La Russa has shingles - ouch!

[El Supremo]

ST. LOUIS (AP)—St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has been diagnosed with shingles and was having tests Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic, and it was uncertain when he would return to the team.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said he waiting to talk with La Russa for an update on the condition. St. Louis started a series at Chicago on Tuesday night.

Bench coach Joe Pettini will run the Cardinals while La Russa is away. The 66-year-old La Russa is in his 16th season as St. Louis manager.

Pettini said La Russa’s condition reached a point where something had to be done....

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-cardinals-larussa

I'm not looking forward to getting that at all. I had a big case of chicken pox when I was about 6.

[madinmaryland]

1. Why do you expect to get it???

My best friend got it over 20 years ago when he was in his late 20's. He hung himself last summer. nt

[El Supremo]

2. You don't get shingles until you are about 60.

You sure he got it?

[madinmaryland]

3. Yes.

And it left a nasty scar on his forehead. We were very close friends at the time, and he would not bullshit about it. It is unusual for those younger than sixty, but it does happen.

Unfortunately I cannot go back and ask him.

[joeybee12]

6. That sucks...way too young...

My parents both got theirs in their late 70's...that's more common.

[Auggie]

7. Shingles explained:

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus "sleeps" (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But a person with a shingles rash can spread chickenpox to another person who hasn't had chickenpox and who hasn't gotten the chickenpox vaccine.

LINK: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingles-topic-overview

My dad has it. Aside from the pain, severe outbreaks can lead to mental anguish, depression, and in some cases suicide. Sorry to hear about your friend, Mad.

[TZ]

8. Yes. This is why the people who think having a "chicken pox party"

to make their kids get it early are actually potentially hurting a lot of people...including possibly themselves. You can get shingles from chickenpox sufferers as well Auggie. The shingles vaccine is generally only recommended for people over 60 though. Its not yet the most reliable vaccine. The more people are vaccinated though, the less we will see shingles as the vaccine conferrs immunity without allowing the virus to invade the tissues or nerve endings.

[Auggie]

9. Chicken pox party??? WTF!!!

I hadn't heard of that. Oh, wow... those clueless, shelfish, stupid people!

:grr:

[TZ]

10. Many people have bought into a myth that having the actual disease

is better for you than having the vaccine. Its truly depressing how many people think vaccines are worse than the disease itself.

[elleng]

4. There's an innoculation against it.

EVERYONE should obtain, imo.

[wilt the stilt]

5. I had a case when I was in my mid forties-unbeleievably sick

I had a sore in my ear and I thought it was a pimple. The next day I went to the Doctor because I felt really bad. Over the next week I lost probably 15 lbs. I was so sick I couldn't get out of bed. It affects half your body(right down the middle) and it is the same virus that is the chicken pox except it invades your nervous system. I was taking an anti-viral medicine and I guess it helped. Half my face was numb for 2 years and there is always a chance I can get it again.
I ended up taking steroids to help in the healing process. I feel for laRussa.