Update: Shingles - A Still-Not-Fond Look Back

 

After I posted last time, I took a trip down Memory Lane, and looked at past entries in this blog. I happened to read once again about my very unpleasant experience with shingles, and thought an update might be appropriate.

In this time of COVID-19, I've been seeing a lot of posts to social media about victims' experiences with this illness, and how there are many after-effects, even after they've "recovered." I can certainly relate to this, given my experience.

To anyone who scoffs at the seriousness of the Novel Coronavirus, or thinks that things just go back to the way they were after it's been beaten, listen up:

It's been five years since I became ill with shingles, and almost all the after-effects that I wrote about in my follow-up post a year after are still happening. They've almost become a regular part of my life by now, but every once in a while I notice them, and it reminds me all over again.

First, I should mention my feelings of isolation and loneliness during that period. During these multiple COVID-19 lockdowns, I've noticed very little change in my own lifestyle, and it took a re-reading of the original post to remind me that I couldn't go anywhere, that is, I couldn't even step outside, as opposed to the situation now, where I can come and go as I please, as long as I practice physical distancing, and wear a proper mask in stores, on public transit, etc. Those who catch COVID are in the same boat as I was, and the isolation must be terrible.

To their credit, in these times, many businesses have stepped up, offering home delivery for many everyday items. Due to the various lockdowns, I've had to order several things online recently (as mentioned in my last entry), for later pickup at the store, or delivery when necessary. This may well become a permanent service offered by most businesses, but there was no such service five years ago, and I am fortunate to have had friends who helped me out. Being totally isolated affected even a "loner" like me! So I can only imagine what it's like for other, more "sociable," folks.

But physical effects are still there, also. The entire left side of my face was affected by the illness, and that's where I still notice them.

Occasionally, looking in the mirror, I see that my left eyelid droops a bit, and if I try to widen both eyes, the left one won't open as wide as the right.

There is still a periodic itching in my left eye, but it's worse with my left nostril. It will still sometimes itch so intensely that several rubs or scratches don't ease it. Also, especially in winter, there's a slight discharge from that eye during the night, which I don't notice until morning, when there's a bit of crusting in the lashes and at the edges. It only recently occurred to me that the shingles is probably the cause, since this doesn't happen with my right eye at all.

There is still a numbness in my left cheek and left upper lip. I've become inured somewhat to feeling less sensation when I shave that part of my face, but I can't help noticing it now and then. There's also some slight scarring on the upper lip, not unlike that left by acne, presumably from where the blisters and scabs were. But again, it's only something I notice occasionally.

I'm also convinced that the muscles around the left side of my mouth have been affected, especially since I see my own face online so much these days. I don't think my smile was always that lopsided - certainly hope not! I guess anyone who's seen my face in the past several years has gotten used to it, but it sure threw me for a loop when I first noticed it.

In other words, I believe that there was enough damage to the nerves in the left side of my face as a result of the illness that some muscular control has been lost, probably forever.

The one thing that has cleared up, though, is the weird tingling or prickling sensation I used to get in that area, even a year after. I haven't noticed that for a long time. So, progress there, at least!

My point here is that, with a viral disease like shingles or COVID, even though you're nominally "cured," there are still effects that linger. I may never be rid of these symptoms, and so it is with survivors of the Novel Coronavirus - only many of them are much worse off than me.

My hope in posting this is that we can all have a little better understanding of this phenomenon, and show more empathy towards those who have recovered, those who are still suffering, and certainly, those who have lost friends or family to this modern plague.

Yes, It's Been A While

 

Hello again!

I'm back, after quite a long hiatus. I guess I don't need to add my voice to all the rest who say what an unusual year 2020 was!

I've missed all the usual events that I post to this blog about: Bach Walk (sadly missed again this year), Nuit Blanche (fingers crossed that'll happen this year), and several others.

I'll only mention that I've been relatively lucky in relation to many others who have faced so many difficulties this past year: parents of school-age children, the elderly in long-term care homes, those in the service industry, and so many more.

I live on my own, and am able, with very little trouble, to work full-time from home. In terms of getting out and about, walking has always been something I've enjoyed for exercise - which should be pretty obvious if you've followed me on this blog at all!

I've missed getting out to musical concerts, or relaxing in a coffee shop with a book or my tablet for company. With vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus coming soon, I hope to be back to those types of activities again.

