“A pox upon me for a clumsy oaf!”

April 24th, 2008

Yep; the fiendish, contagious, nerve of a disease/illness known as ‘chicken pox’ has entered this household.

Katrina had it first two week ago from who-knows-where and who-knows-who, but she caught it all the same, and Jason figured it was as good a time as any for all the kids to have the pox now and get it over with. And so, two weeks later when Katrina was over hers, they awoke one morning with the chicken pox, slight fevers, sores and all. Us Willi were safe, since we were vaccinated when we were little.

“Pappy, I only have one chicken pock!” I heard Julia exclaim excitedly to Dad during lunch.

Poor Julia – that was only the first day. Now she and all the kids have the ‘pox’ all over their faces and bodies.

The next morning was Sunday. I awoke early, quickly showered, dressed, and was ready to be off to church when I noticed a spot on my leg. Hmm, kind of bubbly, itchy, and pink; looks and feels like poison ivy. I thought nothing of it, since I tend to get poison ivy often.

But then, I found another spot…and soon another, and another. I was starting to get worried; what strange form of skin disease was growing on my skin, since of course it couldn’t be chicken pox? I was vaccinated for it, after all. I showed these weird bumps to Mom at breakfast, who, after a thorough examination of these said,

“Looks like chicken pox, but I can’t tell for sure. You should stay home from church just to be safe.”

As the day progressed and my ‘bumps’ grew more prominent, it became more obvious that Mom’s assumption was correct; I did indeed have the chicken pox.

*groan*

…and that’s how it went folks; the chicken pox. I had no fever or symptoms on the days before, but I’ve got the pox part, and Nate has some as well. Angie and Walter, on the other hand, are doing just fine, nary a sign of anything amiss. (I know, it’s not fair, right? :-) We were all vaccinated at the same time when we were younger, so why should the two younger of the Willi get the chicken pox and not the two elder? Why should we have gotten it at all? Who knows. It’s a very strange thing altogether.

I must say that it’s not too bad having the chicken pox now, since we can all have it together. (Nate, the kids and I, that is) In the mornings we do some school (and oatmeal baths for the kids), after lunch we lick our cranberry ‘pox’sickles Karlyn freezes for us, during the afternoon we usually watch a movie together, and while sitting at the dinner table we compare each other’s sores, racing to see who’s will scab over first.

I’m currently over the ‘itchy stage of chicken pox’ as we call it, and am only left with sore, rather weird looking spots on my chest and face, well on my way towards recovery. After this, a vaccination and a case of the pox, hopefully I’ll never get it again. (horah!) Maybe the Lord is building up my immunity for something in the future; who knows? At any rate, I certainly hope I’ll be scabbed over enough to join my family in our plans for this weekend!

God bless you all, and stay healthy!

-Kasie

Here there be comments...

  • Hannah

    April 24, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    Hi,
    I will be praying for all of you. I have had chicken pox twice. I got it when I was little, little, and it was miserable. Then when I went in for my shots when I was about 9, they just went ahead and gave me the vaccine, even though I had already had it. My doctor said that there was a 1 out of 10 chance that I could get a mild case of chicken pox from the vaccine, thus my second case of chicken pox. Well, I hope that you all get well soon.

    In Christ,
    Hannah

  • Camille

    April 24, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Oh, Kasie…be blessed that you contracted them despite that dreaded, horrific vaccination!!

    I must caution the older Willi….they have found that the vaccination only last upwards of 10 years at most, and boosters are required. So, be joyful!! I would highly encourage your folks, and the older Willi, to research the vaccination and the effects of chicken pox. Since you have had them naturally now, you should be okay when it comes time to bring grand-Willis into this world, but not so for your siblings.

    Okay…my post is turning into woe and misery with a bit of fear thrown in, but I’m serious about looking into it. It is much, much, MUCH better to get the pox the good old-fashioned way.

