This is a week that just might go down in history. And not for good reason. When we last met, you may recall I shared that Joshua took a turn into the sick department on Sunday evening following his birthday party. And as the night went on, and night turned into day on Monday, I realized that we weren't dealing with an overload of Frankenstein cupcakes. An email that we had received from the school nurse on Friday said that there had been an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in the preschool classes. And I have to admit that when I read it I actually thought to myself, "Phew. Glad we missed that one." I felt exactly the same way last year when we heard about the head lice epidemic. Well, I believe I "phewed" too soon.
Joshua didn't seem to have the tell tale ulcers and blisters in his mouth that would indicate hand, foot and mouth, but he was screaming in agony any time anything would touch his mouth. Included would be any liquid of any kind. So, thus began a whole entire week of Tylenol, Motrin and coaxing to get him to at least drink something. He was fevered, miserable...and a HOT MESS. I considered it great success when he ate a bowl of ice cream for supper on Monday evening. And a popsicle. Anything wet.
When Wednesday rolled around and things weren't looking up, I decided I would make him an appointment at the pediatrician's office. In my "experience" as a mom, I have calmed down slightly about rushing to the doctor's office at the first sign of a sniffle. But we had been working this program for a few days and I feared there might be more to it. One look into his mouth and the nurse practitioner said, "Oh Mom, he's got strep." At which point I felt like a real jerk for making him wait it out so long. She did a strep culture but sent us on our way with antibiotics because she was so sure that was the culprit. And since Lauren was at home with a 102 fever saying her throat hurt, she said once we had a positive strep test for Josh, she'd call something in for Lauren as well. I suddenly felt better that we could at least give him something to help him get better.
Until Thursday morning when I called for the strep test results and was told they were negative. Scrap the antibiotic. Pour that $18 down the drain. And continue to treat the hand, foot and mouth virus (code for: "there's nothing you can do to help your child feel better other than to wait it out") with Tylenol and wait for it to run its course. 7-10 days. Awesome. And you KNOW I was calculating out another 2 weeks with Lauren just seeming to be at the beginning stages of it. Wouldn't you know, just to mock the $65 I had just spent on the sick visit + whatever the strep culture is going to run me, Joshua started with visible blisters on his feet that evening.
So, Joshua had a whole week off of school this week, but is finally starting to perk up a bit today. He has eaten a little more, is drinking well and I think (I pray) will be able to resume normal activity tomorrow as a non-contagious member of society.
As for Lauren, she seems to be teetering on the edge of whether she has it or not. She has a rash on her bottom, but no other blisters, and doesn't seem to be letting any pain in her mouth (if she has any) interfere with snacking. That's my girl.
Oh yeah, and in the midst of this on Tuesday, I found out I failed my 3 hour glucose test and now have to go on the gestational diabetes diet. Talk about torture for a pregnant lady in her last trimester of her last ever pregnancy. Now you're going to take away my food? Around the holidays? Is there no justice? So I'm now on a low carb mission (my strategy has been to eliminate just about everything good) and so far I've managed to keep my carb intake to just about what it should be. I meet with the dietician on Monday and will find out more at that point about what I should and shouldn't be eating. And then I'll begin blood sugar testing to see if my own self-imposed dietary restrictions are doing what they need to to keep me and the baby in safe ranges. On a good note, this will probably help with the weight loss struggle I am sure to have on the back end of this pregnancy if I take 11 weeks of gaining away. But it is oh so sad.
After all of this terribly depressing news, I will share two pictures from Thursday evening. Joshua and Lauren were cracking up at the Charlie Brown Halloween special. They hadn't done much smiling all week, so it was camera worthy.
And now, with the first snow fall of the year about to begin, I can only hope that a fresh coating of snow will kill any remaining germs in the air and get us back to a regular routine next week. And is it too much to ask that this snow be the worst one we see all winter? 8-10 inches forecasted here today. I'm just hoping that I'm not completely homebound with no contact from the outside (and really I mean grown-up) world after the baby comes. And with an early January baby, I'm pretty sure I'm out of luck there. But here's to hoping.
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