Chicken Pox. Pox. Pox. Pox. Pox. Pox.

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I am still healing from a semi-severe case of Chicken Pox. Yes, I have been vaccinated. What troubles me is why I was still able to catch it despite being injected with the vaccine. Maybe my immune system was running on fumes since I've had trouble sleeping the past few months.  

I found out that one of the people I hang out with, whose daughter she brought to one of our gatherings, had Chicken Pox (less than a week before the aforementioned party). I remember hugging the daughter a lot (because we are close) and even inviting several of them (people I hang out with) home to bake siopao (steamed Asian food that is very delicious). I think I even shared a glass of Coke with the daughter. 

Like clockwork, spots started coming out of my scalp after exactly two weeks. Clueless, I started scratching and picking on them. I actually thought I was just not able to wash my hair properly so I re-washed it. I even ended up popping one of the "poxes" near my ear because I thought it was just a pimple. When spots started showing on my face and lips, I literally screamed "OMG I HAVE CHICKEN POX!" Yes, I usually scream when surprised. 

I talked to the mother of that kid who had chicken pox. The party was January 25. I said I needed to know the exact date so I can tell the doctor the details of this mishap. She said her daughter had chicken pox on January 20. After reading this, my only reaction was, "Really? You brought a kid (who recently had Chicken Pox) to a party?" I kept it to myself, of course, since I am an unusually nice person. Then, I told her that I have Chicken Pox. She recanted the date and even called me to say that her daughter had Chicken Pox after January 25. So, which was it? Anyway, she ended up getting confused. So, I just let it go. No use stressing and starting a fight over it BUT I guess I got a bit irritated knowing that all this could have been prevented...or maybe not? I know I wanted someone to blame for it, and that's wrong of me. Shit happens. Chicken pox happens, and I needed all the positivity I could get for two weeks of pain. 





Anyway, I ended up having to make two trips to the ER and a one-night stay at the hospital. I think pus seemed to be coming out of the spots since I ended up with secondary infection. My throat was swollen, I think it even had spots in there as well. It felt like my tongue could not fit in my mouth. Itchy eyes that all I could do was close them and they would fill up with pus-filled tears that trickled down my face and ended up drying there. I could not really keep cleaning my cheeks for fear of hitting some of the spots. Fever spikes from 38.3 to 39.4. I was sleeping all throughout the day and night but I kept waking up every 3-4 hours because of the headaches. It was really stressful. Since I was in a lot of pain, especially my throat, I had difficulty eating and drinking water to the point that I stopped trying consuming anything. To top off the starvation was the itchiness of the Chicken Pox itself. 

The great part was the medical assistance and support Sweden provides for its inhabitants. No doubt about that. All I paid for was the medicine I had to buy after the hospitalization and during my first trip to the ER, that was it. Consultation, paracetamol, and the antibiotic they treated me intravenously with (Ekvacillin, I think) were included in the service. I had veal and blueberry soup for lunch from Kost (that's what it said on the napkins) and they were nowhere disgusting like most hospital foods are. I stayed in the infection wing of the hospital and the rooms were brilliantly constructed. The doors of each room lead almost directly to the roads outside so no person who is infected with anything bacterial needs to go through the hospital halls including the visitors of the patients. 

All that has passed, and I feel grateful for everything I experienced. Somehow, I feel renewed and stronger, and today was the first time I showered after 12 days!! I had to wait for the dried spots to fall off. Some of the scabs are still there so I was careful not to hit it with water coming directly from the shower. 

I have also started disinfecting the room and washed all the sheets. My entire face is dry but hopefully it will start to get better. 

Honestly, I was hoping it would all be over in one week. Well, at least the itchiness and being contagious was gone after 7 days, but having Chicken Pox as an adult is very difficult. 

Expect your life to stop for at least two to three weeks...or more. I had to quit school since I took up Calculus and we need to finish it in 10 weeks. Missing class for just one week is fine, but being absent for more than two weeks in 10-week classes will just not cut it. Since the class I am taking right now will not be offered until next year, I will have to wait. This Chicken Pox really came at a bad time but it is what it is.

So for everyone who has not yet gotten Chicken Pox, always drink your vitamins. Even if you have already been vaccinated, be vigilant and stay away from those who have it. On this note, I would like to mention that when I was younger, my brother also had Chicken Pox. He was in his teens and had also been vaccinated. We lived in the same house, but I did not get infected. Again, it all comes down to a strong immune system. Keep chugging down healthy food into your body as well. 

There you go, my take on Chicken Pox. 

Hopefully, what I wrote here would also give people strength in knowing that it will all get better if they have recently had it. Just ride it out. 


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