The sick house

It's seems the last few weeks we've been invaded by a variety of bugs that, although aren't too bad, have still managed to upset the applecart. Add to that I've been a bundle of pre-exam nerves and in full "must study every second of the day or feel tremendous guilt" mode - and it's all come to a head.

Grace battled through chickenpox with barely a problem. The first time she wanted to scratch we told her that it would just make them worse and also make them scar- so she didn't. Now, I doubt it was just her strong willpower and immense vanity that allowed her to refrain from the itching, so I'm only guessing that she had a mild strain. Everyone kept saying that it was only mild as she already had the vaccine, which was proven wrong about 15 days later.

Xav hadn't had the chickenpox vaccine yet, and it was actually one that I was still deciding to give or not. I'd read lots about the vaccine wearing off and catching chickenpox in the "wild" was much better for longer immunity. So, once Grace was struck down I figured it was as good as time as any to cross contaminate. There was lots of saliva swapping, vesicle touching and bathing in germy water. For 14 days Xav showed absolutely NO signs of being infected. It usually starts with headaches, fevers and cold symptoms and just feeling all over crappy. Xav had a slight clear runny nose, but did not slow down from his usual go-go-go attitude, so I was starting to think somehow he'd avoided it.

Last Thursday night however, we noticed a few spots on Xav's back - although he insisted that they were just mosquito bites and therefore had a free pass to scratch them. I was expecting Friday morning to come and my little boys perfect complexion to be a mass of pussy spots - but only a few extras popped up overnight. All up he has probably got about 20-30 spots, mostly on his back, in his hair, on his cute little dimpled bottom and on his legs. He has a few random ones on his face and chin, but most of his are able to be covered with clothes. He's scratched a few times, but stops once we remind him. It hasn't slowed him down either, whereas Grace was tired with hers and just wanted to rest, Xav hasn't stopped. He has been having a nightly bath with rolled outs, which apparently helps and also Nurse Grace and I have been lathering him up with calamine before he goes to bed. The spots already look like they are drying out, so hopefully only a few more days and our encounter with the pox will all be over.

Last night, as Duane was drying Xavier off after a bath, he noticed a little black dot near his nipple. I'd noticed it in the morning but just thought it was where he's scratched and it had crusted over, but it was actually a tick! It was tiny, and looked like only it's head had started burying in so I ripped it out with some tweezers. Xav's having all the fun at the moment!

Apart from the chicken pox, we've all had a head cold that has turned into a nasty cough. I was feeling a bit rundown, after a week of intense studying for yesterdays exam, which I'm sure didn't help me. I finished the exam yesterday, picked the kids up and just came home and crashed. My chest has felt so tight and constricted, even breathing has been hurting. Also, for the last 2 nights, Grace has woken up screaming in the night saying her ears are hurting, so today we got Medcall (love them!) to come out and check us all over. Grace has a slight middle ear infection and red throat and Duane and I both have red throats and a lower respiratory infection. Although Xav's been fine, we got him checked out too and it turns he is the worst of all of us! Poor little Xav has a "severe" middle ear infection with a crackly chest. Normally I can pick in an instant when Xav has an ear infection, and usually so can the neighbours as he SCREAMS, but he hasn't been out of sorts at all! I think we are all on the mend though and hopefully a few days of rest at home will do the job.

It's Fathers Day today and we'd planned for a beautiful spring picnic down the beach, but that was all squashed by a combination of the drizzly, rainy day it is and how crappy we all feel. Instead, Wendy and Trevor came up and we had a picnic here instead. The kids had been given money to pick out a card and present each for Duane for Fathers Day. They each chose a different mug for him, which he was thrilled about - they are so much better than the 500 that he already has! We also gave him an Oz-trail pop up gazebo that he's been coveting for ages. I've been keeping an eye out, seeing if any came on special and I was lucky enough to get one for $179, down from $359. It's perfect for camping, picnic or even just parties in the backyard.

The kids had also made a special picture at pre-school, with a picture, footprint and poem on it - which they both proudly presented to him this morning.

Now, I'm off to drown my cough in some tea with ginger, honey and lemon!