We have had SUCH a sick week. And really, the time to get sick is NOT in the middle of a Scary New Disease Pandemic. I do NOT recommend this. But I gave away the punchline with my title, and all three of my kids are enjoying a sickly week at home.
Did you know - ahem - that Fifth Disease is one of the five Classical rashy diseases of childhood? Three of the others still exist, the nasty child-killers - measles, mumps and rubella - while the other one has been utterly forgotten by history (that would be "fourth disease."). Fifth Disease is not very serious unless you're pregnant, in which case you will want to stay FAR FAR AWAY from me and my hacking children.
Have a fun weekend!
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41 comments:
I didn't know that the fourth disease is forgotten. I had fifth disease as a child. I remember feeling fine (I did have a rash) and wondering why I had to stay at a babysitter's instead of going to preschool. I hope you all feel better soon.
Didn't you have fifth disease last year, you poor things? In which case, would this be sixth disease?
I've had this disease! I was twenty though, and I remember it being Painful. Are all five of the diseases worse if you get them when you're older?
get well soon, beck!
Planetnomad - Nope, this is the first time. Like chicken pox, it's a one-time only kinda deal.
And Nowheymama - I have it right now and it's AWFUL. Ugh!
Y-U-C-K. It is spring, enough with the sickness already! Rotavirus is milling around the school here. I'm holding my breath everytime someone ventures near the bathroom for fear that nasty little bug has entered our domain. Soon, we'll all be outside and hopefully germ free for the summer...right???
I agree with you 100%. With the exception of my Chubbers getting VERY sick in February, this winter has been our healthiest so far. Of course, you think about that and, BANG!, you get sick, of course, which is a totally terrible idea now with this scary virus infecting the whole world (having I am Legend flashbacks, sorry). I have this HORRIBLE cough, but it turns out it's just a symptom of seasonal allergies. Of course I'm relieved I'm not dying of pneumonia, but when you cough your lungs out at the store, people just assume you have the Swine flu.
I hope your kids and you get better, and that you get some rest... This never ends!!!!
When I was pregnant with my oldest I was babysitting two younger children that lived down the street from me on a daily basis as their mother was a schoolteacher. The eldest of the two came down with Fifth's and I quit. Boy was my neighbor angry with me, but I didn't want to take any chances with my unborn baby. Hope you all clear soon!
Fifth disease! Yikes! Feel better soon.
Oh for heaven's sake. Feel better, all of you.
We have been sick at our house too--I keep thinking "how ironic" when we have been pretty healthy all winter. Meanwhile, the school where my husband teaches closed down b/c they had a case of the flu but our doctor won't test us to see if that is what we have. Apparently the swine flu is "so over". I guess we should have been a little classier and come down with it a week or so sooner.
My baby just got what they said was a new-ish oral vaccine and I'm pretty sure they said it was for fifth disease.
So sorry you've all got it.
egads hope everyone is feeling better soon!
I really hope you and your family feel much better soon!
For some reason, my immunization to measles didn't "take" and I didn't find out until I had a miscarriage. The doctors gave me a new immunization and when I got pregnant with my son, they tested me and I STILL wasn't immune. I was freaked out. Fortunately, after reimmunization a THIRD time, I actually had immunity when I got pregnant with my daughter. Whew.
That exposure to stuff when you are pregnant is scary.
P.S. My SIL just had some other rashy, itchy, horrible thing recently. Hope yours doesn't last long.
Stuck inside when the weather is finally nice? Yuck.
Glad it isn't anything horrid. Enjoy your time with your babies!
I think that name is horrible. Fifth disease. Let's call it Fifth Excuse To Miss School But Recover Fully Syndrome. Or something else that lessens my panicky response.
And have you seen the wiki entry on Fifth Disease? The little boy pictured is sooooo cute!
Feel better.
Poor little parvovirus B19...nobody knows its name. Of course, the forgotten fourth's disease is even worse off.
ugh. 5th. may you all heal quickly and for a really, really long time.
