The Pox

On Friday I noticed a funny red spot on Topher's chest. It looked a little like the tumor Sophie had surgically removed from her face a few years ago. I didn't think much of it beyond that.

On Saturday after his bath, the spot looked like it had been scrubbed off a bit, so not a tumor.

On Sunday evening, after we had all attended our church meetings, I noticed there were a handful of spots. Huh. Was it an allergic reaction?

On Monday morning this is what his stomach looked like. There were spots on his back and scalp as well. I got him in to see our doctor that afternoon. He confirmed what I had suspected: chicken pox. 

This is a first for our family. The other kids were immunized against chicken pox, so it wasn't an issue. Topher, however, is four months too young to receive the vaccine.

I spent Monday evening texting apologies to all the people at church that came in contact with him, explaining our shock and saying we had no idea where he got it. One of them called me back and said her infant, one of only three in the ward, had five odd blisters about two weeks ago. Then she apologized to me about unknowingly giving Topher chicken pox. I told her I was relieved to have a source and to know that we hadn't gotten her baby sick.

This is how much it had spread by Tuesday night.

He's still played and laughed, but he's also spent a lot of this week feeling miserable and itchy. He's quarantined at home until new blisters stop appearing and those he has crust over. It should take about a week.