    Walter and Angie could still break out. There is a 7 to 21 day incubation period. So, they aren’t free and clear until 21 days after you and Nate scab over.

    We just went through the pox back in December and January. Of course, our two littles didn’t get them at the same time, though they were exposed at the same time. Victoria never did get them. I think she must have natural immunity because she has been exposed now about 5 times…and nary a pock on her.

    Any way…do your research.

    To your health -
    Camille

  • Camille

    April 24, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    PS – Jacob, our oldest son, had them when he was 3. (That was Victoria’s first known exposure). …and a bit of oddity in our family…none of our kids itched. They were covered…oh my were they covered! We counted over 200 on Marlee and David! …but never did we have a child complain of itching. Had it not been common knowledge that chicken pox were itchy, I would have never thought they were!!!

    Okay – I’m done now!

    Peace.

  • Kasie

    April 24, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    No itch? That is weird. For me I found that the first day was fine (remember I had no fever), just a bunch of weird bumps. But the second and third day I was itchy and uncomfortable all over! Your kids they’re blessed not to have the itch.

    I know somebody like your Victoria. He’s been exposed many, many times, and has never got the pox.

    Thank-you for praying Hannah! I think everybody’s feeling better today.

    So Angie and Walter could still get it… Hehe. *rubs hands together in wicked way* ;-) Their turn could still come!

  • Esther

    April 24, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    Honestly i dont believe vaccinations help all that much! Maybe it will take a way some of the symptoms or keep you from getting them for some years also it probably depends on your body. some people simple may have more immunity then others also age may have somethign to do with it… but any way ya its better to get it over with now then latter!

  • Esther

    April 24, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    buy any way Hope you get better soon! hmmm and im jealous you guys had it a short time iremeber being sick for so long when i got it course maybe its cause i was young too and it felt like it was forever!

  • Kasie

    April 24, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    I don’t think vaccination helps that much either. The chicken pox vaccine was the last we one we got; we had read a book on the dangers of vaccinations, so we didn’t do any after that!

    I do have a pretty mild case of it Esther. I don’t have nearly as many as the kids do. Maybe the vaccine helped a little after all! :-)

  • Walter

    April 24, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    @Camille
    Yeah, we know all about how bad vaccinations are – Mom could go on and on about it. :D However 10 years ago we didn’t know any better, and we all got vaccinated.

    We’ve all been exposed to it for many weeks now, and Mom (a former nurse) says that if Angie and I weren’t immune, we would have come down with it by now.

    Everyone laughs at me, but I still stand by my theory. :) I think that my body has been able to fight it off (probably helped by the vaccine) – but just barely. Every couple days I notice a weensy bump that is kind of itchy, and then horrors! Another one!

    But they always disappear by the next day…..

  • Kasie

    April 24, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    So that’s why you’re always examining your arms and legs all the time…

    Lucky duck! :-P

  • Andrew Higginbotham

    April 24, 2008 at 6:23 pm

    Wow! I had the pox when I was about 8 or 9…. Not fun! Of course whenever mom and dad tried to get me around anyone who had it…it never worked! LOL I got it from a relitive that did not even come to the get together! LOL… vaccinations….Well take most of them at your own risk…No JK!

  • Star Dust

    April 24, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    Oh boy, when I saw this post… LOL! Our family has just finished with the “fiendish, contagious, nerve of a disease/illness” :) I and my sister had them when we were 6 and 4, but the youngest four kids hadn’t. Well, some good friends of ours had them, and we decided (since we haven’t been vaccinated for them…or most of things actually…LOL) that we should just get them over with. So, my little sister comes down with them the day after a conference, we were so glad it wasn’t before, and then it went down the line. This Sunday will be the first time they will be able to go to church in a few weeks, we’re glad they’re over with! The Lord was good though, they had such light cases that you wouldn’t know they had them! Hopefully they will develop an immunity from it. I hope you get over them soon!! I’ll be praying for you! It’s good you got them now though, because it can really be a problem if you are older and get them.

