For the past few days I have finally started working on the nursery.  I put it off for many weeks because I didn't want to start it too early and jinx things and also because I have not really had time.  I have had this week off work so I have had time, finally.

So far I have moved out most of the furniture (with the help of my husband of course), cleaned the room thoroughly, patched the holes in the wall, painted the trim, and painted the ceiling.  The trim is all white.  The walls will be gray.  Before you say...boring... know that the curtains will be yellow, along with a white and yellow patterned rug, and a yellow lamp.  I will have some color in there, I promise!

Tomorrow, I am hoping to start priming and maybe get on one coat of paint, unless daylight shows me that I need another coat of paint on the doors/trim.  I hope I don't need to paint that again!

On to the malady...  On NYE I noticed a small itchy rash on my neck.  When I itched it, it hurt.  I asked my husband to take a look and he said it looked like chaffing.  It was in the spot where my too tight sports bra was hitting so I assumed it chaffed on one of my walks.  I started putting N.eosporin on it and covering it up with a bandaid so that I wouldn't forget and scratch it.

Two days later it wasn't getting any better.  The rash started to form some fluid filled blister looking things in a line/cluster.  It looked totally gross.  Even my husband, who always discourages me from going to the doctor, saying that I am a hypochondriac, encouraged me to call the doctor in the morning.

When I woke up this morning, the rash didn't look any worse, but it had itched all night and now it hurt.  I decided to call the doctor (PCP) and go in for a visit, just in case.

When I got there I found that I was up to 140 lbs. (gulp), but I had heavy sneakers on and I usually measure without.  My vitals were all normal (BP was 110/70!!).  The nurse looked at the rash and made an "eeek" noise.  That didn't sound good.

Then the doctor came in and she asked me some questions about when the "rash" started and what it felt like.  She did some typing on her computer and she came back with a probable diagnosis and a not so likely one.  The probable diagnosis- shingles.  The not so probable one- some variant of a staph infection (impetigo??).  I asked her lots of questions about harm to the baby and she said that at almost 26 weeks, the baby would not be affected, but that I would be in pain.  She was hopeful that it would not spread around to the back of my neck.

She put me on a day day antiviral drug (class B) that I have to take 5 times a day.  She also gave me an antibacterial ointment (also class B) to treat an infection, if it is staph.  She cultured one of the bumps to send to the lab to test for both viral/bacterial infections.  That culture hurt like hell.  She stuck a sterile needle into one of the bumps, multiple times, to get a sample.  OUCH!

I called my OB after the appointment to let them know what is going on.  I discussed the drugs with them and they were ok with them.  I have an appointment on Tuesday.  They told me that if I start to have any cramping/contractions, bleeding, or if the baby isn't moving like normal to call them ASAP.

So yeah that is where I am tonight.  I am 2 pills in and one treatment of the ointment.  The bumps still hurt like hell.  The doctor thinks that the bumps should start to get better in about a week (if it is shingles).  They are in a bad spot, right where my sports bra hits and right where collars on shirts hit so it is hard to move around freely.  The baby seems to be moving like normal, so I am taking that as a good sign.  Keep moving, baby!!  

I am not going to complain too much because it could be always be worse.  I'll suck it up and take the pain and the meds.  This little guy is worth it all.