About 3 weeks ago, Merritt woke up with red eyes and nasal congestion. Could be allergies. Could be pink eye. Who knows, right? Mason had been on an antibiotic for an ear infection from teething the week before, and we had some extra antibiotics in the fridge thanks to a lovely pharmacy family and a hubby who can't read the bottles. But it worked out to our advantage, Merritt started the antibiotic and was completely clear about 24 hours later. (kept her on that med for 7 days though).
Back up almost 2 years ago. Mati Claire had what appeared to be an ant bite on her knee that got infected, red streaks running up and down her leg... we thought maybe spider bite instead, eventually turned into a black scab... was there for several months before falling off and leaving a pitted scar on her leg. Several months later, again. A new spot about an inch away from the first spot but followed the same format. About 6 months later (this would be about a year and half later from the first spot) a THIRD spot very similar appeared. Took her to the dermatologist and because it had already scabbed over they couldn't do a biopsy. Couldn't tell me what it was (that was the day of the Smoothie King incident and where my kids went insane-link below). Well, we decided we would go back IF she ever got another one because these are spread out months in between.
So back to present day on a Thursday (months later). Mattox has a spot on his inner thigh that followed the same process: looks like a white zit or ant bite type bump, wart maybe?, gets infected, his pants rub it and open it up, it drains, pretty gross to deal with, we put antibiotic ointments on it, black scab, and a scar. A few days later, he has about 20 of these spots up and down his thighs. I immediately recognize them as the same type bumps that Mati Claire had. We take him to the dermatologist and he tells us its Mulloscum Contagiosa = contagious rash virus. The derm "paints" the spots with a special medicine (that as a pharmacist, I have never heard of and never dispensed in my life). We leave it on for 4 hours and rinse off in the bath. Ok. Got it.
Welllll, Mattox was apparently mortified to tell the dermatologist that he also had a few bumps around his private parts. So the dermatologist failed to paint those with the medicine (no fault of his own). One bump in particular again follows the nasty course of events of getting quite large, pus-filled, painful, and the redness/swelling starts spreading. He can't walk. His teacher calls me from school concerned because he can't sit in his desk at school the "correct way". He was miserable. Considering this is near his genitalia, Daddy puts him on some antibiotics for the abcess. A few days later, a hot bath drains it out and it might be one of the grossest experiences of my life. He learned the hard way to never be too embarrassed to tell your doctor anything!
I also learned that this virus stays in your system for exactly 2 years (will be permanently gone after that) and any new bump that appears in that time should be treated by the dermatologist immediately. Not your local pharmacy, not even your pediatrician. ONLY the dermatologist has access to this "medicine" that they would not give to me. So I have to get an appointment with a dermatologist every time he gets a new bump like this for the next 2 years? Yep. yippee. They apparently did not ban my family from future visits to their office after our first visit with the smoothies.
See POST LINK HERE for that post. I also learned that he should not take baths or share towels with anyone/siblings for these 2 years. Did the virus know that they just destroyed my nighttime-bedtime routine? I do better at separating the boys from the girls now that they are getting older, but yes, they do share baths and towels OFTEN! Grrr.....
Ok, so Mattox is on antibiotics. Merritt is on antibiotics. Mason just finished antibiotics. We're good, right?
Mattox wakes up a few days later with "the pink eye". Although I wouldn't consider it pink eye -- just full blown dual conjunctivitis. Nasal symptoms as well. He looks like an alien with not pink but RED eyes. Spots all over his legs. Then he gets his first real bloody nose. He looked like he was hit by a truck. Or beat up. Poor guy.
Ok its a long holiday weekend. We have time to Recover. Regroup. Right?
Saturday, Mason throws up all over Mati Claire and is running fever. So I assumed the stomach bug that has been circulating the community found its way to my house. We are pros at that! He was completely fine and symptom free for 2 days following that episode.
Tuesday morning I walk in the gym and I get a phone call from the director at Mother's Day Out. "Mrs. Miley? You need to come pick up your youngest son. He has Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease."
ummm.. WHAT??? How did my other 3 kids ever survive without catching this? This is a new one for us. The praying commenced that no one else caught it despite their ages. I can't really quarantine an 18 month old for a solid week or more.
Mati Claire gets a stye. We thought it might be the beginning of "the pink eye" (and I'm using quotations on that because that's what my kids call it). Nope, just a stye so she's walking around with a hot washcloth/warm compress on it for days on end.
Merritt starts showing signs of "the pink eye" again and complaining of a severe ear ache. She.can.NOT. hear.anything. We tested her for days to see if it was selective hearing or if she really could not hear. But considering she finished a round of antibiotics, I was not too concerned. It must be viral, so I let the conjunctivitis run its course. I'm sort of in military-mom-mode at this point.
3 out of 4 are miserable. complaining. missing school. but ok, I've got this. I just make my rounds from kid to kid: medicine, comfort, love and hugs, lots of rest and naps, video games/ipads are worth every penny, Chlorox wipe everything they touch, wipe again, and then wipe again. wash, rinse, and repeat.
then my healthy one bites the dust. I pick Mati Claire up from school and we barely make it home before she starts vomiting. great....I don't know if she has the stomach bug or the beginning signs of Hand-Foot-Mouth Virus too (Mason was apparently classic text-book case with this).
ALL FOUR KIDS SICK AT THE SAME TIME. And its my birthday. Its not only pouring down rain outside... its pouring inside as well!
Cancel the sitter. Cancel the date night birthday dinner we had planned. Heck, cancel the whole month of January! Even had to cancel the cleaners. Lord knows I've cleaned every inch of the house by now.
I've never had all 4 sick at the SAME time. Each with their own thing. I call my pediatrician because I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown. They don't need to see ANY of them because its ALL viral. Obviously ALL the antibiotics they've been on haven't helped.
Insert my crying session in the floor here. What else can I Chlorox? The liquor store knows my name now. ;)
Merritt who had been on the mend... I now find myself taking her in to see the pediatrician Monday morning because she is crying over her ears. And she literally can't hear me unless I scream at her. I asked if she wanted candy for breakfast -- and she replied with an answer that didn't make any sense. I'm confused as to what is going on with her. She does have fluid in her ear, but not ear infection. She might have to go see an ENT but we're on another round of different antibiotics, Sudafed, Benadryl, Flonase, her regular Prevacid, and Advil or Tylenol for the pain.
Here I am almost 3 weeks later. All managed to make it back to school this week until yesterday. Mattox has "the pink eye" AGAIN. Very strange that both he and Merritt had the exact same symptoms TWICE both cases separated by a week or so. Between the two of them, they have had it FOUR times!
When do the sicknesses stop?????????? They went an entire semester without getting sick. They get vitamins. They even get probiotics every single day.
Like I said before, Chlorox and wine are my best friends this month. and the Kroger Clicklist.
Why yes, I did make my appointment for a spa day next week!
