Quarantined

Oy Vey… First – if you see us out and about – Don’t judge me; just simply steer clear. It’s not like we’ll be walking around spreading SARS… And I can guarantee you we won’t be licking people or spitting on them. But if I run out of milk, you can bet your life the girls and I will be at Safeway picking some up.

Over the course of last week we spent a few brief hours with one of our little friends who has, come to find out, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease {virus}. Poor thing she is really suffering. Her diagnosis came over the weekend after suffering what seemed like the world’s worst bout of teething for 3 or 4 days. A Saturday afternoon ER visit confirmed her refusal to eat or drink was the result of several painful mouth and throat lesions caused by Hand Foot and Mouth. Our exposure to our suffering buddy was limited and the chances of the virus being passed to my girls slim, but there was still a chance. What are you going to do? If you have kids, they are going to find germs. No matter how thick you think the bubble you have around them is... They-Will-Find-Germs! That coupled with the fact that my friend had no idea that her daughter was sick… Kids, get sick, we don’t always know until it’s too late.

So after this limited exposure I had to have a conversation with myself. Grace in all likelihood has already had Hand, Foot and Mouth. Back in August 2008, we were home in Western Massachusetts and Grace had a play date with a child who was getting over Hand Foot and Mouth. A week later we were in the ER with Grace trying to determine what was wrong and if we could fly back home. The diagnosis was “It could be…” If in fact Grace had Hand Foot and Mouth it is unlikely she will catch it again. It’s a virus after all. Once you’ve had it, you have the antibodies… But, with the way viruses mutate and with so many different strains of these viruses floating around out there… Never say never! So Grace was probably okay but Lil..., I was pregnant with Lily when Grace’s “possible” infection occurred. Lily could still get sick. I was about to start babysitting this week for a little boy. Should I tell his parents; “FYI – My kids are healthy at the moment but they were exposed to hand Foot and Mouth Disease this week.”??? I thought that was just foolish, no need to panic anyone.

Monday my new charge arrived with instructions that the poor little guy had a fever from teething and would need to be kept comfortable with Tylenol. He was in a fair amount of discomfort and it could be a rough day in a new place with the teething and all. It was rough, but it could have been worse. Today when he arrived I am told that even though he did not nap here all day yesterday he did not sleep well at all that night. To add to his increasing teething discomfort he now had a diaper rash {which was attributed to teething} Truth-be-told the rash looked frighteningly familiar, but I dismissed it. The day wore on today with increased discomfort for my poor little buddy and by afternoon his pain was not longer managed by medicine. After closer examination of the ear he’d been tugging on I noticed the same bumps {rash} on his ear that adorned his bottom. So with fingers crossed and breath held I took hold of his feet and peeked at the soles with squinted eyes and gritted teeth. Bumps and blisters. NOOOOOOOOOO! A quick call to his mom and his parents were on their way. No need to rush topick him up... If it is what I think it is, it’s too late for my girls…. By 4:30pm his parents were here to take him to the evening Urgent care and by 5:30pm the diagnosis was confirmed. It’s Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease with lesions in his mouth and throat explaining his mouth pain and drooling. Poor baby! Apparently Arizona is in the midst of a Hand, Foot and Mouth epidemic. Woo Hoo!

So now, the girls and I are here in the house avoiding contact with our friends, praying that Grace has already had this and does not get it again and Lily is somehow spared; though… with the way that she is a sippy cup thief and had out little friend’s cup on several occasions the last two days and with her being my Pica baby and all {everything in the mouth!!} I’m pretty sure that within 3 – 7 days we’ll be trying to sooth poor Lula’s pain. "CRAP!" So now I am no longer stuck in the house babysitting, but I’m stuck in the house waiting. Waiting and praying that we all stay healthy.

Before the quarantine took place “officially” I snuck the kids over to the pool for an after dinner swim. I told Grace that we had germs on us and the chlorine in the pool would wash them away. NEVER TELL A THREE YEAR OLD ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT REPEATED PUBLICLY! She told a stranger at the pool who asked “Are you taking an after dinner swim?” -- “No, we’re just here washing the germs off.” Oops! That was embarrassing. Now on to figuring out how to disinfect 2200sq feet of germ infested house…