day, I went back to Manila.
That was what I told my doctor when she asked me how I could have possibly gotten it. I thought it was impossible as it has been two weeks since then. But then doc said that those two weeks was my “incubation period”. No wonder my brothers, my dad, sis-in-law and cousin also got this darn chickenpox!
This.is.a.terrible.nightmare.
February 11, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Yep having the pox is horrible to anyone who had it, young and old alike. Besides the meds, it’s also important to hydrate oneself since the vesicles contain the water in our bodies that they take out from the circulation. And somehow, it dehydrates the infected person. I remember I was given a medication na gusto kong isumpa kasi sobrang naging pruritic yung vesicles. Grabe!
February 11, 2011 at 4:06 pm
thanks sis. super frustrated ako. isip ko pa yung magiging itsura after.
February 12, 2011 at 2:52 am
kaya pala wala akong failed audit kasi SL ka.
LOL
get well soon jem! be praying for you, dear…
February 12, 2011 at 10:52 pm
haha. fail-finder ba ko? ndi naman po..nagkakataon lang.
yeah, will be back in a few days. thanks thanks.
February 14, 2011 at 4:05 am
I feel your chickenpox nightmare. I once had it when I was 7 years old and at that time I was really sick and para akong naging statue na ayaw gumalaw.
I hope you’ll feel better soon. Just try to keep yourself from scratching much.