It Could Be Worse, It Could Be The Swine Flu.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Before I had kids, I remember hearing from everyone what little germ mongers they are. I grew up in a household of four and I must have somehow forgotten that kids will carry and pass on anything and everything, because for some reason I didn't believe people when they said that someone in this house will be sick 90 percent of the time once the little man starts nursery school. Well, they were right and I was wrong, and I swear a week doesn't go by when we aren't passing something around this house. What I can not begin to understand is why my little man is usually okay with dealing the common cold, a stomach flu here and there, and sometimes even the flu, flu  (the one not related to the pigs) up until (and like clockwork) we are about to go on vacation. Truly, it never fails. Whether it is just Mom and Dad going away, or the entire family, something in his little immune system decides that this is the perfect time to go to shit. Every "real" sickness that he has ever had occurs a few days before we leave. I don't think I time has gone by when we weren't questioning our decision to leave the country. I thought this time we might actually get away with a stress free departure, school was over and my little man had no sign of the sniffles, no green buggs, and no cough. Clearly, I was counting my chickens before they hatched.

Enter Monday.

Monday the LM began to complain that his mouth hurt. He was pointing to his back molars and after a quick Google search I was assured that there was no way he was getting new teeth. Things got worse throughout the day, and after he refused to eat dinner I began to get concerned. My husband assured me that he probably just bit his cheek or had a cancker sore, and we let it go. Tuesday, he was still very much not himself and after an entire day of not drinking, eating, or really sleeping I began to get concerned. I called the pediatrician and after speaking with a nurse I became convinced that he had an ear infection. He was refusing his binki (his one and only love in life) and even turned down a trip to the candy store. This is when I knew that we were dealing with some serious business. Again last night we had a rough night and I was so happy when we woke up this morning that I had scheduled a doctor appointment for first thing today. I was on the way in and began to describe the symptoms to my bestie. "Sounds like he might have hand, mouth and foot disease,"she said. "I know someone who's kid just had it."

Hand, Mouth, and Foot..... whhhhaatttt? Not only does that sound like something a farm animal would get, I vaguely remember hearing about this when my sisters were little and when it was mentioned the parents would scamper like someone just said the "L" word.... lice. Ewww...

I pulled over to the side of the road (yes, I signed Oprah's no phone zone) and played doctor Sherlock Holmes. The symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease are:
  • Painful blisters in the throat. Yep, we've definitely got that one.
  • Fever. Check
  • Rash on hands, feet, belly, and bum. A quick once over and I quickly realized that he in fact did not just have diaper rash, and while I don't usually look at his palms or the bottom of his feet I began to kick myself for not seeing the dozens of red bumps. Check, check, check.
  • Refusal to eat, drink, or sleep. Yes, they've got us there.
  • Serious fussiness and overall moodiness. Yes, Yes, Yes!
The Internet said there is no cure and basically it has to run its course. I thought about cancelling the trip to the doctor but since we were literally in the parking lot I figured what was the harm of a quick check up before we leave the country. The doc gave us a few tricks to ease the pain, and basically told me that there is a mini epidemic of this going around Boston right now (I know you all are just dying to visit after hearing that) but, that it is just a virus that kids pass on and we should be fine to go on our trip by Saturday.  I pretty much have to keep him on contamination lock down until then, but he said it's probably better that we are leaving because there will be less of a chance that he could spread this around. (Contrary to popular belief this isn't really spread by going barefoot, or in the sandbox just by contact with other children.) 

So that's it. We wait it out, keep him happy and medicated, and count the days until it goes away. Adults don't really get it, so that's a bonus but we definitely have some more sleepless nights ahead of us. That and quite a few more ice cream dinners. 

Really, it could be worse, it could be the swine flu.... Well, I'm sure he's just saving that one for the next trip. 


12 comments :

Lou said...

Awww poor LM - my son had it and gave it to me! It's milder in adults but still I was a tad indignant when the blisters came. I hope he feels better soon, Lou x

Lou said...

Hi - sorry just read back and you said adults don't get it! Really I didn't mean to alarm you with my comment! It's really rare in adults; I was unlucky and my doctor said he'd only seen a few adult cases! Huh, just my luck. x

Vicki @ Grams Made It said...

Ezra had this last month. It turned out to be no big deal in she was well in just 3-4 days. Hope LM does as well and you have a great vacation.

nmaha said...

I agree with you about the timing thing..happens eeeeeevrytime

Lilian said...

I haz a sad for LM:)This is probably no help, but that bug goes away pretty fast. My son's strain of it was out in 2 days or so. Happy vacay!

Anonymous said...

So your kid has a contagious disease that can eveolve into mini epidemic status, and you take him not only into another country, but into a crowded airport, and stick him in a plane with 150 other people all touching the same things?

Not very responsible in my opinion. Sounds like you're more interested in your vacation than preventing your kid from spreading his illness to other unsuspecting people.

You give parents a bad name.

Robin M Anderson said...

Anon, to CLARIFY it I'd no more contegeous than the common cold and he will be better by the weekend. I can assure you that he is not spreading a disease throught an the entire world, but I appreciate that you think my 35 pound child has that kind of power. I'm sure you have never traveled with a cold yourself (actually I'm sure you just don't travel) and I am so appreciative that you are so much better than the rest of the population. Thank you fo showing me the light. We will absolutely cancel our trip immediately and will try to enter an infectious disease lab asap. Yes, I give parents a bad name, thank you again for teaching me how to do it!!! Have fun at work... Must suck to be so bored that you have to make up stories in your head and then share them with my readers.

Jo said...

i heard that this was floating around the DC area as well, about 2 weeks ago. Glad that he's feeling better today. He'll prob be fine by the time you arrive in CR.

Anonymous said...

Well, when you use the words 'mini epidemic', it is a tad bit more dramatic than 'common cold' isn't it?

How you can surmise that I never travel, are better than the rest of the population, or are bored at work to make up stories is beyond me.

I guess you like lobbing insults at anyone who takes the time to read your ramblings.

The Mommy said...

HFM is going around Whistler daycare right now. My daughter isn't in daycare but most of her friends are at least a few days/week so we've been on the lookout for changes in her overall health. So far just a regular cold...and we're going on a road trip this weekend! Oy.

Oh, and "Anon" - it's just HFM, didn't you read the post? No one is going to die and most kids get it at some point anyway. Maybe you should give up the ugly habit of bashing YM, I'd reckon that spreading such hatred around does far more damage to this world than a couple of blisters on hands and feet.

Enjoy your vacay, YM!!

Jodi said...

That sounds like absolute HELL. If we waited for our small children to be symptom free we would literally never leave the house EVER. Whenever I get too comfy and have thoughts about #3 wham the next school scourge is in the midst. We still have not gotten to the mom can relax faze. My kids are coming up on 2.5 yrs now. When exactly did that happen for you guys?

Style Souk said...

Oh my goodness, this is the most peculiar thing...

I, too, was the child that ruined every family holiday!

My immune system was relatively robust and hardy until three days before family vacation and then - kapow - I would fall victim to some strange and deliciously exotic illness.

It may reassure you to know that I did, eventually, grow out of it... ;0)

Sarah x