Yep...that's right. Jenna has Scarlet Fever. Ugh. It all started last week, Thursday night. She was highly emotional and crabby. Yeah I know...so how is that different. Even more than usual ;-) So I knew something was up. She seemed fine Friday morning and went to school. Friday night it started. Fever, headache, tummy ache. Here we go. She continued with high fevers all weekend. Highest was 104.8 Saturday evening. Ooof...that is scary high. Still figured it's just a bug she needs to get through. Even if it is influenza there is no point in going to the doctor. There isn't anything they can do. Motrin and fluids. I know the routine. Monday morning she woke up with a weird red blotch on her face. Checked with some other Moms who all said they had seen rashes with fevers. Okay...I'll just keep a close eye on it. Didn't see a rash anywhere else. She is a big girl. Dresses and potties by herself so I had no cause to see her naked until bathtime Monday night. Oh Holy Shamoley. Wishing I had checked her out during the day. It was all over her chest, belly and BRIGHT red on her lower tummy and genitals. WTH is this?? Got online and consulted my AMAZING mommy friends. Love you guys :) One of whom said Scarlet Fever. *slaps forehead* Of course! How could I NOT know this?! Kailey, my oldest, had Scarlet Fever a few years back from Strep Throat. Oh I feel awful. So, so, so guilty. WHY did I not check her out more thoroughly. WHY did I NOT just bring her to the doctors?? Lesson learned. Don't mess around next time. Tuesday morning she had an appointment scheduled at Duke for a follow up with the rheumatologists. I called to make sure it was okay to still bring her and they said yes but be sure to get a mask at the desk. Oh boy...she was PO'd. Royally. She refused to put it on. I had to use the angry Mommy voice in the ear thing to get it on her. She covered her face with her arm and stayed like that the whole time. I'm sorry baby :'-( Doctor #1 comes in to see her. She lifts the back of Jenna's shirt and says, "oh yeah! this is definitely Scarlet Fever!" What? On her back?? It wasn't there last night. So we start peeling off her clothes. It is everywhere. EVERYWHERE. hands, feet, head....ALL over. Oh my poor baby Mommy is so sorry. It is also causing her joints to flair. *sigh* Mostly her knees. I had been looking forward to this appointment so that we can start changing her meds to more appropriate doses as well as switching from Enbrel to Humira. Not today they tell me. They can't change her meds while she is so sick. Well crap :-/ So we gome home with a prescription for a 10 day course of antibiotics and renewed scrips on all her old meds. Not what I wanted. Good news is that this morning after just one dose of the antibiotic she is doing AMAZINGLY well. Rash is almost all gone. No fever and a renewed energy level. Amen. Could have been much worse I suppose. Now if I could just get some rest and kick my headache all would be well.
