I stayed home sick yesterday, what with the obvious breast infection. Whenever I stay home sick, my nanny ends up sick or injured or whatnot. Yesterday it wasn’t she that ended up sick, but her niece, for whom she is the primary caregiver. Obviously, she had to leave if her niece was throwing up and sick and had a fever and whatnot. Poor M but also Poor Karen.
This morning, M called to say that her niece has chicken pox.
Let’s review.
Point the first: Karen’s babies are 10.5 months old. Babies receive the chicken pox vaccine at 12 months old (and another booster sometime later, I can’t remember when).
Point the second: Karen is not immune to chicken pox.
Point the third: Karen’s nanny has never, to her knowledge, had chicken pox OR the chicken pox vaccine.
Point the fourth: The incubation period for chicken pox is 8-21 days. Let’s average it out and call it 14 days.
Point the fifth: Regardless of the incubation period, her niece will need care and will not be able to return to her babysitter until she herself no longer has active chicken pox lesions, about a week.
This, suffice it to say, has not been a good week. I haven’t even gotten a shower yet today. For the good of mankind, I must get a shower today!
ChezPerky 
How awful, and you just survived a chicken pox scare. I hope you have a restful shabbos and that all five of you (the babies, you, Marie) make it through without catching the dreaded pox.
I honestly have no idea, but is there any feasible way to try and minimize the risk that your babies could pass it to each other? Or to you?
Ugh! Hoping this too passes!
Why don’t you give “chicken pox party” a try?
Gah. Double gah. Actually, in your case (let’s see–Karen, nanny, and three babies (since I assume J had the vaccine)–quintuple gah. And a couple of “eeps” thrown in for good measure.
Oh crap!! Now that just sucks… Good luck?
Get well soon… Hoping you’ll survive…
Bea
ugh…when it rains it pours. i hope you feel better soon and that the chicken pox stay far away from your house.
OH NO!!! I hope you and the triplets don’t get it!!!
huh, I didn’t know there was a chicken pox vaccine. Gah. I hope they don’t get it.
holy…. Call your pediatrician – maybe the babies can get the vaccine early and then be re-vaccinated later???
(the vaccine isn’t given until 1 because it doesn’t seem to be long-term effective, as far as I know)
I hope the Perky household stays pox-free.
Good grief… you guys need to catch a break very, very soon! Perhaps you will be spared the pox?!? Here’s hoping and praying so….
OH MY GOSH. You gotta be freaking kidding me. Oh Karen, I don’t even know what to say.
You are amazing and I know you’ll get through this but, come on now! Its just too much. I can’t wait to hear about how you managed all of this. I think my head would explode.
I’m trying to come up with something comforting and must admit I’m drawing a blank. May you stay pox free or at least crust over quickly.
Oh no! I’ll be hinking of you! Find out re. the vaccine. I had The Little Miss inoculated a week before The Boys’ birth because there was an outbreak at her school. If I remember correctly you are immune within 24 hours and since you were not in direct contact with the niece this might be an idea. At least for yourself.
We just had double chicken pox in this house. I will sacrifice virgin squirrels to see if I can help ward off the pox.
And really – virgin squirrels are hard to find.
Oh, bummer. Oh, major bummer.