sick day

So, a few days ago--maybe Sunday night, but I can't remember for sure--I noticed a funny red patch on my thigh. I thought I must have bumped into something, although I couldn't remember the incident and that wasn't quite what the patch looked like. A day later it was still there, so I thought maybe there was a zit deep under my skin, although that also wasn't quite what the patch looked--or felt--like. Yesterday morning I noticed it again, and suddenly remembered that Maryland has a high incidence of lyme disease and Tim and I had gone for a long walk in prime deer tick territory a few weeks ago. The rash was/is very generic, consistent with a lyme rash but also consistent with various other causes of skin inflammation. However, given the possibility of exposure and the long-term nastiness of untreated lyme, I decided to make a doctor's appointment, which I did for 9:30 this morning.

That was me. Then there's Esther. After unusual fussiness and tiredness yesterday, she woke up twice in the night last night (also unusual), and the second time she most definitely had a fever. On the way to my doctor's appointment I took her temperature under the arm and it was 102.3 despite her being under the influence of acetominophen, so we called her doctor, too, and eventually got an appointment for 11:30. Turns out the poor baby has a probable case of hand, foot and mouth disease, though in her case her hands and feet aren't affected and she only has one little blister in the back of her throat--but it's probably giving her the dickens of a sore throat, and the fever isn't fun either. Since it's a virus, there's nothing to do for her but treat the symptoms and hope they go away fast. The doctor said she should be feeling better by Friday.

Meanwhile, Tim's mom wasn't feeling that great this morning either (although she's fine now). So out of the whole family, Tim was the only one today who was certifiably healthy! He took half a day off to watch Esther during my doctor's appointment and to go to hers. He's a caring daddy!

I doubt anyone wants me to illustrate this entry with pictures of Esther being cranky and lethargic, so instead I'll leave you with a few photos from the fateful hike on which I may (or may not) have provided free lunch for a tick.

Here's Esther before we began the walk, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and enthralled with her new view of the world.











This is what she looked like twenty minutes into the walk.












And this is what she looked like by the end!