May 28, 2006
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SUNDAY GOOD NEWSOkay, I know this is not what you’d especially care to think about on a
Sunday morning, but it IS incredibly good news for anyone who expects
to live beyond 60. On Friday the FDA has approved the first
vaccine to reduce the risk of shingles, called Zostavax (made by
Merck). It’s a one-timer, like the pneumonia vaccine. Shingles are incredibly painful blisters and itching
caused by the herpes zoster virus that can go on for months or
years. The virus is present in everyone who has had
chickenpox, because it remains latent in the system for years until the
immune system goes down bad for some reason and then it can flare up
again as shingles. I saw my father suffer terribly with it as he
was in his final days in the hospital with Parkinson’s disease and
Alzheimers. So this vaccine strengthens the body’s immune
response to the virus to head off an outbreak, or make it less severe
if it happens. It’s the first vaccine to be used to ease an
infection that has already occurred. It’s also the first vaccine
in 30 years intended exclusively for older people. (But just to
add a bit more good news, two other important vaccines are on board for
younger people – Menactra to prevent meningococcal meningitis, and a
cervical cancer vaccine to be out soon that will also be popular with
teenagers and young adults.) And I’ll tell you what, bright and
early Tuesday morning when I head back to work at the hospital I’m
going to email my primary care doc and tell her to sign me up for
Zostavax. Too late for my dad, not too late for me. And
even if you’re young, tell your parents, tell someone you know in that
generation about this – it could mean a lot one day. (More about chickenpox and shingles.)
Deep Thought:
“Too bad you can’t just grab a tree by the very tip-top and bend it
clear over the ground and then let her fly, because I bet you’d be
amazed at all the stuff that comes flying out.”
Today I am grateful for: Underwear.
Guess the Movie: “Can you
keep a secret? I’m trying to organize a prison break. We have to first
get out of this bar, then the hotel, then the city, and then the
country. Are you in or out?” Answer: Lost in Translation, 2003.
Winner: weightof.
Enron’s Good Fight
by Paul Rogat Loeb
“We fought the good fight,” Jeff Skilling said, standing strong after
he and “Kenny Boy” Lay were convicted of defrauding Enron stockholders.
But what an odd choice of words. I suppose Joachim von Ribbentrop and
Attila the Hun could say the same thing, but fighting to stay out of
jail is a small imperial dream. Skilling and Lay did authorize
blitzkrieg-worthy raids on West Coast utilities, where Enron traders
bragged about stealing from “grandma Millie,” and jamming their $250 a
megawatt hour power “right up her ass.” And Enron did conquer the
venerable Portland General utility, then leave it a hollow shell-I met
a woman who’d lost her entire retirement. So maybe those were the
fights Skilling referred to. But these opponents barely put up a
struggle. (Rest of article here.)
Comments (27)
Movie makes me thing Shawshank Redemption, but I highly doubt that that is it.
Good guess – think saturday night live guy.
Shingles is nasty. I had chicken pox. Never did have shingles, but the cases I’ve seen are nasty.
That is good news. Now, if I can only get a doctor….family physicians are in short supply in Ontario.
I remember my dad having a bad bout with shingles. Not something I would want. How wonderful that there is a vaccine available now!
That is good news.
Good news indeed. I’ve watched people really suffer with shingles and some never recover.
i want to say “cool hand luke” but that ain’t it, i’m pretty sure. that is so cool about the shingles vaccine. i turned 57 in april, so i appreciate the information. you have so many good bits of stuff on your site. my husband’s stepdad had shingles a few years back, and he suffered immensely. that’s very good news. ~lea
Another good guess – think Japan.
that’ll be a great thing for those who suffer from that. i remember having shingles happen to me as a kid…thankfully it didn’t last too long.
Kind of sickening that the Enron crooks quote the Bible when saying that they tried to beat the rap.
*Clapping*
That vaccine is such good news!
YAY!
One more thing I won’t have to worry about in a few years!
Sounds good they figured this out. I think I had chicken pox but Im not sure. My parents arent old yet so guess thats okay too. Kev
Shingles is very painful the older people get. Hopefully good news…
RYC: I’m so glad school is over for spleeny! Between too many sick days and too much time on the internet school was suffering. I felt like such a beast for cutting him off of the internet but it did help. He did a good job of getting it back together.
Hope you are having a nice weekend!
wow, i’m so glad you’ve posted this information – my father had terrible shingles in his final days as well. and my mother’s best friend has been plagued with it, on and off for a year now.
sounds like good news alright! thank you.
My Dad had shingles, and even after it was gone the nerves it affected bothered him for a looong time. Good news here.
I’m thankful for underwear, too.
John
Shingles is a nasty thing. I see severe cases in the hospital. And, yes, I can’t imagine being without underwear.
This is a very good thing. I tend to stay away from doctors and vaccinations but this is one I may do.
Holy s***! 60!? I had shingles when I was barely NINE (my gma was convinced it was poison ivy, because “kids don’t get shingles”). I still have the scars (not on my face, thankfully) Does the vaccine work only once, or is it good for life?
I know the movie! I know the movie! I just watched it like two days ago. Lost In Translation.
Wow I was about to give up up hope! Geronimo! Lost in Translation is it.
My mom and my husband’s uncle both had shingles and it was horrible. I had the chickenpox vaccine. I forget if I’m more or less likely to get shingles. Must talk to my doctor. I also wonder how it would go with my rheum. arthritis and the drugs I take currently to suppress my immune system. Have a great day!
My grandma had it bad, hurt for years–and my 13-year old had it four or five years ago! Mild case, as far as the relatively small area that was in pain, but the pain was intense. The doctor was so baffled HE got a second opinion. Rare in kids, but since he had chicken pox when he was less than 1 year old he was more at risk. Worse, he said he is even more likely to get it AGAIN when he is older. This is very good news.
I’ve known a couple people who had shingles(both middle aged) & they found it quite painful, so anything that can be done for it is terrific as far as I’m concerned. It’s also good news about those other vaccines. Finally the medical community is working on something besides erectile dysfunction!