    I read this comment to Mom and she says to add that if anyone else starts to come down with them, immediately put Vitamin E oil on the ‘dots’ (as my little sister calls them) right when they break out. Also, we heard that Tea Tree Oil helps with itching. Mom fed them homemade lemonade when they had the fever, and after, which seemed to help.

  • Star Dust

    April 24, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    Sorry that was so long. :)

  • Kasie

    April 25, 2008 at 8:36 am

    Hehe, that’s okay. Long comments are acceptable. :-)

    I love vitamin E oil! I used it on my pox this week, and I believe it helped. It sort of soothed the itch and aided in the scabbing or drying out process. Didn’t try tea trea oil though… Those two are my favorites to put on skin. I get lots of strange things on my neck and arms that usually turn out being nothing more than ‘strange things on my neck and arms.’ lol! But I use the tea trea oil on excema (sp?) and vitamin E on poison ivy. They work great!

    ‘Haven’t been to church in a few weeks…’ That sounds familiar! I think I’ll be able to go this Sunday though. I certainly hope so!

  • Andrew Higginbotham

    April 25, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Hay those sound like good ideas! May I add one? Tea Tree Oil works wonders on zits! I have been using it for about 3 months now…!!! And I must say it works!

    @Star Dust,
    Y’all got the pox after the conference? Were we there?

  • Kasie

    April 25, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    Haha – zits! Mom says that tea tree oil works pretty well with anything on the skin, so I guess zits are in that category! :-) I wonder if it would work for pimples… Last year when I had mild acne on my face, I put lemon juice on the pimples overnight, and I think it helped. A sip of lemon juice also helps to loosen the throat for singing.

    Just some more strange pieces of information! :-) Zits…

  • Star Dust

    April 25, 2008 at 3:11 pm

    Well, I hope you’re over them soon!!

    @Andrew,

    I wondered if you would say something about that. :) No, it wasn’t Liberty Day, the weekend after that we went to a conference, and that was it, so no, you weren’t there. Actually, we didn’t think they would come down with them until later, but they did a few days after the homeschool conference (which you were not at the next weekend). Don’t worry, none of us were contagious (I wouldn’t have been anyway, I had them years ago). :)

    Zits (pimples, whatever LOL)…no fun. Yeah, my mom is big on Tea Tree Oil too. I’ve used it some for pimples. I ought to try lemon juice on them.

    Hey, if it works… :) (@Kasie’s last comment)

  • TIffany

    April 25, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    I had the chicken pox when I was three, and of course they had to fall just when T.J. was about to be born! No visiting him in the hopital for me! When both of my brothers were little, our friends came down with them so we had a nice, infectious, little get together! I didn’t get it then or when I was helping Mommy take care of the boys, so I shouldn’t be geting it againI I read this post to Mommy and between us there was quite a bit of laughing! Hope y’all get over it quickly!

  • Andrew Higginbotham

    April 25, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    LOL I have already had them and my little brothers need them…So Star Dust, We would not have cared! LOL

  • Star Dust

    April 25, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    Oh! LOL! Well, in that case, you should have come to the MCHE conference in IN the next weekend! :) (but then, we didn’t know they would break out that quick) I thought you might have been worried about it. LOL

    @Tiffany
    That’s what we did with out friends! “A nice, infectious, little get together” LOL

  • Hannah

    April 25, 2008 at 7:18 pm

    Hi,
    I just wanted to tell you that Calimine lotion works well. Also, we used baking soda. Make a paste with a bit of water, and rub on the sores. Well, just thought that might help a bit. They are miserable. God bless, and hope you all get well soon.

