I actually am scared of it. Right now, it could either blind me or kill me. Or first one, then the other and vice versa. I've been walking on eggshells with it for the past five days, and I still have about 16 to go. Yeah...

If you're wondering, I'm sure you are. I got vaccinated against smallpox last Friday, and since then, I've been unable to touch my left shoulder without running to wash my hands. I can't even wash that section of my arm, I have to cover it with a plastic bag and tape it up. It takes forever to do one-handed.

Right now, it looks like a boil, and it's all pussy (that's full of pus, I hope). And it itches so bad. I'm really just posting to try to take my mind off the itching. It's not working, since I keep saying the word "itch".

Uh... you're seeing the dr right? Or is it supposed to do all of that? O_o

I can't recall getting vaccinated for small pox. If I have it was when I was really little and I don't remember it at all.

Well, there hasn't been a natural (contracted outside of a lab setting) case of smallpox in the world since 1972, and they stopped vaccinating in 1977. The age of vaccination used to be 18, so I doubt much anyone here has had it (they would have to be at least 49).

It is supposed to do all that, and soon, it will start "leaking" then scab over and fall off. That's when I'm allowed to stop being scared of it.

As far as the right arm goes (I forgot to mention it), I got typhoid and anthrax vaccinations in it at the same time. I'm not sure if you can call a bacterial injection a vaccination, but that's what I'm calling the anthrax one. I guess immunization would be a better word.

That one hurts only for a few days, though. It swelled up and bruised. I've still got a knot in the muscle there, but it should be gone soon. Unfortunately, the anthrax immunization was the first in a series of 6. I have to go back next week for the next, and I hear the pain of each increases until the third or fourth.

That sounds delicious AND lovely! :smirk

yeah, my brother-in-law had to go through the same thing. ah the joys of the military.

i think i would be like you, going nuts.

I've got it handled with constant concentration on playing games. But I want my arms amputated from time to time. The worst is when I'm outside smoking with no bandage on. The wind exacerbates the itchiness terribly.

Yeah for military life. I'm almost willing to risk the chance of being in a biological attack rather than have these immunizations.

i had those cocktail shots in the marines but i dont recall any itching. maybe back then (90) we didnt get the small pox part?
i do recall the shot we got in the buttcheek hurting for like a week!

well, bring on the anthrax then. that sounds much better than a little suffering for your long-term benefit.

i never had the vaccinations you're talking about so i can't really say anything in particular about them, but i hate itching. it's almost worse than being in pain. i hope it doesn't itch for 3 weeks, that would be terrible. :dead

but in the meantime, enjoy lost odyssey. i heard it was long and kind of generic, but it had a couple of good storyline moments.

incredibly long cut scenes = more time for scratching! :smirk

i thought smallpox had been wiped out? why are they immunizing you?
needles are my worst fear, i couldnt do all those injections

small pox in the general population yes. but in laboratories, no.
chemical weapon threats.

the shots they gave us, two of them were these huge guns with like 8 needles! one set in each arm. then one painful syringe in the bottom.

You mean where they shot you, it's all disgusting and stuff? I don't get it... I remember getting the one for the "oreillon" and it did swell a bit but there was never puss involve...

by immunizing you basically arent they putting the weakened virus into your body?
couldnt this be spread to people around you or am i misunderstanding this?

The anthrax is a good vaccination, but I shudder to think of five more of them. The itching is supposed to go on until the scab falls off (and after, but then I can scratch it). I'm nearly done with Lost Odyssey, but there are a crapload of sidequests that make me wonder how much of my weekend it will eat up.

Yeah, it's in case I come under attack by biological agents. It's not unlikely that someone got some samples from one of the germ warfare labs (I think, officially, only the US and Russia still test with it).

Why, yes, yes I can, and that's the main reason my arm scares me. I leave it unbandaged while alone because it dries up and scabs faster that way. It's most contagious when it starts "weeping" pus, which is the phase I just entered. I can spread it to myself, basically if the abrasion site comes into contact with an open orifice or any sort of pre-existing rash. Getting it in my eyes could blind me, and I've had some scares where I wake up in the night with my arm covering my forehead.

The virus they use is called vaccinia, and I think it's some type of cowpox. It won't kill but 1 in several million of the people it comes in contact with, but it's still not a very fun thing to have. I've only got to worry about spreading it to my roommate, really.

jag can what you are oozing effect animals?

Yeah, cats mainly, but dogs too. Especially if they have any sort of skin disease or immune deficiency. I don't have any pets, though.

that is some scary 5hit man.
take care with it bro.

Ew! I hate needles and I don't think I'd have the nerve to not be paranoid about everything. D:

Best of luck Jag. *shudders in the corner*

is it not a danger to random members of the public or are you quarantined?

Everyone's fine as long as I:
A) Wash my hands regularly, especially after touching or bandaging the site. AND...
B) Always cover it with a bandage and/or sleeve.

Basically, physical contact of another person with the abrasion site is the only way to spread it. Even then, they can wash it off as long as the contact wasn't with an orifice or open wound/rash.

Yikes, Jag! That is sooooo gross! :eek I feel so bad for you! :(
I'm kind of used to needles though, because I've had my blood drawn so many times...

i understand

lol. jag i thought of you during dark sector with the infected arm :lol

as the main character also has an infected arm...

Whoo! The scab finally fell off in the shower this morning! Well... it fell off once before, but what was under was highly disturbing, and another grew to take its place.

I think this time it's gone for good, as the skin underneath was smooth and unbroken this time. Although there is a goodly sized crater in my arm now. I'll just tell people that was where I got shot while on deployment.

So for close to six weeks, this thing made me deathly afraid of a part of my own body, itched and burned like fire for the better part of a month, and generally made me wish I'd never joined the military. I can't say I miss it.

sounds awesome :) but i'm glad it fell off, i hate itching.

Glad it's gone, it sounds horrible.

Good to hear all is well.

Sweet! Excuse me while I barf. :dead lol

Glad to hear it's all gone!
Glad to hear everythin's ok.

im so looking forward to any jabs i have now :)
and im ever joining the military