We Survived the Plague

The past week has been hard. So hard. Comparable to having a newborn just arrived home, while the dad and toddler are also sick, mom is recovering, and there's nobody else to help.

It wasn't even a big deal, really: just Hand, Mouth and Foot disease. Writing "just" in front of it makes me bristle a bit though. It is a simple-enough coxsackie virus, very beautiful under the microscope. Once you got it there's nothing you can do but endure, but it has no long term repercussions. It should be simple, right?

Well, what it did to us was "simple" as well if you look at each symptom, but the cumulation brought us into Armageddon. Here's the aftermath.

Zombie-Plagued Face Award

Out of all of us, Gaius had the best zombie-looking rash on his face: bumps on his chin, around the mouth and one surprising one on his left eyelid.

He also sported some mild bumps on feet and hands and other parts, but those were barely noticeable and didn't seem to bother him. He alternated between extremely mellow feverish days, and days when he tried really hard to be his own happy self. Almost no eating due to the sores in his mouth for 9 days, but he happily nursed which we were so thankful for!
And by happily nursed, we mean every hour, day and night, with fever and coughing fits. Guess how both parents were feeling...

Green-Vision Award

Greg had multiple feverish nights and a sore throat that limited him to a Pedialyte-only diet for multiple days. Sluggish, exhausted and with surreal moments like seeing everything around him in green. He was quite serious about it, he kept asking me why everything looks green in the main room - are the Hue lights acting up? I took that as my cue to take Gaius out of his arms, and send him to take a nap while I stay with the kids.

Survival in a Famine Award

Mara was unable to eat anything for the first four days. She tried Pedialyte a few times in sips. She kindly attempted bites of her favorite foods: pasta, rice, pouches, watermelon, yogurt, cottage cheese. They all caused too much pain. Only trace amounts of pear juice made it in every now and then.

The result: 98% chance of exhausted crying, 100% "hold me" or else she would turn into a flat gound-cover toddler with no chance for action. We couldn't blame her: she had no sustenance, her mouth was absolutely full of sores and hurting madly.

After four days of this we found the one thing she could eat: lightly melted vanilla ice cream! Quarts of it.

After three days of ice cream meals, and a week of symptoms, we were telling her that we think she'll get better soon:

Mommy:

Do you know what is helping you get healthier?
Mara, with giant explanatory eyes, emphatically nodding to further add importance to her response:

Ice cream.

Multi-Affliction Cocktail Award

Elena started early with a hellish night of an ear infection, started antibiotics, then caught the virus as well, plus who knows what else. Sluggish, extremely tired, muscle pain and a sore throat that she had to ignore because she had to eat for Gaius's sake.

Mara chillin' in the stroller in style.

In truth, she was a mollusk of a baby because of starvation/dehydration. The only way she would accept to come in the stroller outside was with sunglasses because her eyes were too sensitive to light. This week marked the only time Mara has ever said 'No' to a trip to the farm.

Gaius on a happy day.

We'll spare you the zombie-faced photos, but can provide those upon request for a high enough bribe. 

Happy to be finally better.

Time to start cooking!

Bottom line: yes, it's usually a mild affliction with no permanent repercussions; but our advice is to avoid it at all costs. Wash your hands.