So the good news is we’re putting in a pool…next year. It was supposed to be done for this year, but we have been back and forth jumping through hoops for the town since last fall.
I figured since we didn’t have the pool yet, the YMCA family swim hours are sparse, and these kids need to be tired out at the end of the day, that we’d join the local swim club for the remainder of the summer.
Brilliant, right? I thought so. They even offer free swim lessons! Score!
So we went one day, and then the next day and it was great. Swim lessons, picnic lunch, a couple hours spent in the pool.
Then the dreaded Hand Foot Mouth Disease rears its ugly head. That second afternoon after we got home from the pool, spots appeared on the girls. Around their mouths, on their hands and on their feet.
Crap.
If you don’t know anything about it, it’s gross. It’s also highly contagious. Who knows where they picked it up because the incubation period is like 7-10 days. First they start with a fever. Over the weekend, they had fevers, headaches, sore throats and body aches. Then once the fevers cleared up, I thought we were done.
Then I noticed the damn spots. In that instant, I saw my summer plan slipping away!! Our pediatrician said no swim lessons, so we couldn’t use the pool. She also said no Vacation Bible School, so there went Mama’s break time. Easton couldn’t go back for his last days of camp. We were essentially quarantined in our house, unable to go out anywhere so we didn’t spread it around any more than it already was.
Try and tire out 5 kids when it’s disgustingly hot out and you are stuck in your house or your yard only.
The pediatrician also said that they could possibly be contagious for up to 3 weeks. Whaaaaat???? Bye bye August. Bye bye community pool. Bye bye family picnic and swimming at friends’ houses.
So finally, after a week, their spots are just about gone. So we can at least get out without worrying too much about spreading it. Still won’t go to a friend’s house or to the pool though, since it’s spread through bodily fluids.
I’ve gotta survive this week and then next week is another Vacation Bible School. Which I desperately need, so I can pack for our vacation the following week. We sanitize, wash and cover as much as we can and hope for the best!!!
In case you want to be grossed out, here’s what they spots looked like:
Not everyone gets spots though, which my boys didn’t. Some kids get sores in their mouth too. UGH. Emerson’s spots were just red spots of different sizes. The ones on her feet were super itchy and painful the first day. Hayden had full on blisters, which thankfully did not seem to bother her much.
Since it’s a virus, there’s nothing you can do except wash hands and treat symptoms. We did Children’s Benedryl when they were itching and Children’s Ibuprofen when they had the fevers or pain. Ice packs or ointment on the spots when they felt it helped.
LOTS of tv, naps and cuddles were the best medicine in this house! I hope we never have to see this in our house again – I hate missing out on plans and being confined to the house!!!
Quads Make Seven 