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12 February 2008

Back To School

Eliza has been home from school (and everything else) since last Monday. It started with not feeling well Sunday evening, fever Monday, sore throat along with some huge swollen lyphnodes and nice pink tonselles (and a negative Strep test) Tuesday, and "Mom, my hands are itchy. What are all these red bumps?"

My heart fell into my stomach!

First of all, I'm trying to convince myself that she doesn't have Mono by Tuesday (the curses of seeing health ailments as a nurse), so by Wednesday when the spots broke out, honestly? My very first thought was, "What if the Rapid Strep test was a false negative and now she has scarlet fever?" Not my brightest moment as a mother, but given our dealings with doctors and tests this past year, can anyone really blame me?

Besides, I knew in my heart of bleeding hearts that my baby had Chicken Pox. Yes, she had the wonderful vaccine, just like 95% of the rest of the population of children her age. She seemed more annoyed than sick, but I made the appropriate phone calls, arranged for her school work to be sent over, cancelled dance and piano for the week, and even accepted a play date. My friend wanted her daughter to be exposed. She also had had the vaccine, but she still wants to know her daughter at least was exposed, then whatever happens, happens. :) I was grateful for the playdate; Eliza was getting stirr-crazy and I was grateful for the distraction.

Lydia started in with a fever on Wednesday, and her appitite dwindled, so I was assuming her throat could have hurt. I braced myself for her plight as well, and even cancelled her 18 month check-up. I didn't want her getting more shots if she were already sick. Besides, it's not very conciderate of others to sit in a waitingroom spreading an airborne virus. I'm sure all the other patients visiting the MD that day would thank me.

AND......the vaccine lives up to it's label: if the child does get this virus, it should be a mild expression of the disease. I could probably count the pox that actually errupted on Eliza's hands and arms, 10 on her legs and toes, 1 on her cheeck, 1 on her nose, 1 on each ear. I gave her some benadryl one night because the itching was bothering her, but nothing like the itching misery and sticky, soggy, oatmeal baths that I remembered.

She is so ready to go back to school today. As for Lydia, not one Pox, so I'm not convinced it fully effected her. At least I know she's protected. No booster shots for Eliza, which is good. Any time to reduce a shot is in all our best interests. Can anyone say "Drama?"

One more thing to be grateful for...Daryl is one month post-chemo. Not only for the obvious, but if this breakout whould have happened just 4 short weeks earlier, this little episode could have been devistating. Now who's dramatic. We both suddered at the thought and breathed a sign of relief. Now? Back to life! Good thing I don't have to work tonight. I'm beat!

3 comments:

Susie J. said...

My first 3 got the shot, and I decided not to do that with Ray. I'm gonna go the Playdate route instead. Thankfully we haven't seen anything yet, but it's just a matter of time, as the years go by. Especially in public school.

Our family is currently out of commission due to the flu. Lotta good that flu shot did me, eh? We've ALL got it. Even my parents and niece, who are too sick to travel home and have spent an extra several days with us. It needs to run it's course and go away SOON.

Miss M said...

Ugh! So sorry to hear about the Pox. No fun. But, I'm happy to hear of the Lords tender mercy with the timing of it all.
miss you and much love
m

TeresaL said...

I'm glad everything is getting better! And I'm so glad they just had a mild case!!! I too remember the horrible time of chicken pox! My poor mom had 4 girls with full blown chicken pox at the same time.