Quarantined
Aaaagh! I just got a call from one of the leaders of the Mother Goose programme, informing me that one of the other babies has come down with chickenpox!
My panic: What is the risk to Jakob? (Werner and I have each had the chickenpox, so we're immune.) I called the newborn hotline for advice. The nurse took my name and number so she could do some research and call me back. The response: the virus is most contagious two days before the rash appears; of course, this other baby got sick two days after the last Mother Goose session. The incubation period is 10-21 days, and since we won't know until the rash appears whether Jakob has been infected, we ought to consider him contagious. I can't take him anywhere where he could pass on the virus to anyone who might be at risk. We'll still go to Mother Goose because, afterall, everyone has already been exposed to the virus.
But, no mom/baby drop-in or Movies for Mommies or coffee shops. Werner can't take him swimming. All the little things I do to maintain my tenuous grip on reality, to add shape to my week - off limits.
What about Mother's Day? My first one, and I guess we can't go anywhere. Or the GC alumni events. And the Children's Festival, too.
He can't be immunised until he's at least 12 months old. The nurse said he might still have some antibodies from the placenta, but those benefits might be gone by now. It's a bit of a twilight time.
If he's going to get sick, I'd rather he do it sooner rather than later; we'll be on tenterhooks throughout the incubation stage. At least there's no trip to the moon at stake.
(Too bad chickenpox parties are no longer in vogue; I could have been the most popular mom in the neighbourhood!)
My panic: What is the risk to Jakob? (Werner and I have each had the chickenpox, so we're immune.) I called the newborn hotline for advice. The nurse took my name and number so she could do some research and call me back. The response: the virus is most contagious two days before the rash appears; of course, this other baby got sick two days after the last Mother Goose session. The incubation period is 10-21 days, and since we won't know until the rash appears whether Jakob has been infected, we ought to consider him contagious. I can't take him anywhere where he could pass on the virus to anyone who might be at risk. We'll still go to Mother Goose because, afterall, everyone has already been exposed to the virus.
But, no mom/baby drop-in or Movies for Mommies or coffee shops. Werner can't take him swimming. All the little things I do to maintain my tenuous grip on reality, to add shape to my week - off limits.
What about Mother's Day? My first one, and I guess we can't go anywhere. Or the GC alumni events. And the Children's Festival, too.
He can't be immunised until he's at least 12 months old. The nurse said he might still have some antibodies from the placenta, but those benefits might be gone by now. It's a bit of a twilight time.
If he's going to get sick, I'd rather he do it sooner rather than later; we'll be on tenterhooks throughout the incubation stage. At least there's no trip to the moon at stake.
(Too bad chickenpox parties are no longer in vogue; I could have been the most popular mom in the neighbourhood!)
posted by Melanie A at 1:40 p.m.
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