Woo Hoo, It's Fifth's Disease: This Weekend Part 3

The strangest thing happened this weekend but it has turned out to be good news. When we came home Saturday afternoon and met my family at the cub scout banquet Alora was broken out in a rash. She was covered on cheeks, arms, belly, back and bottom with a red rash that looked like a bad splotchy sunburn. We treated it with benadryl cream but it did not go away and so Monday I called the doctor. My suspicions were confirmed--It's fifth's disease. I only know about this little virus that sounds awful because I am a teacher. In school, it never failed, we would always have a couple cases of this strange little virus pop up each year. It is also commonly referred to as "slap cheek" virus because the cheeks look like they have been slapped. The sneaky thing about this virus is that by the time the rash breaks out you are no longer contagious. The contagious part occurs 6-24 days before the rash ever shows up, making this little virus, a real pain in the honkus. The good thing is that, other than an irritating rash, most of the time, in children, there really are no other symptoms besides a little achyness and maybe a low grade fever. It looks a lot worse than it is. Except in adults!

Here is the crazy part. I looked it up on the internet and began to tell Joey what I learned, how, in adults, it does not manifest itself as a rash but discomfort in the joints, swollen appendages, achy flu like symptoms are extremely common. This thing can make adults feel horrible. So I told him we should be on our guard if we start feeling bad. He then proceeded to speak in his wisdom, " You mean its kindof like the way you have been feeling for the last three weeks?" And then the light came on and I felt like a new woman. Could it be that I am not old and decrepid? Could it be that the two mile run isn't what sent me into a downward life spiral? Could it be that I had fifth's disease at the same time that I began my little training? I was actually thinking while at the conference, while rubbing my hands, that I was really gonna have to call the doctor because I feel like I might have some arthritis because the joints in my hands hurt so bad.

Woo Hoo!! I think I had fifth's disease! Yeah me! There are serious spiritual things happening in all of this that I will save for the next blog since this one is getting pretty lengthy. Stay tuned!