Thanks for the prayers....

It started last week. Princess woke up on Thursday with a fever and red cheeks. Unusual, because my kids aren't usually flushed when they get a fever, and it was a fever but not that high. Tylenol helped and by the end of the day, she was well. The next day, my neck started hurting-I assumed I slept wrong. It was annoying, but not very painful. It continued until Sunday night, when all of a sudden, I couldn't turn my neck. Very painful to turn at all. This wasn't good. I knew that it was a sign of meningitis, but I didn't have any other symptoms. Monday morning I woke up, with a very stiff and sore neck, achy joints-oh boy, I thought, maybe it is. Took a shower, got out and realized, that I was covered head to toe in a rash. Relief passed through me-rashes are not symptoms of meningitis.

Or, are they? A quick internet search proved, that it was a symptom. I ran to the doctor, but I wasn't experiencing any other symptoms. Everyone I know that had it was hospitalized with headaches, vomiting-nothing that I had.

By Monday night, the pain in my neck subsided, but I couldn't move my hands. Swollen and painful, I couldn't turn them or grab anything.

My mother called at this point and said that it sounded like fifth disease. I had no idea what that was. She said that when I was little, I got it every year. I looked it up online and its also called the "slapped face" syndrome because children usually look like they've been slapped in the face. But Princess never had a rash? I had no idea. Its winter and we're covered up and she's old enough to shower on her own. A quick check stated that the rash could take up to two weeks to go away. I brought her in and checked her out. Sure enough, she had a rash.

Well, now at least I knew what was wrong. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday with very painful hands-swollen and barely able to move them. Today, they are much better, but my fingers look like small sausages. I still ache in every joint in my body. I feel like a ninety year old. I almost couldn't get outta bed this morning and I'm hoping it ends soon.

Of course, my ever supportive hubby called me yesterday to let me know that his search on the internet stated that adults could have these joint symptoms for up to thirty days. Not something I wanted to hear. Thanks a lot honey!

So, that's what's been going on in my house this week. With all the illnesses in 2010 so far, I'm reaching for the do-over button!