Chicken POX

Anyone else have em?? Me and my four grandkids all have chicken pox... I didnt get a notice from the school about an outbrake, so maybe we are it. Heck I'm 56 years old I dont need chicken pox... I guess I thought if I have'nt had it yet I would'nt get it, but according to the school nurse, its a myth that you cant get them more than once.

Was just wondering if anyone else in the area has it?

Viv

Viv, so sorry you're going through this!! My daughter, who lives in Maple Valley, has Shingles - her son may now get chicken pox because he is of course exposed to her.

How are you feeling? Are you pretty sick, itchy, etc.? My heart goes out to you.

Viv,

I think it's unusual to get chickenpox more than once, but it's not uncommon for the virus to reappear as shingles (usually in adults) and it can happen over and over again -- fun, huh? It's related to the herpes virus, and like that one it stays dormant in the body of anyone who's been infected just waiting to take advantage.

Hope you get over your "second-childhood" quickly and with as little discomfort as possible!

My oldest daughter had shingles when she was 40, my youngest (who has it now) is 39. I found this to be rather strange. I suspect I could easily have an outbreak of it as well - I have a number of times had a weird sensation, part pain - part itch, on the skin around my midriff. But nothing has ever happened. My dad has had shingles. Do yo think the tendency to have it could run in a family?

I sure hope not Murmur, but it sounds possible from what you've written! My grandfather had it, but not until he was in his 80's. His was bad enough in one arm that he took some major pain-killers for weeks or months, and when it finally calmed down he had lost a good deal of muscle in that arm. Never did get it as functional as the other one.

Shingles seems to be opportunistic and I think it most likely shows up in people who have a weak immune system for one reason or another. Maybe looking into a good immune-boosting regimen will help you avoid problems?

Very good idea, MzWeazelle!! My oldest had it in her ear and was treated for an ear infection until she developed Bell's Palsy from the pressure on the nerve. She never full recovered - just a slight dropping of one eye and that side of her mouth. She was under great stress at the time.

The youngest hasn't a clue why she would have gotten it (so often it does seem to be triggered by stress), but she is quite overweight and probably does not have a strong immune system.

Viv, I sure didn't meant to sidetrack this thread - please take care of yourself and keep us posted!!!!!

OOh! Nasty to have chicken pox as an adult. Hope you can get relief from the itching and, as the doctor says, don't scratch!! Wonder if Airborne would help you kick it faster? It sure seems to shorten the course of any viruses anyone around here picks up.

I've been doing airborne, and zicam, I'm not to itchy... and just a few bumps are painful... I surely do not want shingles... I've heard they are very painful.. none of us have had any fevers, I do have a slight caugh. This is my first time with them.. all my children had it when they were young.. and the grandkids had it a few years back.. or what we thought was chicken pox... but it was'nt alot of little blisters then, only several larger blister spots... maybe this is a real deal.. who knows.. I just want them to go away with little effort. Anyways.. we'er all stuck in the house for a few days. Thanks for the well wishes.... take care

Viv

Odd thing about chickenpox -- some people report that the severity of the symptoms alternates from light to heavy. If they were infected by someone with a light case, they got it bad, and visa-versa. I suppose it's just coincidental, but I've heard it more than once.

Aw Viv, that's too bad. I think chicken pox is one of the illnesses you're not supposed to take aspirin with so do be careful there. Get well soon.

Thinking of your and yours today, Viv - I'm sure you're all snuggled in with the cold we are experiencing in our part of the country. At least it's too cold to be wishing you were outside gardening!! I have a lot of crispy looking little plants.

Sure pretty, though.

Take very good care of yourself!!!

Yeah, I've got a bunch of limp, and slimy wilted plants to cut back too... I'm taking care, actualy I'm feeling pretty good.. just a little yucky. Made up my batch of fruitcakes... got them curing in the fridge, and making the rest of the fruit breads for the holidays... keeping busy inside for awhile..

ya'll take care too.... thanks for the thoughts


Viv

You make fruitcake??? I am in awe! Glad you aren't feeling too sick.

I love fruitcake and everyone I know makes fun of it as a gift. I looked at a small piece of it at the grocery yesterday and it was the size of 2 cupcakes and was over 5 bucks! Keep the tradition alive you wonderful people who make fruitcake.

yes I make fruitcake,, and its good!!!!!! YUMMY, do you like fruitcake ?

I'm over the pox, just a few little red marks left, never got really sick at all.

Sofer: I know the cost is awful,, thats why I started making my own, I figure the cost of making it is about 1/3. And I like it so much, I hated spending that much. The one I make has lots of nuts, and only cherries and pineapple, and some dates as fruit.. I dont like the citron. Then I dribble some brandy, and rum on it for a few weeks... mmmmm mmmm ...

Viv

Viv, I'd love to have your recipe, if you don't mind sharing. I love a good fruitcake, but like everyone else I think they're way too expensive to buy!

you got it...

