Emily’s friend, Catalina, has chickenpox. So we went out to lunch with them last week. I made sure Emily gave Cata a big hug and kiss when we got there. Then I helped them share some ice cream. I even had them take turns trying to blow up a balloon. It was our own little private pox party. We still had three weeks before our trip to England and the start of summer so the timing was perfect. 10 days incubation. One week itchy/scratchy. A few more days to clear up and recover and off we go. What could go wrong?
Here’s where I went wrong. You see, when I was a kid, there was no such thing as a varicella vaccine. Everyone sooner or later just got chickenpox, took baths in Calamine lotion, and got over it. But Emily and Sebastian both received the vaccine before they were one, and I didn’t realize that only about 2% of vaccinated children will still get chickenpox. I just thought that they would catch it all the same, but it would be a much milder version of the virus. I was not correct.
Long story short, Emily did not contract chickenpox. But both Cata’s mom and I developed a really nasty throat infection, accompanied by hallucination-inducing high fever. Poetic justice? Reminds me of that episode of South Park, but without the herpes.
(fun fact: that episode of South Park may have been the last one to air before I moved to Spain back in ’98)
But you had chicken pox- when you were about 5 or 6, you all had chicken pox at the same time. Rebecca was an infant. Amanda was about 2 or 3 and miserable. You were the Big boy and the easiest to deal with. But we did not let you all get infected on purpose. You had started school that year and another child had the chicken pox and shared it with your class. You always were good at those high fevers. Feel better soon. I love you.
Mom