I somehow avoided trench foot, but somehow Emma got HFMD!

What the heck is HFMD?!?!?! Hand Foot and Mouth Disease!?!?! What? That is what I said earlier this year when Kristi told me that Ashlyn had it. We now know first hand what this yucky virus is like. While we were camping Sweet Pea got sick. She started running a fever Thursday and Gran noticed she was limp and not her happy self. Mom took her to the pediatrician and they diagnosed her with HFMD when they saw the sores in her mouth, throat and nose. She had 104 degree fever and was feeling terrible. At that point she did not have sores anywhere else, but the ones in her throat were making her not want to eat or drink. There is nothing you can do except treat the symptoms, there is no antibiotic that helps since it is a virus. Mom had a long night with Emma trying to keep her comfortable and her fever down. Gran stayed with Emma Friday while Ryan was at school and then both girls went to Aunt Mis and Uncle's house until we got home Saturday. Our awesome family took care of our fussy, sick baby.
We had no idea that Emma was sick because we didn't have cellular service. Thankfully, she was in great hands those three days and by Saturday evening she was eating, drinking and feeling better. BUT, she had sores everywhere! Some babies only get the sores in their mouth and throat and others get them all over. Emma had them all over her face, bottom, hands, knees and feet. So painful looking. It broke my heart when I saw her poor little face with open sores. She is such a trooper and has been her smiley self even though she looks so pitiful.
I started this blog over the weekend and since then she has quit running fever but her sores have gotten worse. I think today they finally started to dry up and I am optimistic that tomorrow they will start to go away. HFMD is pretty awful. Even though Emma doesn't go to day care she does go to Sunday School and Kids Club at the gym. I am pretty sure she must have caught this bug at Sunday School. It is easily transmitted in saliva and is very contagious and can cause large outbreaks in day cares. She puts everything in her mouth, so I am sure that is what happened. We are just hoping that Ryan had a milder version already and that she isn't about to get it. After looking online and reading about it I think Emma got the worst strain! The google images of the sores associated with HFMD are nothing compared to her sores! Thankfully, once you catch this you should not get it again.

This was before her face got bad!
On Saturday she only had one blister on her hand,
by Sunday evening they were all over!

This was her bottom on Sunday, it too got way worse,

Heartbreaking!

Especially to see this on a kid who has never had a diaper rash!

Even though she was sick, she was happy to see her Murph!

Ouch!

We had to cancel our family photo shoot Sunday.

Poor little hiney!