COLD SORES
What can be said its awful. Anyone who gets them will fully understand.
I suffered with cold sores through out my school life, they started when I was about 7 or 8 years old.
I believe I got them from my grandparents as they both suffered from them. It only takes you to have contact once and you have them for good, its in your blood as they say.
So growing up was tough, a lot of name calling and being made to feel worse about myself.
I don't even think my parents were really aware of how much it affected me. They just used to say don't touch it, wash your hands, put your cream on.
I wanted to put a bag on my head and hide most of the time.
I suffered with tonsillitis as a teen as well which just made the problem worse as I became run down and they would emerge. The thing was I got them on my nose, inside and out, as well as my mouth, so I looked as good as I felt.
Every time I was worried or excited about anything they would appear. I think they just came when they wanted to ruin an event that was due.
Every party as a teen, one or two would appear on my face, I became expert in putting make up on around them.
Boyfriends were an issue too, because you don't kiss anyone when you have them for fear of passing on the infection.
It could be tough at times, but, I did become stronger for it and tried not to let them ruin my life.
It got to the point when someone would call me a nasty name and I would turn round and say " is that all you have got, do you think I haven't heard that one before or wow that's original".
Its quite hard to do at first but the reaction is priceless, when they realise your not going to run away crying they loose interest and most of the time leave you alone.
But I am very proud of the fact that I have been with my husband for 23 years and have never passed it on to him or any of my three children. We just used to say to the kids that mummy had a sore bit and they would kiss my head to make me better.
It does seem like the end of the world when your friends don't have them and you do. But its a part of me now and usually a sign that I am feeling a bit low in myself.
It's like my body waves a big red flag to say slow down a bit.
At 43 I am finally listening and I don't seem to get them as much as I did. x x
I have also written a poem on Wattpad about this topic, if you want to take a look.
