You know just questions I think about. One I ask myself all the time is..What is the worst feeling in the world?
I used to think it was sitting down on a freezing cold toilet seat. However I know a feeling that is much worse. It's the feeling of getting a cold sore. It was far worse in high school, because I used to get teased so bad for having "mouth herpes" people thought I was disgusting, and they thought if that sat by me they would catch it. It really made me so incredibly embarrassed. I would try and cover my cold sore in make up, which only makes it look far worse. In high school I think I was so embarrassed to even have cold sores, that I didn't want to admit they were there. I wouldn't ask for help or advice. I just lived with it. That is the stupidest thing you can possibly do.
I usually get a cold sores about once a year. I get them when the weather changes to being really cold. Somewhere during the first month of snowfall they always appear. Today I woke up with a little tingle on my lip. My first thought was that my lips are chapped, and it's just dry skin. I went to work and about an hour in I felt the bump. The dreaded bump. I knew that it was a cold sore forming. About 2 years ago I named my cold sore, his name is Lupert. The theory was I wouldn't be as embarrassed to talk about it or to tell people "Lupert is visitng" and the truth is. It made it a LOT less embarrassing. Everyone at work was like, "Oh I see Lupert is still here" or "Is Lupert dining with us today?" It turned into a joke instead of something I was so ashamed of.
Regardless of the fact that my cold sore has a name, I still don't really like it at all when Lupert decides to visit. Since I was at work I knew I'd have to wait till i get home to start my cold sore rituals to make sure that I kill Lupert as fast as possible. But about an hour into the work day I could tell he was getting bigger and more painful by the minute. I called my mom. My mom is awesome - she suffers from cold sores too. I told her Lupert was trying to make an appearance and within a few short hours she was at my work with a whole cold sore kit. She even brought me a xanax so I wouldn't stress about it and fuel the fire for Lupert to grow. She really is an incredible mom.
I was using my phone as a mirror to take a phot and see how Lupert was doing. The good news is that as you can tell in the top photos - Lupert isn't too big yet. I think that means that I caught him in time. I am really embarrassed to show you the bottom photos, but hey we're all being open here. . . right? You can see my lip get totally swollen, and it's just a throbbing pain. I am hoping the valtrex will get rid of him before he blisters. Fingers crossed please!
My kit has naproxen for the pain, xanax for the stress (yes, I am a worrier), numbing creme also for the pain, and valtrex to kill Lupert, Abreva to help aid in the murder. Plus some energy because we all need energy.
Also. I have a very supportive husband. :) Thankfully he isn't creeped out by Lupert, and understands what a cold sore is like.
Have you ever had a cold sore? What do you do to ensure that they don't last??