    In Christ,
    Hannah

  • Shanna

    April 25, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    You poor things!!! I’ll be praying for you!
    WE ALL came down with Chicken Pox just last year, and I must say, it was HORRIFIC! (the itching that is) None of us kids had ever been vaccinated for it, but we sure were exposed to it plenty of times when we were little. For some reason, I suppose the Lord wanted all of us to experience it together. It was pretty interesting having all 10 of us with it at the same time. It took about 3 months for every kid to catch it and heal. We didn’t really try any of those cool herbal remedies you guys talk about – and I NEVER DARED to step into an Oatmeal bath (shudder) suffering through the itching was a much more appealing thought than stepping into a tubful of mushy gushy breakfast food… ;-)
    I think we all grew a little closer because of the experience – The family that itches together stays together, I always say :)

  • Kasie

    April 25, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    We’re pretty much over it by now actually. I’m all scabbed over, the kids are almost there. (just don’t want to be seen in public with their faces covered!) I can go to church on Sunday!

    My sister Joy had a chicken pox party for her daughter once. Got together with a few other children who had it, but nothing happened. I guess it really depends on the individual! So weird.

    “The family that itches together stays together.” Wow. That’s hilarious! :-D

  • Shanna

    April 25, 2008 at 10:12 pm

    YAY!!! I’m so glad for you guys :-) I always LOVE returning to church after an absence – of any amount of time actually. Everyone greets you so warmly and tells you how much they’re praying for you and seem so happy to see you – it feels great!

    Did Walter and Angie get it? I hope it eludes them. In our family the ones who got it later got it worse. Not to scare them or anything! Oh dear, maybe I should just erase that part………Sorry!

    Seriously, I’m sure they’ll be fine. :)

  • Kasie

    April 26, 2008 at 7:20 am

    No, Walter and Angie haven’t gotten it yet, and I don’t think they shall. I mean, if their immune system has been able to fight it off for this long (first Katrina, then us…), why should they get it now? I seriously doubt it.

    My scabs are slowly starting to fall off – horah! (sometimes with a little help…)

  • Shanna

    April 26, 2008 at 8:40 am

    I’m so glad :) Now you can all live a pox-free life together!!

    BTW, I thought for awhile that your entry title was an anagram :-) I looked it up on Google though, and it looks like an insult folks used in the old days. What a dunce I am! ;-)

  • Star Dust

    April 26, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    The friends we got them from have 7 kids ages 12 to 24 and none of them had had them. It took forever for the last ones to get them, even though they were around the chicken pox from the first one getting them. So, until the incubation period is over from the last one that gets them, they could still get them, though I don’t know if they would. I don’t know, just some info. :)

  • Aunt Frances

    April 26, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    Well, back in the days before the chicken pox vaccine, many many moons ago….

    Where was I going with this? I got lost in setting the time period. ;-)

    I hope your household gets to feeling better quickly.

  • Andrew Higginbotham

    April 26, 2008 at 6:02 pm

    On the note of returning from an absence to church… One family in our church was gone with sickness…and other things that when they first got back the pastor said and we have the “Jones”* family visiting us today! We are glad you could come!” Of course he was joking. They had not been there in almost 2 months if I remember right! LOL

    *Not their real name

  • Walter

    April 26, 2008 at 7:06 pm

    @Shanna

    The title of this post was taken from It’s a Wonderful Life, but we actually messed up the line slightly. It actually goes (and you’ll remember if you’ve seen the movie) like this:

    Mary, holding our her hand: “My train please.”
    Jimmy Steward (aka George): “A pox on me for a clumsy lout! Your caboose me lady.”

  • Camille

    April 30, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Okay…where is everyone? I’m over there at the ‘Another Diary Entry’ waiting for everyone. So, come on guys!!! The water is great! The food is wonderful, but they won’t let me eat the chocolate cake ’til everyone gets there. So hurry up, will ya?!?!?

  • Cindy Raatz

    May 2, 2008 at 10:37 pm

    My four boys had them together. (Actually 2 and 2, but overlapping most of the time.) The oldest for the 2nd time, since the first time he had it very mildly when he was 2. We changed homeschooling for a week and studied astronomy. The boys tried to find constellations on each other:) That made it somewhat fun!


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