Herpangina

This is what Mason has. We are over the fever finally. He has also proved to be above average having 7 ulcers. What they forget to mention is that this is often accompanied with ear infections because of the swelling. Mason was lucky enough to get both ears. My week has been great fun and it is only Thursday.

Herpangina is a viral infection of the back of the mouth.
The main symptoms include:

• sore throat and pain with swallowing
• fever for 2 to 3 days (102-103)
• small ulcers (2-3 mm) surrounded by a red ring on the roof of the mouth and near the tonsils. There are no ulcers in the front of the mouth or on the gums. The average child has 5 of these ulcers, though there can be more.

What is the cause?

Herpangina is caused by several Coxsackie A viruses. A person can have herpangina up to 5 times.

How long does it last?

The sore throat and ulcers usually last 5 to 7 days.

The little sickie...

We are off to the doctor for Mason this morning. He had a temp all day yesterday and woke up at a 103.5 temp. I think it is just an ear infection. I am going to see if they will check how tall he is. Our regular wonderful pediatrician is on vacation so we are seeing the nurse practitioner so we will see. I don't remember if this is the one I like or not.

Just me

I think we are finally over being sick. Let me just say that I think it is about time.

Mason is getting bigger everyday. It is getting harder to keep up with everything new he is doing. Every night Austin and Mason play for a little bit. Mason's idea of play and Austin's idea of play are right around the same thing. Crawl all over everything and anybody in their way. I will just say that I feel bad for Hyde because he is usually the 'anybody' that is in their way.

Mason is finally getting in his top two teeth. I say finally because it feels like I have had to deal with crabby butt for what feels like forever. This last week he has been much more pleasent. I know that sometimes it can seem like I am "complaining" about Mason. Whether it is because he is being naughty or whatever. Please don't get me wrong, I absolutley love my little guy and wouldn't know what to do without him. I am not usually so morose but today I ran across a blog that actually chocked me up. It was about a family that knew their little baby wouldn't live long after birth. I found myself thinking what would I do. I don't really know what I would do. To imagine just having a couple of hours with Mason right after he was born and what that would have been like. I would still be in bed that is for sure. To carry this little miracle around for 9 months and then go home without them. I pray to God that I never have to find out. I am not strong enough to do that.

Update

Well we made it down to mom's on Thursday night. We came home Monday SICK. I mean really sick. Both of us had really high temps. Yesterday is a blur. I do remember crawling to the bathroom because I was too dizzy to stay on my feet. Today we went to the doctor and it has been confirmed we have the flu. Wonderful. I feel like crap and bottles need washed. The normal. Well I don't feel like washing bottles so I bought new ones and put them on to boil. Much easier. Now all I have to do is remember to take them off the stove in about 10 minutes.
It never fails you have to go to walmart and your sick. Somehow by some miraculous force you get the newest stupid person working in the pharmacy. She looked smart but wasn't. Asked me a hundred questions and then told me that she couldn't find my prescriptions that were sitting on the counter in front of her. I also had to get some Mucinex D which is sold behind the counter now and she told me they were out as I was looking at it behind her. I don't do well with stupid people especially when sick so I grabbed my bag of prescriptions and cut in the line next to me. You can bet no one said a word to me about it. So the new lady helping me out showed the other one how and what to do. When she handed me the sudafed slip to sign, I coughed on it and handed it back to her. I am really hoping she gets sick. Other than that I have been good today. Really I don't have enough energy to be bad.

Sick Again

Austin is sick again. Or should I say still. I think it is new anyways. He never says anything to me until he is ready to pass out.
He stayed home from work today and we all know how much I love to have him home all day. It is horrible. I love him but when he tells me he doesn't feel good I have this urge to pack my bags and go to Mom's for a couple of days. I know I am horrible and will never win the "Good Wife" award. Good thing I'm not trying!

Oh What A Tuedsay It Was!

Well my Tuesday wasn't too good. Shortly after posting I became sick and had to have Austin come from work. Not good. I don't know how many times I had to bow down to the porcelain thrown but it was way too many. I don't know what hurt worse the hunger pains or the stomach cramps. Myself I would rather not dry heave so I ate. I don't think I've ever been that sick. I didn't even throw up while pregnant. Enough of that talk.

We got even more snow last night. Just half an inch or so but still more snow. I had to cancel Mason appointment for today. I can't go if I'm sick and running to the bathroom every 5 minutes. He is over the ear infection. He does have some diarrhea that they told me to feed him through and that if he spikes a fever to take him in. He is his happy self so I don't think that will be necessary as evidenced by this photo taken this morning.

Tuesday- It's only Tuesday!!

We got more snow last night. I am tired of snow. It looks pretty, but I've had to reschedule Mason ear checkup appointment 2 times. We are 40 minutes from town and there is no way I am taking my child out in below zero wind chills on horrible roads to have his ears rechecked. We went through all his ear medicine so the ear infection should be gone. Hopefully we will be able to make it to the one on Wednesday. It would be nice if we could that way I can pick up groceries while we are in town.
Yesterday was fairly unproductive. I got nothing done. I take that back. I did get a couple loads of laundry done. Austin was complaining about not having his favorite pair of khakis clean this morning. I had to then complain about my washer and dryer being in the basement. I have been asking for months for them to be upstairs in the bathroom. It really wouldn't be that hard. I might wash his khakis next week. That is if I feel like it.