1 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pound Brazil nuts
1 pound chopped walnuts
1 pound pecan halves
1 pound red candied cherries
1 pound green candied cherries
2 pounds pitted dates
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9x5 inch loaf pans, line them with parchment paper, and grease the paper.
Beat eggs, salt and vanilla together until very light and lemon colored. Add sugar, 1 cup of the flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder. Put brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, red and green cherries into a large bowl. Dust with the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Then add the egg and sugar mixture. This is a very stiff mixture. Mix with hands.
Press into 3 - 9x5 inch loaf pans which you have lined with parchment paper and have greased both pan and paper. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
I cut 1lb. of dates and put 1lb of dried or candied pineapple.. and I cook for only 45 mins, but your oven may not cook the same as mine.. I've also used macidamia nuts too, black walnuts,,, I just throw in what I like.. LOL


good cooking

Viv

Thanks Viv! Since we moved I've gotten a lot more interested in cooking, canning, etc., even though there are still just the two of us to feed. Your recipe sounds like a winner, or at least a very good place to start. :-)


Edited here:

Oops! I looked again and noticed you left out some ingredients! What happened to the "sauce"?????

This message was edited Nov 3, 2006 5:24 PM

Hey maybe I'll try to make one! I do love fruitcake. Where's the pineapple?

the sause is any flavor brandy, or rum,, or whatever you want to dribble on it...


the pineapple is candied or dried, I replace 1lb of the dates with it...

Vizz, i have never baked fruit cakes, what you are doing with them after you baked them?
Where do yo keep them?

Other topic: immune system boosting: don't rely on airborne, this stuff is not good.
Get echinacea in capsules and vitamin C (1000) and every time when you are around some sick person take immediately two capsules of echnacea and 1000 mg of vitamin C (if you don't have diarea from big dosage of vitamin C). Then continue for several days with one capsule of echinacea and 500 mg of vitamin C. You can add garlic (if it's OK with you and your family), just cut clove in small pieces and swallow with water before dinner.
My daughter is a student in pharmacy school, this is a recipe that her alternative medicine teacher gave. He told that he has a bottle with echinacea in his car, office, home, pocket and take it as soon as he has some contact with any sick person.

oh the memories you brought up with this thread!!!! One winter my oldest daughter came home with the red dots..next thing I knew I had 4 children ages 8-3 with red dots!!! The youngest was the last to get it, woke up on Christmas morning with bubbles so big on her scalp and under arms that they burst when i picked her up to console her! YUKKY!! She had a miserable Christmas that year. So sorry about you and the grandchildren....can't imagine if I had gotten it at the same time as the kids! hope your feeling better!

I'm happy to report that we are all well spots are almost all gone.

What I do with the fruitcake is dribble about 1/4 cup of brandy or rum,, your choice, and wrap in parchment paper and foil, and put it in the fridge for a week, turning it two or three times.. then dribble more in a week, return to fridge.. repeat for two or three weeks... then eat..

You can eat it without the rum, no need to cure if you dont want it. It can be eaten right away. Keep it in the freezer if you want to save it for a long time.. but it will keep in the fridge forever...LOL

vizz8, does fruitcake prevent Chicken Pox Herpes and Shingles? wow!!! that must be good fruitcake.

LOL works for me....


Viv

I think that anything that make you happy and fulfilled that contains Vit C will cure anything. Much like laughter fruitcake heals the soul. I love my fruitcake cold and spread thick with butter. And a glass of milk. AHHHHHHH.

Soferdig, how in the world do you get a glass of milk to spread on fruitcake???

put it in a churn and pound on it.

Tricky fellow.

Vizz - your recipe is quite similar to my great - grandmother's: lots of nuts/fruits with little "cake". She specified Brandy as the "soak" and I remember while being very young that my mom would have me join her in the kitchen to help pour the Brandy. She did this for 8 - 10 weeks, but always made sure the Brandy was still good to use!
I did not get a taste of the Brandy, which I thought was strange - she made me taste EVERYTHING at least once.
So I got even & went for the Vanilla extract instead...by the tablespoonful! It was a pleasant introduction to the warming qualities of alcohol for a 5 year old. I have since moved on to other flavours. :O)

Mmmmm. It all sounds so good! I remember getting these fuitcakes from Texas every year for Christmas. I don't remember the brand, but we always received several and they stayed in the freezer all year, and then were just as good the next year. There is something unsettling about the fact that they were still really good after an entire year in the freezer. But it never stopped me from eating them.

www.collinstreet.com ???

Vanilla smells so much better than it tastes. I love the smell. I use apricot brandy, and dark rum. u mmmm ummm good.

Viv

I don't know. The tins were red, and they had a cowboy on a horse on the front. He twirled a lasso. I frequently wondered what this had to do with fruitcake.

I won't touch that comment with a 10 foot pole!

... or a 20 foot German. :-)

LOL!!!!!!

HEE HEE HEE!!

I just saw this thread and had to reply about the Texas fruit cakes. I live just 30 minutes from the bakery that makes them! We go to the bakery and get the ones that are declared seconds for a little bit less. They are still good, just a broken pecan or something similar. There is no telling how many cakes they make each year.

Prayers for all a good night.

All the pecans are broken by the time I get through with them -- what difference would that make to the quality?!?! Lucky person to live so close. :-)