Take My Hands

So apparently Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease is “going around.” At least, this is what my daughter’s doctor told us earlier this week when she was diagnosed with it. We were obviously worried about her but she was being a trooper despite the sores all over her. It is hard in these moments to not blame yourself as a parent.

Are we not clean enough?

Do we wash her and our hands enough?

Did we choose the wrong daycare?

Realistically none of these questions may have mattered. My daughter most likely contracted it from another baby at a recent baptism/party. The baby she got it from may not have even been showing symptoms yet. This is all to say that there was not necessarily any way we could have prevented this other than completely secluding her from all social interactions (which we’ve considered jokingly). So there might not be anyone to blame.

Now I have symptoms though, the worst of which are my itchy hands. To say they are itchy though doesn’t quite do the sensation justice, because it is hard to imagine itchy hands preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep. But trust me when I say that if a procedure existed where I could temporarily remove my hands until this dreadful virus passes, I’d take it. Apparently, that procedure doesn’t exist, and all I can do is wait for this horrible virus to run its course.

I want someone to blame, something to blame, anything to direct this frustration towards. Instead I will go try another anti-itch ointment and hope for rest.

Thanks for reading!