Shingles Update

Announcement of Shingles

Don't let the jingle-y-sing-song name fool you, shingles makes you feel like you want to die.  And it's not just the constant itching and severe pain either, it's the depression as well.  Which, when that happened I did not know was connected to the shingles, I just thought I was losing it completely.  I was crying all day, I was so mad about everything and jittery, too.  All day.  Then I get online later to look up something else about shingles and there it is, under the symptoms: Depression.  I was so excited because that meant that I wasn't going crazy.  Always nice to find out. 

I spend at least half the day every day in bed because I'm so exhausted.  This is normal.  Even going down the stairs sometimes makes me breathe hard.  I take a ten minute shower and have to lay in bed for 45 minutes to make up for it!  That's pretty much the reason for the lack of posting when I thought I would be able to do more being home 'sick'.  I ran out of food yesterday (and toilet paper!) so I had to go the store, just had to.  Looking back, I don't know how I made it.  I was okay as long as I was moving, but as soon as I stopped I felt like crashing to the floor - so I would kneel down for a few minutes and try to regain some strength to go on.  Sounds so dramatic. 

One of the things that has gotten me through this is the memorizing of Bible verses.  I was going to read James, my very favorite, but my mom suggested that I read Philippians because she felt that in some ways that it paralleled what I am going through (really, what everyone is going through all the time). 

I've memorized verses before that have helped me through a history of severe migraines - 4 - 8 hours of pain and nausea carefully and as much as possible ignored by reciting Psalm 23 and the children's prayer 'now I lay me down to sleep'.  (Thankfully, the docs think that I might have 'outgrown' the migraines, haven't had one in over two years!)!
For this week, I have so much enjoyed memorizing Philippians 4:4-9.  As follows

Rejoice in the Lord always!  I say again, rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. 
Whatever you have learned or received, heard from me or seen in me, put these into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you.

That was from memory, so it's slightly different from the link but still dang good if I do say so. 
I'm so comforted by those words.  And also by the fact that my big handsome Royal Marine Commando let's me know that he's praying for me, something I'm so blessed by.
Off to bed I go. 

Comments

[Pat]

Kath i am so sorry you have the dreaded shingles and hope you make a speedy recovery. I'm glad you find solace in reading the bible. I find it in prayer and really must start reading the bible again. Ours seem to be such small print but the next time I'm in book shop...
You really are going through the mill. Chin up!

[Goalie]

Your "dramatic" part certainly seemed so! Wished I could have helped; wish I knew someone there who could help. And then came your reminder that there _is_ Someone we both know who can help.

How excellent that you seek comfort in Him; how funny that you mentioned James!

I went to a Bible study on James last night and had a lesson from the previous weekend hammered back in.

On Sunday mornings, I pick up my 92-year-old friend for the drive to church. Last week, I expressed my frustration with a situation and said I didn't know what to do. *You praise God. You praise Him for the situation; you praise Him for His plan. You just praise him.*

"No, no; you don't understand..." I thought. But what can I be going through that she may have missed in her nine decades?

So I praised God for the situation...and it was rectified that afternoon.

I got whiny yesterday afternoon while mowing the lawn, then decided to praise Him. For the grass (which reminded me of a Holocaust survivor's book I'm reading, and her lack of grass, etc.). For the dead bird I mowed around, because there are so many more live ones. And then the rest of the lawn wasn't so bad.

Then came last night's study on James and the whole *Consider it pure joy when you face many trials...* Consider it...? How do you do that? Last night, I caught on that the practical application is the praising God bit.

Your first Philippians verse said, essentially, the same thing. Praise God. Good reminder. Thank you for hitting it from a different angle!

And again, hang in there!

[Kath]

Hi Pat! Prayer is an amazing thing - and I have to give credit for not breaking down!
Goalie, that's about it isn't it?! Very much like my Mom always says - 'in everything give thanks'
:o)

[armywifetoddlermom]

shingles are dangerous and painful...

when they are healed, ask the Dr. about capsacian cream...

prayers said...

[Goalie]

Is it bad that my comment was about as big as your post? Hmm.

[Kath]

AWTM: I will certainly do that, thank you for your support :o)
Goalie: Haha, nope not at all

[Citizen Grim]

Philippians is one of the best books of the Bible - so much good stuff packed in to just a few short chapters.

Romans 8 is another good one.

The only long bits I've ever memorized are Ps 23 (of course), Ps 46, Hebrews 11, John 1:1-14, and Isaiah 6:1-8.

Unfortunately, I'm probably pretty sloppy on most of those now... :P