When my mom had shingles at the age of 70 - I read all I could about it. I talked with her and listened to her when she would be in pain. I took her to her appointments and really encouraged her to do what the doctor told her to. I also made sure she was eating and drinking water - more so than normal. I put the date on the calendar so she knew when to expect the pain to be over. She still has some pain but nothing compared to what it was. I tried humor with her also - asking her if it hurt more than childbirth. That really changed her thoughts about the shingles. It's hard but you can do this. Take a deep breathe!