Day Two

Well today, Hutton is still sick with a cough, but his "pox" really looks so very minor I feel like it's an insult to real chickenpox. He only has about 8 spots, and they look like mosquito bites or small pimples. I think he may just have some viral rash that's not chickenpox, but since I can't be certain, I don't want to expose him to classmates (and he still has a virus of some sort), plus he still has that cough. He could get more spots, too, though I hope not!

Harrison is fine, and I will be taking him to school tomorrow with no qualms unless he comes down with a sniffly cough later tonight (which is what Hutton had before he broke out in his rash). Since he isn't vaccinated for chickenpox, I'll be watching carefully to see if he comes down with anything. According to my mother (the expert I call first when these things happen!), my sister and I got chickenpox exactly two weeks after my brother got them, so it could be two weeks from now. Though, if he doesn't get it, I'll never know if Hutton really had chickenpox. Then again, if he does get it, then he'll have chickenpox. I suppose I'd rather he get it now than later.

If Hutton does have "real" chickenpox, then I must say the vaccine actually did make it a milder case. (See, I'm not anti-vaccine! I just wish Hutton hadn't had so many given to him when he was sick with two ear infections and eczema). Or this could be a sign that his immune system is recovering enough that he's actually able to have a proper immune response to a virus! Wow! I hope so.

I am a bit annoyed that we don't have our hyperbaric rental yet, as it would have helped heal the rash so much faster. Oh well! My timing is always off.


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Go get Jenny's new book! It's amazing! I bought it last night after my soccer game, and read most of it in one sitting, alternating between crying and smiling, feeling angry and hopeful. I can't wait to see her on Oprah later today!

A Pox on Our House

Last night, as I got Hutton out of the bath, I noticed some red bumps, about the size of mosquito bites on his back. There were about four of them. There was another, larger bump where the waistband of his underwear hits. My mother radar started beeping, but I needed reinforcement, so called for backup.

Hubby came down and looked at the bumps. "I don't think that's anything. The one by his waistband looks like a diaper rash." Off Hubby trotted, happily done with me for the evening.

Hutton was very tired at bedtime, and had been sniffling a bit that day and Sunday. After I put the boys to bed, I went to my laptop, where I've logged hours of google autism research, and googled "rash". After extensive research, I concluded that Hutton had chickenpox, which seems more likely today, as he has a few more bumps on his chest, stomach, neck and scalp. And they itch, according to Hutton. Don't scratch, sweetie, you'll get scars and ruin your modeling career!

The spots still look pimply, rather than the almost beautiful-sounding "dewdrops on rose petals" stage.

Of course, Hutton was in the contagious but not yet rashy stage on Saturday when we visited my friend's kids, then went to the McDonald's play area, then to a party Saturday night. Sorry, folks! And he was contagious but not yet rashy when he went to school Monday, followed by soccer class and the grocery store. Sorry, even more folks! Pox-oid Hutton may or may not have infected his brother. It's too soon to tell, which is very annoying, because Thursday is picture day at Harrison's school, and I really don't want to miss having Harrison's picture in the class photo or his individual shots. Drat!

Hutton had his first chickepox vaccine at 15 months, so we'll say that this is "breakthrough" chickenpox, you know, because he didn't get that booster shot at 4 years. Harrison has not had the vaccine, so I'll have to see if he gets a worse case.

Either way, I'm annoyed that this didn't happen last month, you know, when I had nothing on my calendar. I just rescheduled a doctor's appointment, and will have to miss Harrison's soccer class tomorrow, my horseback riding lesson Friday morning, and the boys' riding lessons Friday afternoon. No telling when and how long Harrison's pox fest will last, when and if it occurs.

Oh, and according to Hubby, he never had chickenpox, though his younger sister had it. So, either Hubby is one of the few people who got the virus, but not the rash, or he's going to be getting adult chickenpox soon.

I'm already feeling stir crazy and cabin feverish. I'm going to play soccer tonight, and will have to go shopping after the game. I need to buy Jenny's book, and I'm trapped in a house o' pox!