ChickenPox xxx

Well, let’s start with the good news, Harry is finally better although it has taken 6 years, well that’s what it feels like anyway.

Harry’s skin is very sun sensitive, the ball in the sky not the newspaper.

The twinkles were happily playing in the hot tub for a few hours and Harry got a bit of prickly heat on his neck, poor sausage. So I slathered him up with Aloe Vera and went about my business.

Only it didn’t get better, so I put it down to another lotion allergy.

Come Monday morning he has a row of angry spots across the top of his back.

I Googled images of fire ant bites, wasn’t pretty.

He was complaining he couldn’t breathe and kept getting giddy. Now I don’t want to sound like an unsympathetic Mum, but Harry can be known to milk it a bit so I took it with a pinch of salt (all these food idioms, I must be peckish!)

I took some photos and sent them through to the doctor on AskMyGP. I was literally sat there with the message ready to paste at 07:57 as the lines open at 08:00 and can be closed a few minutes later. I’m telling you, getting in with a doctor in 2024 is harder than getting Glastonbury tickets!

But get through I did and Dr Chubb came back to me pretty quickly to say thank you for the photos and your son has Chicken Pox.

You what?

But he’s had them already and had 152, I know because he made me count them! Twice!

Turns out quite a few children are getting them twice, in fact a few in his school year.

Okay, I’ve got this. Reach for the Calamine Lotion (not Camomile as a friend and I both thought), keep the liquids coming, (not alcohol) and rotate between Calpol and Ibuprofen every two hours.

I contacted my boss who as always was amazing and told her I’d be back by the end of the week.

Fast forward to Wednesday and I was on my knees pulling my hair out. Harry wasn’t getting better. He was only getting worse and I was trying survive on fumes of sleep. Lee offered to take over several times, but we’ve always agreed it is better to have one of us firing on all cylinders. ( Changed to automotive idioms, does this mean I need a new car?)

It was time to call for reinforcements.

I put a plea on Facebook to say any hints and tips gratefully received. I’ll skip around naked, chanting and sprinkling peppercorns with a sprig of rosemary hanging out my bum if it will help him. Thankfully this was not necessary.

It was actually friends from work who came up with the goods. Who knew that Head and Shoulders was the way forward?

I beslubbered it on him before he got into a bath I had used it as bubble bath in and he actual said “that feels nice Mummy” not lying, I nearly cried!

As Harry was requesting a bath every two hours (even through the night) we got to trying all the different lotions and potions that had been recommended. The winner was definitely PoxClin Cool Mousse which not only soothed the itch, but acted as a barrier to help prevent spreading. (I’m not on commission)

Life was made easier by my Westie Bestie bringing Ollie home each day from school so I could stay at home with sick note.

The first time I saw Harry smile was when his best friend, Ollie Fleet, Mum brought him over laden with goodies. He loved being able to show off his spots through the lounge window. She even brought me a can of gin, what more can I say, but thank you and how lucky are we to have these special people in our lives? Harry had been really down and even asked me if I thought anyone was missing him. I can work on healing his maladies, but his friends give food for his soul.

Luckily one of my work friends had given me a massive bag of oats her daughter hadn’t used at home economics. I was trying to pour it into a sock (very hard to do by oneself) and Harry told me to pour it on him, so I did. Turns out he meant what was in the sock and not in the bag so we effectively made Harry porridge but it was fun for a while, until I had to clean it up.

Harry was still eating which was a good sign, but only sweet things like chocolate cake and I treated him to Coke, as in Coca Cola, I didn’t get him high. At this stage I just needed to get anything in him.

By Thursday I managed to get Harry to bed at 20:00 and he didn’t call for me until 22:38. My Fitbit thought I’d died because I’d sat still for so long. I went to bed with him then only for him to wake 29 minutes later needing a bath.

He was very apologetic, but I reminded him that I’m his Mum and this is my first and most important job, to care for him and Ollie.

I got him creamed up and back to bed when he told me he needed chocolate. Not wanted I hasten to add, but needed. I went downstairs (two flights each time) and got him a penguin and a banana only for him to be asleep by the time I got back. I then thought he might wake with it stuck to his face like he will do when he’s older and been out on the lash, swap penguin for kebab.

Saturday he still had 14 blisters left. The blisters need to be crusted over for him to effectively not be contagious anymore. I got this down to one by Sunday! I was a woman on a mission.

We got the all clear Monday morning (a week to the day) only for it to be replaced with a horrendous ear infection oozing luminous stuff. Back to the doctors to get antibiotic / steroid drops.

He was finally well enough to go back to school on Wednesday.

It was so nice to go back to work and drink a warm cup of tea, but of course I missed him and kept wondering if the school would call.

That was last week. Guess what? Ollie now has the Pox! I thought we’d dodged a bullet, but no! It started yesterday with two spots on his jaw which turned into blisters overnight and now have exploded all over his body worse than a Mogwai sprinkled with water!

This time I’m armed and ready. I hadn’t even had a chance to put all the creams away!

We’ve got this!

Love & hugs, kisses & wishes xxx