Share This Article
Hello Mountain Home, it’s been awhile since we’ve had a chat about the happenings of your smallest local newspaper.
As some of you may have noticed, last week saw a decline in published articles by yours truly and I feel that I should explain why. The biggest struggling in starting a small business on your own, is the limitations that come with being one person.
You always need an extra pair of hands to do some work, or an extra duplicate of yourself to be in multiple places at one time. That need is amplified when you get sick.
At the beginning of last week, after suffering what I thought was a migraine from a sinus infection for the whole weekend, my wife discovered a peculiar rash on the top of my scalp. As that rash continued to spread down to my forehead and temple, so too did the intensity of the headache that I was suffering from.
The rash prompted us to visit my doctor, who determined that I was having an outbreak of the Shingles virus. My doctor prescribed me medication and sent me home. Sadly, I would not be able to keep that medicine down, and the shingles rash quickly enveloped my right eye, creating several ulcers on my cornea.
The pain was immense, and resulted in me losing a good portion of vision in my eye (I am writing this while using my left eye, my right eye is still incredibly blurry and light sensitive despite the anti-viral eye drops I’ve been using). Eventually, several vessels in my eye burst, resulting in a trip to the ER. The crew at Baxter Health were incredible and took care of me.
I’ve been recovering at home again since that visit and seeing an ophthalmologist several times now to monitor the condition of my eye. Not much can be done with my eye until I complete my round of antiviral medication.
So, where does this leave the Mountain Home Observer this week? For in-depth features stories: in limbo, until I’ve recovered enough to drive and write for longer periods of time again. For this week, you can expect to see the usual submitted stories and the occasional written one from Alison, if she has time to break away from her other full-time job as a web designer.
I wish I had the energy to continue to work full steam ahead, but I do not. It’s hard for me to admit that. I pray to be back in the office and fully working again by next week.
In the meantime, if you haven’t had the chance to wish Baxter County a happy birthday, please do! We’re 150 years old as of last week. And for those looking for something fun to do this weekend, please go enjoy the Mountain Home Symphony at the Sheid this Palm Sunday. The Symphony has a wonderful line up of Spring and Easter themed music this year and they sound great! I should know, I watched them practice before I got sick.
Until I’m back in the hot seat, please be well. Take care of yourselves and enjoy good health while it’s with you.
Be writing for you soon,
Chris Fulton
