Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease

My little family doesn't get sick very often.  So when they do get sick, our lives are literally turned upside down.  Even though I'm a nurse, I just can't get used to illnesses in my home--especially when I am the one with the illness.  What good does it do anyone when the nurse is sick?

Well, for the last 2 weeks, my little family has been fighting off the Hand, Foot, & Mouth virus (not the same thing as foot and mouth disease).  Hand, foot & mouth is a nasty little virus that starts out as a 24 hour high fever and evolves into a rash that can manifest itself on the extremities, the mouth, the face, the nose, the diaper area, etc.  It's painful.  It's nasty.  It makes you look like you have some form of the plague.  And best of all, the virus can last anywhere from 7-10 days!  Yuck.

Supposedly it's very rare for adults to contract hand, foot & mouth disease, because most of us have been exposed to the virus in childhood.  I never dreamed that a week after both boys came down with the virus that I would get sick.  Unfortunately, I was the exception to the rule that few adults contract the virus, because I had the full-blown experience.  And I thought morning sickness couldn't get any worse...

Anyway, if you are ever lucky enough to experience hand, foot & mouth, here are some tips from the nurse:

1) Have some Tylenol on hand to fight the high fever.
2) Get some Hydrocortisone cream for the rash.
3) Don't put your child in the bathtub with the rash, because heat makes the rash flare up and hurts really badly!
4) Stay out of the sun with the rash.
5) Don't apply lotions and creams liberally to the rash, because they sting.
6) Stay home!!!--The disease is very contagious (as many parents at our church have discovered.)

Hopefully you will all have a disease free spring.  But if you do experience your own little epidemic, just remember that this too shall pass!!!

Pregnancy Dreamin'

So I had this dream that I could finally have a "classy" and "enjoyable" pregnancy now that I'm not in school and am not working full-time.  I figured that being pregnant in the spring/summer/fall would give me the opportunity to wear cute maternity ensembles.  I thought that during this pregnancy I would have the time to follow all the rules and eat all the right snacks.  And I dreamed that I could do all this while sitting on my back porch watching my toddlers run around the back yard.

Unfortunately, I'm discovering that this pipe dream is never going to be my reality.  Instead of being fashionably "with child," I'm well on my way to looking like a pregnant Jessica Simpson's twin sister.   Instead of enjoying healthy foods, I'm eating whatever doesn't make me sick.  And instead of enjoying my afternoons with my kiddos on the porch, I'm actually spending most afternoons curled up in my bed praying that my children don't do anything crazy while I nap and fight through my nausea.

And of course, I don't even look remotely cute in my maternity clothes.  There's nothing fashionable or cute about being short and pregnant.  Even the cutest dresses make me look like I'm either wearing a tent or am wearing something made to fit a girl 2x smaller than me.  It's very frustrating, and also expensive.

I've always heard people say that "every pregnancy is different" and that you never know what to expect.  But the truth is that every subsequent pregnancy is partly predictable--if you were sick with the first one, don't expect to feel great with the next one; if you gained lots of weight with the first 2, you can bet you'll gain that much again; and if you couldn't eat something with the previous pregnancies, don't kid yourself into thinking that you're over whatever made you sick the first few times around.  The bottom line is that pregnancy is this amazing miraculous time where this little life is growing inside of you.  But it's also a 10 month period where you can expect to feel lousy and fat. 

Thank goodness there is a light at the end of my day-to-day survival period.  In only a matter of months, I'll get to hold my newest bundle of fun and joy.  And as is always the case, when that day comes, I'm sure I'll forget about all my shattered pregnancy dreams. 

Big News

I am fully aware of the fact that my blogging this spring has declined.  Initially it was because I was studying for the Bar exam, but then we had some other life-altering things going on in our lives.  So today, I'm finally going to share my big news with everyone.

For starters, the Texas Board of Law Examiners posted their pass list yesterday.  By the grace of God, my name was on the list.  It turned out that this must have been one of the more difficult exams, because the pass rate was only 65% as compared to other recent exams with pass rates in the high 70's or 80's.  But at least it's over.  I plan on attending the Dallas swearing-in ceremony on May 30, and then I can officially adopt the credentials of Esquire (although I prefer the sound of Nurse Attorney).  So officially, as of today, my 6 year trek of trying to become a licensed attorney is essentially over.  And my law license will forever hold today's date.  Talk about a weight off of my shoulders.

Now I can focus on my other life-altering news--the future birth of my 3rd child!  That's right, we're expecting baby #3 to join us in November.  And based on the way I feel right now, November can't come soon enough. 

My blogging, housekeeping, work, and every other thing in my life has pretty much been on hold as a result of my morning sickness and constant nausea.  I've spent the better part of the last few weeks in my bed praying that time would fly.  But as much as a I want to complain, I really can't.  I'm actually looking forward to a new baby, and I'm thoroughly enjoying letting my little toddlers take care of their mommy.  (My 3 year old actually mopped the floor for me today!) 

I will warn you that I'm not really into pregnancy photos, so don't expect a photo diary of my weekly progress.  Just know that I'm gaining weight, will probably start swelling as a result of the Texas heat in a few months, and am already looking forward to the day in December when I'll be able to slip into my pre-baby jeans!  And yes, later this summer we will be finding out the gender of our little one.  So stay tuned...  It looks like our little family is on a new adventure this year!  I look forward to sharing it with you.