On April 6th 2026, I underwent a bilateral tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Although the recovery was hard, I made it through the worst of it. Unfortunately, just four weeks post op, I was diagnosed with mouth and throat (oral) shingles. This is an incredibly painful condition in which the nerves in my gums, mouth and throat feel constantly raw and exposed. I have blisters all over the inside of my mouth and on the tongue that are also very painful. Eating is nearly impossible and I’ve been doing my best to keep down at least a protein shake or two a day along with the medications and antivirals I’ve been prescribed by my medical care team. They believe my surgery led to my immune system being oppressed, thus triggering the chickenpox virus that laid dormant in my nerves since I was vaccinated as a child.
Due to the unexpected and unfortunate circumstances and nature of how this happened, I have found myself in a financial crisis. I was expecting to return fully to work after two weeks post op, and I did return briefly to unfortunately be taken out of work again by shingles. I am in excruciating pain but I’m hoping to get back to work as soon as possible. It would mean the world to me if anyone is willing/able to help me during this difficult time so I can maintain my booth rent at work and afford to continue living regularly while purchasing medications and taking time to recover. If you cannot donate, I still appreciate kind words and any support offered in any way. Thank you ❤️
