Hand-Foot-Mouth (Part 3, Day 6) Insidious Virus and Dumbledore

We can't get a good look in his mouth.
I hope it doesn't look this bad.

Days 4 and 5 were pretty rough, as more and more blisters were forming in Joseph's mouth.  He refused to drink and after dangerously few wet diapers we began force-hydrating him with pedialyte squirted into his mouth by me using a 5 mL dropper while Larry held him in a death grip.  I felt like Harry Potter pouring the water into Dumbledore's mouth as he screamed in Half Blood Prince.  With this method every 12-15 minutes all day long, he produced a few more wet diapers and we avoided a trip to the hospital for IVs.

Today is Day 6 and Joseph is getting some energy back, but is still hoarse from days of screaming.  He no longer has a fever, but is still in pain, although drinking a lot of milk on his own.  Sleeping is still a challenge.

Joseph has decided that it is very comfortable to sit in the refrigerator.  

The most insidious and evil parts of this disease are the following:

1. It puts little kids in too much pain to eat or drink
2.  It causes insomnia in little kids.  Evil, Evil, Evil.  Pure Hell.

Apparently, it isn't always this bad.  And the CDC describes it as "usually mild" but that must be when compared to ebola or something!

Larry and I are thankful that my brother and his wife came yesterday for hours to play with the kids, take Abigail to karate, have dinner, provide us with some adult conversation and watch the Netherlands/ Argentina game.  It was a mental health silver bullet for the two of us.  

Our old soul now enjoys sitting on the front porch swing,
waving at cars as they drive past, collecting leaves from the
red bud tree by the porch and making Larry hold them.