Quiet Sunday

Usually on Sundays my house is rather loud. Between Hyde and Mason fighting for Austin's attention and the TV or radio it is rather noisy. Not today. Austin has the flu so he is in bed. Mason doesn't know he is home so he thinks it is a work day so we are on schedule and Mason is napping. Hyde knows that Austin is home and upstairs under the electric blanket. Hyde is not stupid so he is up there as well. Being the spoiled dog that he is he is also under the blanket. Only I am awake. I am not doing anything noisy like washing dishes because I don't want to disturb Austin. I know I am such a good wife. Really I am I don't even dry heave when I empty his bucket. Maybe that has more to do with a strong stomach over being a good wife, but we aren't going to split hairs. For today I am a good wife. I will get back to my normal self after he is feeling better. I refuse for this change to be anywhere near permanent. I would hate for him to expect me to be this complacent all the time.

Now on another note. My mother-in-law, Robin, Mason and I went to church today. My front windshield cracked from the cold. Mason had a pooplosion at church and again at Perkins afterwards. Two in one day. That is a record for him. Reading this it might sound like I had a bad day but that is not the case. I am having a good hair day so all this other stuff is trivial. If I had been having a bad or even just okay hair day it would be a different story.

As I was taking a photo of the said good hair to prove it I noticed that I am starting to look old. Well okay maybe not old but deffinatly tired.

I have bags under my eyes.

Where in the world did that zit come from?

My lips are chapped from the below zero temps.

This is why most photos are of the back of my head.

I don't care though because I am having a good hair day.

This is how my hair is usually worn. Mason is too quick on the grabbing.

Amazing what a couple of minutes with a curling iron will do.

Maybe one of these days I'll get my straight iron back from Cammie.

Shots and Ear infections

We had a Well Baby Checkup yesterday. Mason was 22.9 lbs and 28.5 inches. He also got some wonderful shots and we found out he has an ear infection. Poor little guy I had no clue. He is always so happy and hasn't been running a fever. He is also taking some medicine for a cough that he picked up from somewhere. Somewhere as in the doctor's office last time we had to go in. The Well Child seating area was under construction right at the beginning of the cold and flu season. Like they didn't have ALL summer to do that.
I felt horrible, one of those "I'm a bad mom" moments. Really what kind of mom doesn't know when her kid is sick. I guess I am lucky he doesn't take after his dad in that aspect. Austin becomes a pain in the butt and expects the world to stop turning just because he has a headache.
The stuff Mason is on for the cough makes him wired. We were off by an hour on our schedule today. To top it all off Austin is out of town until Thursday night.
Somehow he knows just when he needs to leave. Of course I didn't find out that he was going to be leaving town until Sunday night. He was probably afraid that I would plan to go to mom and dad's until he got home. He was right but still he should have told me. There is nothing wrong with me wanting to go visit my family when he is going to be out of town. He just wanted me to be here to pick him up from the airport. Mind you that there was a shuttle taking a whole group down and picking them up. The only reason is that he wants to stop at the pet shop and get some starfish and live rock for the salt tank. I had to tell him that we could go on Saturday. I don't want to have to take Mason out and mess up our schedule. His flight doesn't get in until 6.
Hopefully Mason gets over this ear infection quickly. I am horrible about remembering times to give medicine. Now I have it programmed in my phone to remind me.
Until next time...

What a Wonderful Week

I don't remember why I complained about Austin being home for the week. That's right. I remember it is because he is a pain in the butt. Even more so when he is sick. Austin is very rarely sick. I think he has only been sick maybe twice in the seven years we have been married. Last night his temp got to 103.5. Way too high. I had to threaten him with the emergency room to get him to take some Tylenol. I will take healthy Austin over sick Austin any time.
We are still planning on having people over for new years eve. I just told him that if he didn't feel better he could hide out upstairs. That is when he gave in for me today and took some Tylenol. In the middle of the night I can get Austin to do about anything that I want so getting him to take Tylenol at night isn't hard. I know I'm so mean. I prefer the term resourceful.
Between him and Mason I didn't get anything done today. Before I go to bed I have to tidy my kitchen and wash all (ALL) the bottles. Last night I shampooed the living room carpet. I had to wait for Mason to go to sleep. I did get my bathroom cleaned today. It took me 8 tries but I did get it done.
Mason has been a crabby butt the last couple of days. I think it is because he wants to go places but doesn't know how. I really can't wait until he can crawl.
4 days until Caucasus. Well 3 if you really want to get technical. I can't wait until those stupid political commercials get off of my TV. I don't care if it is just for a little while.

Strep Throat and other yucky stuff

Well I have gotten strep throat from my sister, Cameron. I swear I didn't hug, kiss pinch or even slap her when I saw her on Saturday. I don't get it. She gets it and then I get it. There have been some years that I have gotten just by talking to her on the phone. O'well I am finally getting over it. I actually went to the doctor yesterday. She gave me some stuff that has kicked it in the butt.

Now Mason is getting sick. That has been the hardest part. I haven't got to hold or kiss my baby. I don't think he is Strep Throat because his eating hasn't slowed down, so he isn't afraid to swallow. His nose is really disgusting but that is about all. Hopefully it stays that way.

Austin is taking the day off. That means I will be around him for 12 to 13 days. I thought a weekend was hard. We should have some interesting fights. Who knows might be fun now that Mason is taking 2 hour naps mid-morning. Incidentally that is about the time Austin likes to get out of bed. Lucky for me.