Our next module of the MA has been postponed. Apparently the professor's passport with the Brasilian visa stamped in it has gone missing in the mail. Some how this had to happen to someone somewhere along the way in this process. It's such a typical story in this kind of situation, one that I myself experienced during my preparations to move down here. Documents getting lost in the mail. Se la vi! This is why I liked that extra chore of driving to Chicago back in the day. My paranoia got the better of me. I'm feeling rather indifferent to the fact that I have an extra two weeks to accomplish the homework and finish reading the last chapter of the book. Life goes on. It's just adding to my procrastination habit.

Yes, indeed, I have shingles. Now I am stuck at home for 7 days taking antivirals, B vitamins, putting compresses on my back.... I hate not working. On the upside, I'll now have lots of time to do all that reading for my MA, which thank goodness I am not even behind in yet! However it remains to be seen if all the adults in my class have had chicken pox yet, and if they have not, then I will probably not be able to complete the course. Being out the money for the course, plus for medicine, plus not knowing what is going on in my classroom for a whole week - ug I hate this!

I started itching last Wednesday. Just a typical itchy spot. Then it got redder. Then it got bigger. Then it got little blisters. Then it spread to other points on my back. Then some of the blisters turn red and scabby and really gross looking. It started to burn and pulse painfully. I spent most of Sunday trying to dry out the blisters with a salt paste and got salt all over the house as a consequence. Now tomorrow morning I am going to try to emergency squeeze myself in between some patients at the dermatologist to see if what ever this is is 1) contagious and 2) something that can be treated. I'm a little more concerned about #1 right now, since it looks distinctly like Chicken Pox. But I had chicken pox when I was like... 5 or something. I still have the scars. I remember it, sort of. I was already at work for 2 weeks, 3 days worth of it itching - I hope none of my kids get it.

In other news, I have just returned from my first MA course, to be completed in the next two weeks. I have to type discussion notes for two chapters and read an additional article by tomorrow. I'm glad I at least already read the chapters - that helps.