I remember getting it in first grade and that I got to go out to eat with my parents. It felt strange, skipping school because I was "sick". I remember a fever though, and a long-ish break from school.
I hope you all feel better soon and that you get to spend the rest of the school year HEALTHY!
Oh man! That is rotten. I hope you are all on the mend and feeling better in no time.
I've never heard of this "fifth disease" stuff. What is it?
Two of my kids have had that - and I remember the dawning realization, like in the Madeleine books: "Something... is... not... right." :)
Thankfully our bout with it was of the milder sort, mostly a bit itchy and hot but not too puny. The type of sickness where you get to stay home, but you actually feel like doing something fun. I hope your kids have the same variety - - -
Feel better soon!
OH, I just read the other comments. I didn't realize YOU had it, Beck! And since it's "awful," obviously you don't have the milder variety that I just described, so I'm sure that comment just makes you feel SO much better. ;)
I do hope it passes quickly and you feel better, body and soul, very very soon.
well, as much as I'd like to meet you, I'm enjoying what I think is the first (of all 6) shows I've done this year with a clean bill of health, and I would like to keep it that way.
so please reschedule your surprise visit to me in Louisiana until after you are well, or May 24th, when my play closes. Whichever comes first.
(I hope you all feel better soon!)
It's Mother's Day weekend in the U.S. Shouldn't you get a sick exemption?
Here's to a completely healthy summer, eh?
Yuck, Beck. So sorry.
I wish I had Fifth disease as a kid. I haven't had it yet (had the bloodtest, no antibodies) so every set of red cheeks scares the daylights out of me when I'm pregnant.
Reading your blog is always so educational :) Today I learned that first disease is measles.
Nowheymama - apparently fifth disease can present with arthritis symptoms in adolescents and adults, which makes it worse.
My sister just came down with a nasty case of strep throat (or maybe mono) as soon as she moved into our house. So we're all trembling in fear and watching baby Elizabeth very closely every time she sneezes, coughs, or gets a new little pimple. Suddenly baby acne becomes proof of chicken pox and the cough is the flu.
Hope you all get better soon!
Wow you just can't catch a break can you?
are your kids at my preschool? because there's an outbreak of fifth there too. and croup. it's like anne of green gables, all victorian rashes and hacking coughs. but with more plastic towy. fun!
Oh, poor thing! Hope you feel better soon----sucks when everyone is sick but it's super duper hard when mama is sick too.
A kid at the CLB's preschool has fifths disease. We were sent home a note about it. You're right, it does not sound very serious, but I guess there is the bit if you are pregnant.
I hope everyone is better soon!
Oh blech. It's spring. This sick stuff has got to let up already. Hope you're all feeling better soon!
Fifth Disease. Ugh.
Is it Mother's Day in Canada? Happy Mother's Day, nonetheless, from Colorado.
Oh, heal, heal, heal!
Oh dear... There goes your Mother's Day celebration eh? Ironically, to spend it this way, just goes to show how much a supermom you are!
Heal fast everyone....
*Happy Mother's Day to you*
Oh, Beck. We are celebrating Mother's Day here with chicken pox and tonsillitis.
Damn. My daughter has rosy, rosy cheeks which redden as the day progresses and her stamina wanes. I can't tell you the number of times people have guessed she has Slapped Cheek Fever. (As they back away in horror.)
So sorry that you've all been slapped with it.
So sorry to hear Fifth Disease has invaded your house! Hope everyone is feeling better by now!
Ugh, it's been going around the daycare, and our neighbours also have it. Scarily, the neighbours' nanny is expecting, as are another parent in the daycare and one of the daycare teachers. We are all hoping they have already had it, whihc, working with and living with little kids, is quite likely.
Hi Beck! I'm playing a little catch-up--are you all better? The Loved and I had Fifth Disease last fall and were sick for SIX WEEKS! It sucks. I hope your house is healthy now.
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