HFMD. Again.

It was not by coincidence that all four kids came down with fever in the same week. 

One by one, each ran a temperature followed by rashes on their hands and feet. Despite me trying my best to hope against hope that it wasn't the HFMD (again!), the telltale signs were just too obvious to ignore. Our visit to the doctors this morning confirmed it, and when Dr Chan told me that Amanda had it pretty bad with many ulcers at the back of her mouth, my heart just sank.  Sigh, my little baby girl. 

Wayne barely recovered two weeks ago, and now again? I feel so upset. Wayne thankfully seem to have it mild, with just a couple of spots. But Amanda's.. just looking at her hands and legs makes me wince, and I haven't even seen the ulcers in her mouth. It must be so painful for my food-loving girl to have to struggle to swallow her food each time, and her food intake has been reduced to half. A bite into the very food which used to make her break into her happy dance in the past, now causes her to break into tears, giving up after the first few mouthfuls.  

I did however realise that she is able to eat more after having her medication, presumably from the effects of paracetamol, which is a pain killer, so we have been trying that. 

Gabe and Lucas haven't been spared this terrible virus too, and hopefully they are on the road to recovery. Especially with Gabe's birthday celebration planned for the next weekend. All our outings this weekend have been postponed, including celebrating da-yi's birthday, which have been really disappointing especially knowing that we are only left with a few more weekends together before they head back to Japan.

We suspect the kids contracted the virus from our weekend of fun at Westgate Wonderland, as the very next day Gabe was down with fever. We should have known better, how frequent would a mall sanitise and disinfect a play area? Especially a FREE play area - unlike indoor playgrounds where at least the sustainability of their business is dependent on a clean, healthy playground. Sigh, don't we all know how playgrounds are magnets for all kinds of bacteria and viruses that passes on from one tiny hand to another tiny hand and into their mouths?

Not surprisingly, the past two days have been tough, for both the kids and us. The kids have been extra whiny, mealtimes difficult and our patience wearing thin, from the lack of sleep at nights. Given the pain, I know it could have been much worse. 

I think about how awful it must feel to have fireballs down their throats and I think the best I can do  during these painful times is to shower them with extra doses of mommy's love and hugs. 

Get well soon, babies.