The Return of HFMD*

I only have time for a quick post today.

Do you want to know what my last Google search was? I’ll tell you: “How to disinfect toys in bleach solution”.

P was unwell on the weekend and had a bit of a runny nose and cold. As H also just had a cold, I assumed it was the same thing. Except when I went to change P just before lunch I noticed he had several blisters around his bum. I recognized them immediately and began looking at his hands and feet, which had a few tiny red bumps beginning to form. As I helped him eat his lunch, I noticed he only wanted to eat on one side… and sure enough there’s a blister on the inside of his cheek.

I’m fairly positive P has Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease.

If you’re looking for me, I’ll be curled up the fetal position crying softly for the next few days.

(I’m kidding. Sort of.)

I know it’s viral and I know it’s considered “mild”… and do you want to know how I know these things? Because we’ve had it before. S & H picked it up from a park three years ago. They both had relatively mild cases and weren’t overly affected by it. Everyone told me that adults can’t catch it, so I wasn’t as careful as I should have been and I ended up with a horrible case. The blisters on my feet were so bad that it was painful to walk. It was a long, long, three days as they healed. And then peeled off. It’s amazing.

And by amazing I mean gross. So, so gross.

So this afternoon will be spent cleaning and disinfecting all the things, and I have to cancel my job for tomorrow afternoon. He’s still considered contagious, so I’ll be parked at home with him disinfecting toys until it runs it’s course.

Hold me.

I need to go wash my hands.