Cynthia Koh Instagram – It has been 10 years since my mum had shingles. Shingles had left her with hearing loss in her left ear. I can still remember her moaning about the constant burning sensation in her ears – like her ears were on fire.(1)
The body art on my ear and neck is meant to represent the pain and burning sensation felt by my mum. I’m not my mum but as her daughter and caregiver, I feel her pain. It was heartbreaking to see her suffer like that.
Even after the shingles in her ear had cleared, the left side of her face was still affected. She couldn’t fully close her eyes and the left side of her face was drooping affecting her speech. She had to undergo a year of regular physiotherapy and performed exercises at home.
Today, my mum is back to her bubbly self even though she can’t hear well in her left ear. As her daughter and caregiver, I am happy to see her back to her normal self but the shingles episode.
This is my shingles story. Don’t let it be yours.
If you have a shingles story to share, please share your story in the comments below. Please tag your story #stopshinglessg
Together, our stories can make a difference.
Did you know that over 90% of adults aged 50 and above in Singapore carry the chickenpox virus?(2) Furthermore, 1 in 3 adults will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime.(3)* However, there are ways to protect yourself against shingles.
To find out more, please visit www.stopshingles.com.
Speak to your doctor about shingles prevention before it is too late.
This is a health message brought to you by GSK
For further information, please consult your doctor
All images used in this material are for illustration purposes only
©️ 2024 GSK group of companies or its licensor
NP-SG-HZU-SMP-240017, Date of Approval: February 2024
1.Chen LK;BMC infectious diseases;2017;17;1-39. 2. Fatha N, et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2014;22:73-77. 3. CDC (US). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Prevention of Herpes Zoster.
*Based on US population data | Posted on 26/Feb/2024 09:30:36
