You call THAT a blister???

**WARNING** Some of the pictures on this blog are NOT pretty...

Jeff is taking a vacation from work...but not willingly... He went to see the doctor on Tuesday afternoon because he is having such bad problems with the hand-foot-and-mouth disease (that according to several websites - only children get and if adults do get, it is usually very mild). The doctor (actually nurse practioner) said that she had never seen hand-foot-and-mouth disease in an adult before...boy what a case it is that she got to see...

Here is a picture we found on the internet of what they say your blisters will look like (granted - it is a picture of a child's hand...but I really couldn't find an adults hand when I looked):

Now...here is Jeff's right hand (his left hand doesn't look as bad, although it does have some stuff on it...):

The bad part is that his hand and fingers are so swollen by the blisters that he can't even open his own medicine bottles...his feet are so swollen and tender that he has a hard time walking...his poor throat is so sore that he can't hardly eat...even drinking water stings!!! Even if he was able to go to work...I wonder if he would have since he is so miserable... Oh...and by the way...his shoulder is doing okay (with all of this it is easy to forget he just had surgery last week...)

Meanwhile - most of Kendall's blisters are gone on her hands and feet and her mouth is almost completely healed. And so far neither Carson or I appear to have the virus - I sure hope it stays that way!!!

Well...to end things on a positive note - here are a few pictures of my angels!

Lesson's learned

I was given a big lesson in humility today...

Jeff wakes up this morning...and guess what...he now seems to have the hand-foot-and-mouth disease...blisters on his hands and in his mouth...(so much for adults not really exhibiting any symptoms...). I go to get Kendall from bed...and her diaper leaked so her back is soaking wet. So...I get Jeff to help me as I give her and Carson a bath (giving them both a bath at the same time is a little tricky...it can be done...but Jeff still has one good arm...). Then...I make the silliest of mommy mistakes and I put Jeff's coffee on the nightstand where Carson's little exploring hands can reach...and wouldn't you know it...he does reach it and pulls the coffee down and it spills over the entire nightstand, remote controls, alarm clock... Luckily...only one little spot on Carson (how did he do that???). Oh...and I forgot to mention that my right eye was full of gook this morning...it isn't especially pink...so I think I'm having an allergic reaction to something... Anyway - I was pretty much is a horrible mood from the get-go this morning. I really felt like God was testing me for some reason...that it isn't bad enough to have a semi-incapacitated husband...that he has to give me a sick daughter...a sick husband...and a million things to clean up around the house too when my husband really can't help me. "Thanks a LOT God!!!" I felt like screaming...and probably actually did...

So since Kendall is out of her normal activities this week...we went to Memo's (Jeff's Mom) house and the four of us went to lunch at Olive Garden. The whole time I'm grumpy and feeling sorry for myself and really questioning whether I should be staying home at all... Then...God stepped in and bonked me on my head.

A family came in and sat at a table behind us. Mom. Dad. Approximately 1 1/2 year old little boy (looked perfectly healthy). Approximately 13 year old boy...obviously mentally handicapped...sitting in a wheelchair...which his Mom pushed in...staring at the ceiling...arms, hands, legs somewhat twisted in his chair...being fed by his mom shortly after they arrive. I started crying. Here I was feeling sorry for myself...when I am so incredibly blessed to have 2 healthy (relatively speaking), happy, strong children...

God, thanks a lot!!!