Coxsackie virus, better known as hand, food and mouth disease -
NO, not.. HOOF and Mouth disease (that's what farm animals get),
is the DEVIL.
This sneaky bastard is crazy contagious in daycare settings, particularly in infant rooms.
(Yay)
My little guy is the "sick kid", the one who gets all the crap the daycare sends home warning you they might have been exposed to
Yeah, he's that kid.
So - the first time he got Coxsackie sucked. Daycare called me and said I had to come get him - I had no idea what I was in for. He was laying in his crib with his eyes half open crying and pitiful and sweaty and just plain sad.
I freaked out so bad I was scared to leave the daycare cause I had never seen him like this.
I immediately called the Ped - and they said - oh yeah it's Coxsackie and all you can do is give him ibuprofen for the fever and the pain.
Oh, and by the way - he's been contagious already for a few days.
Yeah, that's how this freakin things works... you get it, and you're contagious and THEN 3 - 4 days later is when it actually shows up with syptoms which are high fever, severe lethargy - (i never knew what that looked like until this thing and let me tell you it's SCARY) and then they get a rash on their hands and feet and body which is painful to the touch.
Yeah, it's a real gem.
So, we explained to Katie that she couldn't touch anything Ben touched until we sanitzed it, and my amazing little 3 year old actually listened. We kept them separate - cleaned everything and right when he started to feel better - Katie got it.
Hers was more mild - a fever for half a day and she was tired, but that's it. The rash showed up but it didn't seem to bother her much at all.
When they both were finally feeling better - we were more than happy to have that fing thing out of our house because it was AWFUL. You can't go anywhere or do anything and you can't really help them feel better and it's just miserable.
Well, that was 2 months ago and Saturday it started all over again with Benny having a much worse reaction this time. Severe lethargy for 2 whole days, high fever, irritability (who can blame him) and no appetite. This time, we thought maybe we were in the clear as they are separate all day long and Katie and I were out of state over the weekend. I came home and bleached everything, spray sanitized and Lysol wiped every surface the kids touch.
It has ruined 3 birthday parties for us that we can't attend do to it's nasty stay.
Benny started feeling better on Tuesday and I was getting all packed up to take him on an adventure to celebrate him feeling better and spoil him a little before his return to daycare when I got the call that said Katie had a high fever.
I went and got her from school and the director carried her down to the car to me like an infant all wrapped up in a blanket - she was half awake. She had a fever and was shivering.
I got them home and stuck Ben in his highchair and brought Katie up to her room to pee and get in bed with some medicine. She went quietly and without complaint and fell asleep instantly, I came downstairs and Ben was happily just sitting in his highchair for me as if he knew I needed him to be patient while I sorted Katie.
Then I broke down and started crying hysterically because I was so overwhelmed with emotion over how sick my buggies were and how good they were being so I could help the other one out. Then the guilt started and I realized they'd never have gotten this damn thing if I hadn't gone back to work - so the waterworks continued. Guilt, exhaustion and frustration at not being able to do more have left me so stressed out that I am breaking out like a 13 year old girl and having trouble sleeping at night during the little amount of time they actually allow lately. I'm ready for this to be over and really, really hope it never comes back in my house again!
And so it continues. Benny is fine - although he still has the "rash" Katie is having a hard time sleeping at night cause her neck (throat) hurts and we have been stuck in this house on quarantine since Saturday. There's 4 days left.
Don't get me wrong. I love being with my kids and miss seeing them so much - but being stuck with no warning, with sick, irritable children who you have to keep separate, and keep on top of sanitizing, etc... without the ability to break up the day and go anywhere or do anything is killing all of us.
Add the rain from the last few days and it is a cranky, sleep deprived, emotional black hole in my house.
Here's hoping this is the last time they get this. If not, we might have to consider changing daycares - although viruses like this are everywhere and there is no guarantee any other place has it less.
Ben just needs to learn to keep his mouth shut and stop eating everything - then maybe he won't be such a host for germs....
The silver lining of this awful, unexpected, sickly week - is that while I've been home with Ben I have been able to teach him to say More physically (not sign language) gotten him to start following directions (put this in the garbage) and teach him where his head is.
So, all in all, not an awful week I guess :)
Here's hoping that since this time around it seems to be a worse version, that Dave and I don't get it. It's rare in adults but AWFUL if you get it. And given my weakened immune system (thanks thyroid) I'm more susceptible than most. Fingers crossed if you have a chance please.
Here's hoping that since this time around it seems to be a worse version, that Dave and I don't get it. It's rare in adults but AWFUL if you get it. And given my weakened immune system (thanks thyroid) I'm more susceptible than most. Fingers crossed if you have a chance please.
Here's hoping for a healthy June!
