scarlet fever

Didn't you think scarlet fever was a thing of the past? When I heard that one of Phoebe's classmates had it last week, I was kinda surprised since you don't hear about it much anymore, at least not in the U.S. You hear about the more common afflictions, like impetigo, chicken pox, head lice (very common here!), but scarlet fever?

When Thijs began acting a little strange, I started taking note. Yesterday he took a loooooooong nap (w dad who just returned from states), but we'd also stayed up late playing at the park + looking for bats, so I figured he was just catching up. Then today, he also wasn't himself. He didn't feel like riding the merry-go-round 10x like he always does, and he fell asleep in the ice cream shop! It wasn't just a little nap where you wake up feeling refreshed - he was knocked out. Lucky he has a swell pop who carried him the whole way home!

When he woke up, he had a temp of 39 degrees C, headache, and he looked fatigued. Under normal circumstances, I would've just treated it like an ordinary viral infection, but knowing that streptococcus group A might be at stake, I took no chances. Mommy was on high alert.

Got on the phone and found a doctor who'd see him within 15 mins. On the way he threw up - poor guy. Doctor pegged it as scarlet fever when he saw the typical "strawberry tongue" and sandpapery skin, even though he hadn't broken out in a rash. Too bad penicillin tastes so wicked - oh, aren't the next 10 days going to be FUN!

It's just a coincidence, but while Thijs was napping, I was packing for my Virginia trip. This is the second time bad fortune has struck the family while mommy was either getting away/planning on getting away. Somehow I've gotta find a way to break this curse!