Chicken Pox at 36 Years Young

It all started after the run I did last Sunday. Never mind it was done right under the afternoon hot sun, the condition of which the run was executed should not bother me as I am pretty acclimatised come rain or shine (not tested in snow).

All Weather I Am - just NOT all sickness

It was one of my usual running training. I wanted a Hill Circuits - repeating 1km up hill and downhill for 10km. But my body was feeling a bit sore, likely from some of the HIIT and Race-pace Tempo I've been doing the past few days. So, i decided to just execute the Power Hill training.

It wasn't a satisfying run due to the timing and the more than usual lethargic feeling. I put my all in every training session, committing to what I planned out to do. 6.5km in 38minutes was slower than my usual timing. I knew something was wrong. What should I do? Am I Overtraining? Should I rest for two days? 
Immediately after the run, I went to pick wifey up from her trip to 1Utama. She noticed a blister near my armpit.
"Eh, got a boil here lah", she said as she proceed to burst it.
"could be chaffing", I said. Small blisters sometimes do form and that day, i was wearing a XS running vest that belongs to wifey. It was the SCKLM vest that got mixed up in my closet.
When I got home, I noticed another boil like lesion, this time on my inner thigh, and it correspond to the usual spot I will chaff. I burst it too.
The whole day went on with me feeling nauseated and having a headache. I kept drinking water and stayed hydrated - I have a date with my parents later that night (yes, read about the Dining In The Dark, here). 
Once we were home, I noticed small bumps around my jaw line, and my scalp get uncomfortably itchy with pimple-like bumps. I then realised that it could be Chicken Pox.

Posting by Poc Poc Boy

The very next day, I went to my usual GP and he verified I had Chicken Pox as the rashes/blisters were all over my body and not in patches like Shingles. I was immediately told to stop all exercises (my GP knows i does triathlon and train on regular basis - he just has no idea about my mileage). That hit me harder than the news I have chicken pox. I was given three medication. One for the itch, one for the pain and one for the pox. The anti-histamine was the drowsy type as I felt sleepy within 15minutes of taking it, so i reserves it for night time only. The medication for the pain has not been taken yet, as so far the joint pain and headache is still very bearable. The medication for the Pox specific is interesting. I need to take this for 7 days, every 4hours, each tablets contain 800mg of acyclovir. 

7-11-3-7-11. Alarm all set.

I was given this as it is within 24-48 hours of the rash first appearing. The drugs will stop the virus from multiplying and shorten the course of the disease, drying up faster. I am given a 10days MC which effectively cancelled out all the days I've officially taken leave from work.

First MC in 13 years of working. Potential employers, take note

Today, at the time of writing, It is my 3rd day and things has turned rather nasty. My face has been covered with pockmarks and so is every part of my body imaginable (I i meant where the sun don't usually shine too) That include my mouth, gum and tongue. Now I know why they say it's more suffering in adults contracting Chicken Pox at an older age, and why it could potentially be fatal.

It get worse after the photo was taken

In fact, with calamine lotion all over my body, I could passed off as an Aboriginal Warrior. 

the original pics were taken from Google. Below is me, obviously.

Today, as you are reading this, marks the 5th day of the Pox. Technically, it should already start to dry up and i desperately need them to be so. My son is starting school next week on the 2nd January and It is "just in time" for the pox to stop being contagious. I wouldn't want half the school missing because of me.

What I learnt from this Chicken Pox

1. If you have not had any, it will happen to you. All it takes is your immune system to be weak and you are exposed to the virus. In my case, my hard training and my daughter being the propagator of the virus about 3 weeks prior to me getting it.

2. Vaccination will not prevent you from not having chicken pox. You will still have it if the conditions are all correct. 

3. The itchiness is easily controlled if you are an adult. I have very little issue with it. The Calamine doesn't really reduce the itch, it just act as a barrier and soak up any sweat/perspiration

4. The virus are easily killed with raised temperature, mild detergent and soap. Personal hygiene is important to help reduce the chances of the virus being airborne as your skin dries.

5. Tend to any broken skin with some antiseptic cream of generous amount of calamine lotion. This is to prevent secondary infection and the sore become a boil, leaving huge scars.

6. Light exercises is OK. I realised my heart rate were erratic during this period, with my resting heart rate going up almost 50% of my usual reading. It was constantly at 62bpm and that is above (way up) from my usual 40bpm.

7. Chicken Pox will appear everywhere and at all part of your body, including under your eyelid and even inside the nose. And that is me just being 13PG about the other locations.

8. It is harder to manage NOT running that to manage Chicken Pox.
Perhaps, in a bigger picture, God wants me to rest for just this once (a year). 2012 has been a good year health-wise. I look forward to what 2013 has in store for me. *staring at my GoBionic*