You will recall that I'm a member of the Toronto Welsh Male Voice Choir. We haven't had a concert for a year now; our last one was in celebration of St. David's Day, on March 1st of 2020. Lockdowns started shortly after, and the vast majority of us haven't seen each other in person since. As many of you probably do, we've been meeting - and, recently started rehearsing again - on the Zoom platform. Not the same as being there, as you will agree, and it has its quirks, but it's been a lifeline for many of us.

We've also been able to post some videos to our recently created YouTube channel, and are currently working on some "virtual" performances. It's almost more work than rehearsing in person, but it certainly helps maintain a feeling of community and camaraderie.

Oh, one other advantage of this otherwise unfortunate situation - I don't spend as much (well, any, really) money on eating out, concerts, coffee shops and so on, and so have been able to buy a few new things. I've replaced my camera and smartphone, and got a better chair for my computer desk here. Might as well take advantage while I can!

As mentioned, I've been getting out for plenty of walks in the last year. I've certainly become more familiar with the lanes in the neighbourhood - as have many of my neighbours! (It's been kind of sweet to see people having to move at the pace of their children, or their dogs. I hope it helps them see the world with the same curiosity and wonder!)

I enjoy walks along the waterfront of this city as much as ever, and a few weeks ago, I got out to the Woodbine beach area, and took some pictures with that new camera I mentioned.

As you walk along Lake Shore East, around Coxwell, you can't miss Ashbridges Bay, and its marina. Here's a view south, towards the lake, of the frozen water (curiously enough, with a rock or two on the surface!), and the Lions Club building:

Looking north towards Lake Shore East, you can see that there is still moving, unfrozen water in the bay.

Skating not advised!

Moving on to the beach itself, you can see the dunes they've installed since there was a flood here a few summers ago (there are entries in this blog that make reference to that). It was pretty serious here - the whole lake's level rose, and much of this area was under water. These dunes were put here to keep that from happening again. They're also mini-conservation areas; as you see, they're fenced off to allow native plant species to grow.

There are several breakwaters along here now, which will be seen in several of the following pictures. Here, I liked how a wall of ice had formed at the shore, unlike at other parts of the beach. Yes, at lower right, standing out against the grey surroundings, is a tennis ball, probably left behind when someone's dog couldn't - or didn't want to - retrieve it!

I wanted to get a longer view of the shore here, with a view in the distance of another natural reclamation area. There's no ice along the shoreline here, possibly because the tide is stronger, and keeps ice from forming.

For these next two pics, I was fascinated by the coating of ice on each of the rocks and pieces of concrete. Couldn't help thinking of glazed donuts!

Here, the ice is very thick on the rocks and pier, probably because, as you can see, the tide is much stronger. People were letting their kids were play on some of these, sliding on the thick ice. Looked kind of fun - as long as you were really careful.

A display of art by Mother Nature, on some of the outer breakwaters, with cascades of ice, frozen in place. I used the zoom to get a better view of the ice formations, as well as the surf crashing against the rocks.

More "glazed-donut" effects on this group of rocks. You could almost walk out to them on the gravelly surface. Just to the right of this pic (out of frame), someone had set up a camera on a tripod, perhaps to get a "time-lapse" effect of the tides, or of the setting sun? They weren't around to ask!

Another shot of the breakwaters farther out in the water (without zoom), once again, with the water crashing against them.

It was interesting walking along in the sand this time of year. In summer, it shifts under your feet, making it a little difficult to walk steadily. This time of year, the whole ground felt more solid, and made for a pleasanter walk. This rock, though a fair distance in-shore, was still coated in ice, some of it thick enough yet to be transparent.

There was a strong west wind that afternoon. which made for very powerful waves (and yes, pretty cold for picture-taking). The beach here also had no ice because of the movement of the water.

I was glad to get out to the beach during the winter. It brought back fond memories of my walk through Tommy Thompson Park a few years back. It was also just as cold!

I walked home from here; once out of the wind, I got warmed up, and was ready for something to eat. I eagerly await the day when I can simply go into a restaurant once again, and sit down for a nice meal.

I've enjoyed making a new entry here, and can't wait to get out more, and make more entries, once this health crisis has passed. With the variants that we're seeing now in the virus, it's once again uncertain when that'll happen. I'm hopeful for a "new normal" in the future, where we're all a little wiser for the experience.