Critical

• Trip to the Cancer Care Clinic at Big Barnes and admitted to the hospital for observation

When I woke up this morning covered in spots, my initial thought was that I was having an allergic reaction. Were we trying a new laundry detergent? What did I have for dinner last night? However, on closer examination and based on how badly I had been feeling for a couple days.... we narrowed it down to one likely suspect... CHICKEN POX. Crap. I never had it as a kid, even though I have vivid memories of trying to catch it from a friend. And the vaccine came into use during my 20s but apparently either it didn't work for me or I never had it.

With my immune system already running on low, a virus like chicken pox could cause dangerous complications. I placed a call to the weekend on-call service and they directed me to the Cancer Care Clinic. Some of my initial bloodwork came back at critical levels, with my bone marrow likely being attacked by the virus. Crap. One of the admitting oncologists told me that chicken pox as an adult is "no bueno" and adding in my compromised immune system... we've got trouble.

So they admitted me to a negative pressure room, so that my germs don't spread to the hospital and so that the hospital germs don't spread to me. Every staff member that comes into my room has on gloves, a mask and a gown. It all just feels like a bad dream.